Confirmed: Sonic & The Black Knight Is For Real

Ripten's Chad Lakkis writes:

"Several hours ago, a Nintendo Power cover surfaced on the popular gaming forum Neogaf. It's cover clearly stated that the issue would reveal information on a new Sega IP titled "Sonic & The Black Knight", however a few sites began to doubt legitimacy.

Various Photoshop "investigators" went to work hoping to expose the cover as a fake. I decided to go a different route and check to see if SEGA registered the domain name.

It turns out that they most certainly did register sonicandtheblacknight.com on what appears to be July 2, 2008. Below is the domain information extracted directly from the Japan Whois database. "

[Twizlex]

I don't understand why so many people doubted it in the first place.

[Nostradavis]

probably because most people think it is easy to Photoshop something and put it on the interwebs.

[Dark General]

I didn't want my childhood favorite mascot to be demoralized even more and become the running joke of mediocre title after mediocre title.

[Twizlex]

Mario has constantly evolved and still managed to stay relevant, so there's no reason Sonic can't do the same. Just because it's not an old-school Sonic game doesn't mean it will automatically suck.

[Nostradavis]

Yet again I find myself agreeing with you Twiz. Scary.

[Smacktard]

What're you talking about, Twiz? Has there been a good console Sonic game since SA2?

[blazing01]

there has been some good sonic games since sa2. it is sonic for 360 n ps3 which kill sonic. sonic rider is a good game n sonic hero was also. i cant say for sonic and the secret ring and shadow game because i didn't play those games.

[Rob0g0rilla]

Your trash

[poeo]

their trash? what about it, they forgot to take it?

[LJWooly]

Haha, excellent. Bubble to you poeo.

[Silogon]

How in the hell can anyone be happy about Sega whoring out their beloved mascot and flagship character like this? What next, Sonic cussing, boozing and stealing cars cause he's too tired to run anymore?

This is stupid. A waste. Make sure you ruin your characters heritage built up for 20 years. Gaming will never be the same as it was in the 80's and 90's. Never. Those were the golden years of gaming and it's jsut not coming back.

[Nostradavis]

LOL

[Twizlex]

They've been ruining Sonic with the past few "traditional" games. Personally, they NEED to try something new if they want Sonic to continue. If they make a million games, maybe one of them will end up being good.

[Nostradavis]

True, but if it takes them a million games to find one good one, they will likely be bankrupt.

[Nostradavis]

I think SEGA's next game will be a partnership between them and Konami titled....

"Sonic Snake"

[Durffen]

Great idea on checking for a domain rather then just photoshop investigating it.

I hope it's real, because it's a Wii exclusive third party title, so that's showing some good third party support. And so far, it doesn't look very casual, so that makes it even better.

[Twizlex]

Yes, some people are apparently smarter than others. Photoshop investigating = lame.

[techie]

Sonic died a long time ago.

[Nostradavis]

Many well known characters have high and low points in their life cycles. I wouldn't say Sonic is completely dead and buried, although I do not understand this move at all.

[Dark General]

But i'm preparing the tombstone and eulogy speech.

[Nostradavis]

I just don't get it Dark. They get everyone excited about a new Sonic game that goes back to the characters roots. Then they unleash this? It just doesn't make sense.

Someone help me understand this logic!!

[Dark General]

But it's ruining my childhood memories of Sonic. Ice Prophecy below makes a excellent point as well. I think we're "over the hill" as far as the market they are going for with these Sonic games. But got damn it we're still interested in them some 15 or so years later *Laughs*.

[ice_prophecy]

If I ignore my knowledge of sonic's past, and put my mindset into that of an aspiring 5 year old gamer and saw that magazine cover- I'd think that sonic looked cool in that pic, and would be willing to buy it.

Alas, that is not me. Maybe, for our generation sonic is no longer as amazing as it was back in the day, but for the kids still sprouting in their lives, it may be the right something for them.

[Nostradavis]

That is actually not a bad way to look at it Ice P. Maybe we just need to realize that we aren't the primary target for some of these publishers anymore and that not every game that comes out (even those that feature characters we grew up with) is going to be meant for us.

Thanks for sharing your perspective.

[ape007]

it will sure suck-confirmed

sega give us an HD psn and xbla sonic please

complete with trophies,achievements and leaderboards

[Dark General]

That's a awesome idea, if it can work for the blue bomber surely it can work for the blue blur.

[Nostradavis]

Agreed. That is a great idea ape007. Have a bubble.

[TheColbertinator]

Words from my mouth...Bubble

[Julia Bond]

sonic the hedgehog 2 is on xbox live arcade i downloaded it the other day <3

[Abash]

Sega is just trying to make cash off of the Wii's success. They are still releasing Sonic Unleashed and Sonic Chronicles, so it really isn't that big of a deal.

It looks better than those Sonic Rider games, that's for sure.

[Nostradavis]

In fairness though, isn't everyone and their brother trying to make a buck off the Wii and the iPhone? The "i" anything for that matter.

[Twizlex]

BioWare always makes good games, and they're making the Sonic RPG. So we know there will be at least one good Sonic game released in the future.

[Nostradavis]

That's a good way of looking at it Twiz.

[Rute]

I predict that this game will utilize the Wii Motion Plus peripheral and feature 1:1 sword fighting.

Sonic has always been about speed and precision, so the Wiimote with Wii Motion Plus seems to be the optimal controller for this game.

[ChickeyCantor]

ugh...Although most of the Times Sega does screw up their sonic games...however....since we know so little why not wait and see how it turns out to be?

[Nostradavis]

I'm with you. Willing to wait and give it a shot but I still don't understand the move.

[GuardianEarth]

How trying something new would help this hedgehog. New things and new gimmicks is all Sega has tried in the past but nothing has caught on.

BUT the 2D platforming in Sonic Unleashed caught on (even for me) at least until they revealed that dumbass Werehog gimmick. So close and yet so far.

I guess Sega's little "back to basics" policy has finally run its course. Oh, and we'll probably end up getting around 5 Sonic fast piles of mediocrity with one exception that's slightly less mediocre (like the last four to five years).

[Nostradavis]

The Werehog I can live with, but this move just surprises me. Like another commenter said earlier, they may not be targeting us anymore. We have to realize that.

[gynecologistcobra]

Look. You had a great run on the Dreamcast. I can't think of one person that hated the Jet Set Radio, Space Channel 5, Crazy Taxi, or Ready 2 Rumble series. Just bring them all back. Remake them in HD, release sequels, or whatever- but stop screwing around with Sonic. He's dead. You tried to take him out of the fast-action platforming that we all knew and love, and you didn't make it work. I get that you're trying new things, but know your limits, please. Trying to do new things with Sonic will not make anyone feel any different. For god's sake, just please kill the Sonic franchise already, and start fresh. If you're going to release a new Sonic, I say just do what Capcom is going with Megaman 9.

But seriously, I would prefer a new Jet Set Radio. Make it happen. :D

[Twizlex]

And another Shenmue!

[MGeslani]

Dark Knight & Black Knight!

[wakash]

a sonic sword fighting game...hope its fun

[TruthbeTold]

If he's going to have a sword, I'm thinking that the only way they can pull this off is to make it an RPG. And if that's the case, maybe it won't suck after all. Lord knows we Wii owners need more RPG's ya know?

[PS3Freak]

The sonic series has been dead to me for a longgg time. Hopefully this new game will rejuvinate the series.

[kesvalk]

thinking about what thruthbetold said, when Megaman was in a bad phase (X7, X8) they released command mission, wich was actually pretty good...

perhaps, if they make a RPG sonic just like command mission, they could make a sonic game worth of play...

although i still think this will be like Shadow the Hedgehog, why a ultrasonic hedgehog needs firearms and.. a motorcicle? O.o

hoping for the best, but not sure this will work out, don't think sonic and swords do well together...

[n00bzRtehgey]

KICK ASSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!...

[Nostradavis]

@noob,

So you are excited about this game? Or do you just like to say "KICK ASS!!"

[n00bzRtehgey]

u got me

[Homicide]

Looks like it wasn't Kingdom Hearts after all.

It sounds interesting. I'll wait for some gameplay footage before I judge.

[gumgum99]

This is an entirely new Sonic team(no pun intended). Too many fans seem to be quick to judge this title as another "failure" when we all have yet to play this all inspiring title that is Sonic Unleashed.

I say we all wait for Sonic Unleashed to come out first. THEN, and only then can we truly and accurately judge this game as quality or not

[KrimsonKody]

In fact, sonic still has a lil' kick in him. I just believe the franchise is not being marketed properly.

[Nostradavis]

How would you market the franchise then?

[ChickeyCantor]

With milk and cookies =)
Always gets people to the darkside so why not?

[Sandwich Bender]

It can't be worse than the last sonic game. And swords are always great.

[Cutter20]

Sonic just hasn't been himself lately! I wonder if he's going through some kind of mid-life crisis?

[DevonTheDude535]

Big Whoop, Sonic has been crap since every Sonic after Sonic Adventures 1 on the Dreamcast.

[Nostradavis]

That very well may be true, but that doesn't mean SEGA is going to just give up on the franchise.

[blazing01]

i hope they get the voice actor from SA2 because the voice actor from sonic x suck now

DAM U TO HELL 4KIDS FOR DESTROYING SONIC VOICE