The Sonic Storybook Series is a series of spinoffs to the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, whose stories are modeled after classic literature, with Sonic and friends as main characters of the story.
The two entries in the series were released on Nintendo's Wii console:
- Sonic and the Secret Rings (2007), based on 1001 Nights: Came about due to the time issues with attempting to port Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) for the Nintendo Wii, in time for launch.
- Sonic and the Black Knight (2009), based on Arthurian Legend.
Tropes present in both titles include:
- 11th-Hour Superpower: Both Secret Rings and Black Knight introduce a powerful Super Mode at the end of their respective games, which aren't used until the very end of their stories and when Sonic is on the backfoot.
- Secret Rings introduces Darkspine Sonic, which is obtained after absorbing the World Rings of Rage, Hatred, and Sorrow, combined with Shahara's residual power. This turns him into a purple hued super form that can control fire and even bend reality, which was enough to help him defeat the game's final boss.
- Black Knight has Excalibur Sonic, given to him after being on the receiving end of a Curb-Stomp Battle by Merlina and the Knights of the Round Table provide him the powers of their respective swords. In a Transformation Sequence, he dons a set of Golden Armor, red cape, and repairs Caliburn (who was just destroyed by Merlina) restoring him back to his true form, Excalibur. All this allows him to overcome the Big Bad's machinations and the final boss.
- Adaptational Jerkass: Compared to his other game portrayals, Sonic's snarky attitude was more emphasized in both Storybook games, similar to his respective portrayals from 90s Western shows Sonic the Hedgehog (SatAM) and Sonic Underground respectively.
- Alternate Self: Several of Sonic's friends and foes appear as characters in the stories the games adapt.
- Continuity Nod:
- When Merlina calls Sonic to her world, she uses the same spell that Erazor did when summoning the Ifrit, albeit very slightly modified. It's quite weird, given that the spell in question roughly translates to "Satan Arrive!"
- "Get Back Here!" Boss: Most the bosses in both games are technically this due to it being a rail-platformer. Of particular note is King Arthur. Ironically, he says to Sonic, "It looks like there's only one thing you're good at: Running away."
- Nitro Boost: The Speed Break/Soul Surge. It allows Sonic go across vast chasms in a short period of time with the help of fire rings and pearls filled with energy.
- Recycled with a Gimmick: It's Sonic the Hedgehog but with Tales of the Arabian Nights and magic rings in Secret Rings and King Arthur and The Knights of the Round Table medieval fantasy and sword action in Black Knight. Sonic's friends even stand in for other characters in the stories they spin off from.
- Life-Affirming Aesop: In Sonic and the Black Knight, the big lesson imparted in the game is the idea of living life to the fullest without clinging to the past. Big Bad Merlina, having learned that Camelot is destined to fall, enacts a plan to regain Excalibur's scabbard and plunge the legendary kingdom an unchanging stasis. Sonic, knowing that everything has an end, refuses to allow Merlina to perform this plan and ultimately defeats her before convincing her to enjoy Camelot while it lasts. The game's ending theme, "Live Life", further pushes this Aesop.
- Ret-Canon: Sonic loving chili dogs was initially an element of the 90s Western canon (Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog (SatAM), Sonic Underground, and Sonic the Hedgehog (Archie Comics)). It was introduced into game canon in a Japanese manual for Advance 3, and Unleashed has chili dogs being one of the highest XP-granting food items (with Chip even saying it's something Sonic really likes), but Sonic and the Black Knight is the first time Sonic has been seen eating a chili dog on-screen in the games.
- Taken for Granite: Gargoyles in Secret Rings and and fish-like Knights of the Underworld in Black Knight are capable of turning Sonic to stone. Oddly enough, it's instantly fatal in Black Knight without the Stone Brooch or Petrification immunity equipped, but is not fatal in Secret Rings — you just have to shake the Wii Remote to break free.
- Universal-Adaptor Cast: All of the recurring series' characters. Sonic himself ends up playing a role of one of the characters, though he retains his own personality regardless. It's implied in Sonic and the Secret Rings that Sonic is standing in for Aladdin; in Sonic and the Black Knight, it's revealed in the ending that Sonic is the true King Arthur (the one fought earlier was a fake created by Merlin).
- Villain of the Week: Both games feature unique one-shot villains in place of Dr. Eggman. Eggman only appears as a minor role in Sonic and the Secret Rings by proxy of his storybook counterpart King Shahryar, and he is completely absent from Sonic and the Black Knight.
