Quick Links:
- Game Information
- Rules Overview
- Layout
- Skill Shots
- Monster Battles
- Multiball Modes
- Other Scoring
- Black Castle (Wizard Mode)
Game Information:
- Lead Designer: Steve Ritchie
- Code/Rules: Tim Sexton
- Lead Mechanical Engineer:
- Artwork: Josh Clay, Kevin O’Connor
- Computer Graphics Art Director:
- Lead Sound Designer: Jerry Thompson
- Music: Scott Ian (Guitarist of Anthrax and Mr. Bungle)
- Release Date: May 2019
- Wiki Rulesheet based on Code Rev: 1.14
- Edit the Code revision, if applicable, when you make changes
Revenge is sweet. The Black Knight has once again returned, and this time he’s brought even more monsters along with him. Using the power of the almighty Sword of Rage, the player must slay these monsters before taking on the Black Knight himself in a climactic duel.
Rules Overview:
- Shoot any of the three center shots enough times to light the ramp, then shoot the ramp to light mode start at the saucer behind the shield. During modes, shoot for the flashing arrows, or charge up the Sword of Rage by shooting targets before shooting the center target to use it.
- Shoot the “light lock” target to light locks at the saucer behind the shield. Lock 3 balls for Triple Knights Challenge.
- (Prem / LE) Shoot the target next to the catapult to light locks at the catapult lock. Lock 3 balls there for Catapult Multiball.
- Collect KNIGHT letters by doing well during the game, then shoot the left spinner for KNIGHT Multiball.
- Start super modes at the center target when lit. Cash them out - and use the Magna-Save - by pressing the action button when the ball is about to drain down the right outlane. Drop targets relight Magna-Save when used.
- Complete WAR enough times to light the three center shots for hurry-ups. Shoot them all before cashing out the final one at the center target.
- Shoot the “add time” targets to light ball save at the left outlane.
- Complete modes or make enough U-Turn shots to light extra ball.
Layout:
Premium/LE: |
Pro: |
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Skill Shots:
- Standard Skill Shot (Pro) - Plunge the lit top lane. 750k + 250k for each additional Skill Shot. (If the left flipper is held in and the ball enters the lit top lane WITHOUT changing it, a Super Skill Shot will be awarded instead, worth 3x the value of a normal Skill Shot.)
- Standard Skill Shot (Premium / LE) - Shoot the “light lock” target under the catapult lock for 1M + 250k for each additional Skill Shot.
- Super Skill Shot (Pro) - Hold in the left flipper and hit one of the three center shots (flail, center target, shield). 1.5M + 500k for each additional Super Skill Shot.
- Super Skill Shot (Premium / LE) - Lock a ball in the catapult on the upper playfield for 2M + 500k for each additional Super Skill Shot.
Monster Battles:
To qualify battles, shoot any of the three center shots to qualify the ramp. Then shoot the ramp to raise the Black Knight’s shield, and start a battle by shooting behind it. For the first mode, only one shot has to be made to qualify the ramp. For the second mode, two shots, etc.; these three shots are rainbow color-coded to tell you how many shots left you have and repeat colors every 4 hits (so red can be 5 shots or 1, for example).
The mode timer can be viewed at the top right of the display and starts at 65 seconds. Time can be added by hitting the Add Time standups on the left (~3 seconds per target hit, 10 seconds per completion). The base values of each mode increase by 200k for each completed mode and 950k once a lap of modes is completed, although these boosts reset from ball to ball. You can also boost the base values by a small amount by shooting the spinning flail when a mode is lit; these boosts also reset.
Modes in progress carry over from ball to ball. Time is automatically added if the timer for a mode is under a certain threshold when the ball drains.
Successfully complete a battle to light extra ball at the saucer behind the shield. Win all five battles to qualify the final battle, Black Castle.
- Mud Bog (Green): 5 shots are lit (left spinner lane, left orbit, left ramp, “light lock” target, right orbit) to defeat the Hydra. Shooting any shot “locks” the shot in and starts a timer. Shoot the shot again to score more points, cut off one of the Hydra heads, and eliminate the shot from the mode. A KNIGHT letter is awarded after cutting off the 2nd head, and the mode is completed upon cutting off four heads. Upgrading the mode with Power allows every shot to both seal and cut off a Hydra head.
- Molten Fire (Orange): All 7 major shots are lit to harm the Magma Beast; once all shots have been made, they will relight. A KNIGHT letter is awarded after completing 3 shots, and the mode ends after completing all 8 shots. Upgrading the mode with Power makes all shots that haven’t been completed permanent, so you can loop one shot for a fast completion.
- Burning Sands (Yellow): A set of three shots representing the Sandworm roves from left to right, across the 7 major shots. Shoot one of the three shots to lock in the three-shot set for a few seconds, after which they will start moving again. A KNIGHT letter is awarded at 3 successful shots to the Sandworm (or one complete set), and the mode is completed upon making 6 successful shots (or two sets). Upgrading the mode with Power automatically lights the three center shots for damage.
- Wicked Cavern (Red): Defeat the Hell Hand by alternating between the left and right sides of the playfield. One shot starts randomly lit out of the 4 shots on the left side; shooting this shot will randomly light one of the 4 shots on the right side. Repeat four times, with an additional random shot in the group added per cycle. A KNIGHT letter is awarded upon completing 3 shots, and the mode is completed after 8 shots. Upgrading the mode with Power automatically lights all four shots.
- Deep Freeze (Blue): 3 shots are lit in blue (left spinner lane, ramp, right orbit). Shooting a blue shot freezes a Lich and turns the shot red. Shooting a red shot awards more points and defeats the Lich at that shot and any other red shots that are lit. Once a Lich is defeated, another blue shot will be lit to qualify another Lich. A KNIGHT letter is awarded after the 2nd defeated Lich, and the mode is completed upon defeating 4 Lich Lords. Upgrading the mode with Power enables one-shot Lich kills.
Sword of Rage:
The sword meter on the right side of the display is filled via right drop target hits and miscellaneous switch hits. Individual targets give a small bump (1%), while drop target bank completions or shots to the center target will give a decent bump (around 20%). Once the sword is filled, the POWER insert will light at the center target. Collecting POWER when lit during a battle will enable 2x Scoring for the entirety of the battle and modify the battle to make it easier to complete.
The meter starts off less and less full the more modes you play. On default settings, the meter will start at 70% for the first activation, then lower to 40% for the second activation, then lower to 0% for all further activations.
Multiball Modes:
Note: Premium/LE machines can progress towards and activate Triple Knights and Catapult multiballs during one another.
Triple Knights Challenge:
Shoot the “light lock” target to light lock at the saucer behind the Black Knight’s shield. Lock a ball to re-light the target; subsequent multiballs require multiple standup hits to light each lock. Three virtual locks start this 3-ball Multiball round.
Triple Knights Challenge begins with the left spinner lane, ramp, and shield saucer lit to score jackpots and defeat the skeletal knights that the Black Knight has summoned. After completing these 3 shots, the Ramp will be lit for a hurry-up that will start Phase 2. The Knight’s flail will be spinning rapidly, and can be stopped temporarily by making partial progress on the ramp / hitting the flail ball. Shooting this shot awards the hurry-up value (starts at 2 million, increasing by 1 million for subsequent playthroughs) and sets the jackpot value for the next phase.
Upon scoring the hurry-up, all shots light for jackpots based on the value of the hurry-up. Complete all of the shots to light the Ramp for a Super Jackpot, worth 3x the value of the jackpot and a KNIGHT letter. Similarly to the end of the first phase, a strong shot must be made to the ramp that goes all the way around. Triple Knights Challenge returns to the first phase, albeit with boosted scoring, after the super jackpot has been collected.
Collecting enough spins at the left spinner during Triple Knights Challenge will light the Add-A-Ball on the left spinner lane, which is then collected by a subsequent shot. On the Premium / LE, the drop target serves this function.
Catapult Multiball (Prem / LE Exclusive):
Lock 3 balls in the Catapult in the upper playfield to start Catapult Multiball. All 3 locks are lit (pulsing) for the first Catapult Multiball, but future locks must be lit by hitting the standup next to the Catapult.
All major shots on the lower playfield are lit for 250k (+25k for most jackpots). The Catapult in the upper playfield will collect a super jackpot worth base value 300k (+??k per super) plus total of jackpots since the last super jackpot. The standup will light the ball-lock lights to represent +1x multiplier for the next collection of the super jackpot (up to 4x total), which resets when collected. Need to confirm values.
Hitting the left drop target will light Add-A-Ball, which is collected there as well.
KNIGHT Multiballs:
Collect KNIGHT letters by making enough shots during battles, completing WAR Hurry-Ups, and collecting the super jackpot during Triple Knights Challenge. By default, “K” and “N” are lit at the start of the game, meaning four letters will complete the word for the first go-round, then six letters for subsequent completions.
Two high-scoring modes are accessible by completing KNIGHT and then shooting the left spinner lane. These can be started at any time in single-ball play and, if started during any timed mode, it will end both modes without any compensation.
- KNIGHT Multiball: Done in the style of the multiball from the original Black Knight, albeit with a rendition of the famous main play theme from its sequel. During this Multiball, the playfield values are multiplied by the number of active balls (up to 3x), and no progression can be made towards any other feature except for Super Modes; these cannot be boosted any further once the multiball starts.
- The King’s Ransom: Completing KNIGHT for the second time in a game will begin The King’s Ransom, complete with the display effects and mode introduction from Black Knight 2000. This is a minute-long 3-ball multiball with an unlimited ball saver for its duration. At the beginning of the mode, +5x bonus X will be added to the total and extra ball will be lit at the saucer behind the shield. Jackpots can be collected by shooting the Flail, either orbit, or by completing the WAR lanes. Once the timer expires, the mode ends and play returns to normal with a new ball sent to the plunger lane.
Other Scoring:
Super Modes & Super Jackpot:
A random, untimed Super Mode (Lanes, Slings, Spinner, Orbits, Targets, Pops) can be started at the center target when “SUPER” is lit, via enough right spinner spins. Super Modes remain active until the ball drains, and you can shoot the left lane to boost the values of all active Super Modes when any of them are running (unless KNIGHT Multiball is running, in which case their values are locked in). The boost for a Super Mode is maxed when their icon (and accompanying playfield insert) turn purple.
The values from all active Super Modes can be cashed out as a “Super Jackpot” by successfully using the Magna-Save to save a ball. This will also end all active Super Modes, and can be multiplied by the playfield multipliers during KNIGHT Multiball.
U-Turns:
Once either the left or right orbit has been shot, the light in front of the orbit will turn red to indicate that it will begin the U-Turn sequence and send the ball past the top lanes. Make U-Turns without making any other shots to score additional points. An adjustable number of U-Turns will light extra ball at the saucer behind the shield.
WAR Hurry-Up:
Complete the top lanes to increase the bonus multiplier and light all three of the center shots for a hurry up; each shot has a base value starting at 3M, increasing with pop bumper hits, and maxing out at 25M. The flail has to be hit in order to shoot the ramp, and on subsequent attempts, the shield must be hit once to collect its hurry up (although Mystery takes priority if lit). Collecting all three awards will light the center target to complete the round and score a KNIGHT letter. More lane completions will be required to begin the hurry-up on subsequent attempts.
Mystery:
Complete RAGE at the inlanes and outlanes, which cycle with the flippers, to light the saucer behind the shield for Mystery. Mystery can award any of the following:
- 2M / 3M / 4M / 5M
- Hold Bonus
- Light Lock (advance lock progression by 1 target hit; will award the lock immediately if 1 hit away)
- Spot WAR Lanes
- Add Bonus X (+1x)
- Add KNIGHT Letter
- Light Super
- Advance Save (by 1 target set)
- Light Magna-Save
- Light Extra Ball (percentage-based)
Ball Save:
Ball save can be lit at the left outlane by completing the two “add time” standup targets to the left of the game enough times. The amount of target completions required to qualify the ball save increases each time it has been used. Only one target completion is required to light the first ball save.
Magna-Save:
As with the previous two Black Knight machines, the game features a magnet above the right outlane that can be used to save balls. Press the action button when the ball is about to drain down the right outlane to save it; after the Magna-Save is used, complete the drop targets to relight it. Using the Magna-Save also scores the Super Jackpot.
Last Chance (Prem / LE Exclusive):
Extra Balls:
Extra balls can be lit at the saucer behind the Black Knight’s shield by:
- Winning a battle
- Collecting enough U-Turns
- Starting The King’s Ransom
- Percentage-based mystery award
End-of-Ball Bonus:
Bonus is determined by:
- Base bonus (switch hits)
- Super Modes started (+25k per mode)
- U-Turns collected
All multiplied by the bonus multiplier, which increases with each completion of the WAR lanes.
Black Castle (Wizard Mode):
Once all five battles have been won, the sixth battle, Black Castle, will be qualified and can be started in the same way as the other battles. Unlike the other battles, however, Black Castle is mutually exclusive and is a 200-second timed mode.
You’ve finally made it to the Black Knight’s keep and it’s time to defeat him once and for all by completing four outer loop shots. The only problem - to light them, you have to make shots to some of the most dangerous targets in the game without draining the ball!
The mode starts with the three center shots lit. Hitting all three of these shots will light the four outer loop shots. When one of the outer loops is made, the three inner shots will relight, except the flail will be spinning faster and the shield will kick back the ball far more violently. There is a ball saver when the player starts Black Castle and additional ball savers every time the player hits an outer shot to progress the mode. Once all four outer shots have been completed, the saucer behind the shield will light to finish off the Black Knight - scoring a bonus based off of the time that was remaining in the mode - and begin Rage Multiball.
Rage Multiball is a 6-ball multiball in which the center target is always lit for a frenzy bonus, starting at one million per hit, and incrementing linearly by an amount presumably related to the time remaining when Black Castle was completed (needs confirmation).
This mode will ALWAYS be the last battle played in a cycle. After this battle has been played, regardless of success or failure, you will be able to choose from the other five battles once more.
