10 Games Based On The Legend Of King Arthur

Arthur Pendragon, the Once and Future King, wielder of Excalibur, is one of the best-known legends in Western culture. Not everyone knows the full tale of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, but almost everyone has heard parts of the legend. From the Sword in the Stone to the Battle of Camlann and everything in between, it's rare to find fantasy that hasn't been influenced by Arthurian tales.

With all that in mind, it's no surprise that the Knights of Camelot have made several appearances in games over the years. If you're in the mood for a knightly tale, try one of these titles!

10/10 Knights Of The Tiny Table (2021)

This dice-placement puzzler sends Arthur and his companions into battle against the forces of evil. Knights can be set on the game's grid to slay monsters, but only on spaces allowed by the current dice roll. The longer the game goes on, the more monsters appear until eventually the forces of Camelot are overwhelmed.

Affordable and quick to play, Knights Of The Tiny Table is great for a warm-up or for sneaking in a quick game when time is tight.

9/10 Young Merlin (1994)

Young Merlin was an SNES title from Westwood Studios (of Command and Conquer fame). As the title suggests, the game follows the adventures of Merlin long before he was King Arthur's mentor. An action RPG in the vein of classic Zelda, a key part of gameplay was learning new spells and finding magical items that would allow players to progress.

While it's certainly a game that shows its age today, Young Merlin is still good for a diversion into lesser-known retro titles.

8/10 Broken Sword: The Sleeping Dragon (2003)

The Sleeping Dragon is the third game in the cult favorite Broken Sword series of point-and-click adventures. George Stobbart and Nico Collard are still unraveling global conspiracies, and this time their journey takes them to Europe. As the game progresses, they learn of a plot to awaken an ancient force sealed away by King Arthur.

While not directly about the Knights Of The Round Table, Broken Sword 3 is steeped in the legend and lore of Camelot. We won't go into spoilers, so if you're looking for a good mystery give the whole series a try!

7/10 King Arthur: Knight's Tale (2022)

Knight's Tale takes a decidedly darker turn with the Arthurian legend than many of the other games on this list. After their final battle at Camlann, the Knights of the Round Table are cursed to an undead existence in a corrupted Avalon. As Mordred, players need to recruit knights to hunt and destroy the source of the corruption – the resurrected King Arthur himself!

The game offers plenty of replay value, since your actions determine whom you can recruit and how loyal they'll be. Randomized loot and upgrades also make each campaign different. If it sounds like your kind of game, be sure to check out our beginner's tips guide!

The cast is a real who's who of the legend, and it's clear the devs did their homework – considering that developer Neocore Games is also responsible for another entry on this list, though, that's not a surprise!

6/10 Knights Of The Round (1991)

If you went to an arcade in the early nineties, you might have seen a machine for Knights Of The Round. This Capcom beat-em-up was clearly influenced by the Sega hit Golden Axe, but stands on its own for its bright visuals; its chivalric character designs set it apart from Golden Axe's pulp sword-and-sorcery style.

Like most classic beat-em-ups, each of the three playable characters in Knights Of The Round controls differently; Arthur is balanced, Lancelot is fast but doesn't hit as hard, and Perceval is slow but strong. While it didn't do anything particularly innovative, it's still a solid way to spend time fighting evil with friends.

5/10 Keltia (2015)

While there are other tabletop RPGs that focus more on recreating the Arthurian themes from sources like The Once And Future King or Le Morte d'Arthur, Keltia goes back to the fragments of original legends that the tales evolved from. Set in ancient Britain, players take the roles of heroes in a time when the Arthurian myths were still forming, and mystical beings roamed the mists.

French developer Seventh Circle does a great job with their history- and myth-inspired TTRPGs, so if you're looking for something with a little more character than a standard D&Dcampaign their entire library is worth checking out.

4/10 Sword Legacy: Omen (2018)

While Arthur is the central focus of the tales, his father Uther Pendragon embarked on epic quests as well. Sword Legacy: Omen is a retelling of Uther's story, filled with bloody tactical battles that illuminate the ugly parts of the Dark Ages.

There's a lot in this game that's anachronistic, but the characters and combat are more than enough to make up for the liberties taken with the history and story.

3/10 The Hand Of Merlin (2022)

This tactical roguelike imagines a multiverse where the tale of Camelot has been told infinite times in infinite realities. As the spirit of Merlin traveling to each timeline, players guide a band of heroes to journey from Britannia in search of the Holy Grail.

The Hand Of Merlin takes place after the death of Arthur, and each reality is slightly different. Each of the surviving Knights Of The Round Table has met an alternate fate in each playthrough, so you never know who will turn up when. There are also multiple paths on each map and lots of characters to unlock, giving the game plenty of replay value.

2/10 Shadows Over Camelot (2005)

A staple in many board gamers' collections, Shadows Over Camelot helped popularize the hidden-traitor mechanic. Each player takes the role of a Knight of the Round Table, completing quests to bring glory to Camelot. However, one player may or may not be a traitor, plotting Arthur's downfall. If there's a traitor, then the endgame becomes a race as the loyal knights seek to thwart the traitor's schemes. If there is no traitor, then the group wins together if they're able to secure all of their objectives.

Sadly, Shadows Over Camelot has been out of print for some time. If you have an opportunity to get your hands on a copy, go for it – they're only going to get rarer and as of the time of this writing, there are no reprints on the horizon.

1/10 King Arthur: The Roleplaying Wargame (2009)

More than a decade before they delved into terrifying what-if scenarios, Neocore Games created arguably the most definitive King Arthur game to date. King Arther: The Roleplaying Wargame has a Total War feel to it, with a turn-based campaign interspersed with real-time battles. The legend is presented in several campaign chapters, with the traits of each hero impacting their army's capabilities.

If you played King Arthur: Knight's Tale, you'll also recognize the Morality Chart, which originally made its debut in The Roleplaying Wargame. Whether you rule through righteousness or by fear, or whether you adopt Christianity or remain faithful to the Old Gods, will impact your story!

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