Video Game Vintage Title: Sneak King

Sneak King

Sneak King is an advergaming title from Burger King for the Xbox and Xbox 360 video game consoles. On November 19, 2006, Burger King started selling it for an additional $3.99 USD with any value meal. It is one of three titles released by Burger King and developed by Blitz Games.

Sneak King Gameplay

Each level starts with The King in a "sandbox" free play mode in which the King is able to walk around and freely explore the level. It is here the player also selects the challenges: a set of specific rules for food delivery. For example, some missions may require the player to not be spotted, others may require a certain chain combo, etc. After a challenge is completed a letter score will be given. "C" is the most common award, "B" and "A" awarded for better points or faster completion times. There are four levels: Saw Mill, Cul-De-Sac, Construction Zone, and Downtown. Each features a unique map and 20 challenges apiece.

The general gameplay borrows from games such as Metal Gear Solid and Manhunt. Other characters have a blue "cone of vision" in front of them, if the player walks into this cone or if a character approaches the player will be spotted. The King also makes noise as he runs, being too loud will alert nearby characters. Silence and stealth are the primary means of food delivery. Food may also only be delivered if a hunger icon appears above a character. Characters that are hungry for too long will eventually pass out from hunger for a few minutes, encouraging quick delivery. However, the more hungry a character gets, the more points awarded for delivery. The hunger icon will change from green to red, finally flashing prior to the character passing out. A character who spots the King may not become interested again. In addition to merely sneaking up behind a character, the King may also hide in various locations and surprise a character with food when they approach. Hiding typically awards more points. It is not possible to deliver food in sandbox mode nor will characters either see or hear the King. The types of food the King can deliver are those which are found also in the fast food restaurant itself, Burger King. These include Whoppers, BK Joes, French fries, Croissan'Wiches, and several other types of fast food from Burger King.

The bottom left-hand corner shows a circular area map, with the noise meter circling the right side. The map displays an area around the player and turns as the player moves, with an arrow pointing north. In free play mode it displays challenge markers. In challenge mode it indicates where NPCs are and their status. Each challenge marker displays a "!" when the challenge has not been accepted. A letter score will be indicated upon completion, and an "X" indicated either challenge failure or quit. Challenges may be retried at any time.

Points are awarded based on how hungry a character is, player stealth, proximity to an NPC and other style points. When presenting food, a Flourish meter appears which quickly fills and empties, requiring a timed button press. The higher the flourish meter, the more style points awarded and the more elaborate the food delivery display. Pushing nothing results in a standard delivery. The memorable catchphrase Sir Shake-A-Lot utters after each delivery is "The King - he is so sneaky!"

Fulfilling half the challenges on a level opens the way to the next level. Once all 80 challenges are completed, the Stealth Suit is unlocked. Although it makes you look more like a person who would be sneaky, it offers no immediate bonuses towards your gameplay.

Reception
Sneak King has a Metacritic score of 54. Robert Townslend of Game Informer stated, "Now this is a game that easily could have been sold for at least $30. The fact that it was almost free with a delicious sandwich really makes this a must-have for any Xbox 360 owner."

Common criticisms of the game include unexciting graphics and a limited amount of dances available after delivering sandwiches. A reviewer at IGN said, "This game could have easily been run on a PS1."

X-Play gave the game a one out of five.

The Completionist rated the game at the lowest level of "Burn it."