New NiGHTS details

By Robert Purchese Published 4 April, 2007

Shape-shifting persona masks.

SEGA has updated its NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams website, shedding more information on the freshly announced Wii title.

It seems our asexual hero NiGHTS will have the option of wearing persona masks to shape-shift into different forms, each granting new abilities and exploration possibilies.

The first of these is the dragon mask, capable of transforming you into a giant scaly beast immune to the powerful wind effects of the sky, followed by a dolphin mask that will let you take on the form of Flipper and venture to the depths of the ocean. Then last but not least is the rocket mask granting you supersonic speeds - a bit like Michael Jackson turning into a spaceship in Moonwalker as he attempts to rescue Annie from Joe Pesci's goons. Not that we've ever watched it.

But perhaps the most unique and exciting feature to be announced on the website is the new WiiConnect24 implementation. Familiar things like going online to exchange items with friends will be in, but the ability to change the scenery according to real-world seasons using the Forecast Channel is what's really nifty.

Unfortunately there's little more information than that, so we'll have to keep our eyes peeled. But its got us speculating. Could it be that we'd see in-game changes to reflect day-to-day forecasts? Speak your brain in our handily placed comment system below.

NiGHTS was originally created on SEGA Saturn back in 1996. It cast you in the unisex boots of a fantastical creature who undertook a fluid aerial-combat adventure in the skies of Nightopia.

SEGA Europe finally admitted a Wii version was in development yesterday, and that it will boast seven levels of mystical environments to glide through using the unique possibilities of Nintendo's console.

Head over to the NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams website for more information.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (30) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • AlcohollicA #1 5 years ago

    First!

    Sounds mostly good, mostly

  • Pirotic #2 5 years ago

    Was designed as an xbox and playstation game and only got moved over to the Wii last november, so will only have a years development time on it when it hits the shelves, a bit worrying.

  • Dizzy #3 5 years ago

    ETA?

  • AcidSnake #4 5 years ago

    I remember having a nice discussion back when the weather channel launched about it making an appearance in the games...
    Someone back then reminded me that it wouldn't be that good of an implementation because there are certain places on the globe which would have perpetual rain or sunshine...

    That said I would like to see it make an appearance...
    Maybe even just in the main menu screen or something...

  • aldo_14 #5 5 years ago

    Was designed as an xbox and playstation game and only got moved over to the Wii last november, so will only have a years development time on it when it hits the shelves, a bit worrying.

    Huh? Where does that come from?

    Someone back then reminded me that it wouldn't be that good of an implementation because there are certain places on the globe which would have perpetual rain or sunshine...

    Well, I live in Glasgow.......

  • mostly_harmless #6 5 years ago

    @ Pirotic

    That assumes that they completely through out all earlier work on it though. Not all of a games development is the actual coding of the software, if that makes sense. Gameplay ideas and level designs take up a lot of the development time too, and may have been retained or evolved from their earlier work.

  • peteb #7 5 years ago

    sounds a bit like "Play as sonics friends!!" to me...

    *sigh

    and so the fucking it up begins

  • IAmBatman #8 5 years ago

    I can't remember where I saw it now, but I'm sure I was reading a blog by someone the other day who outlined why this is going to be terrible - really short dev time, and that it wasn't meant to be on the Wii, amongst other factors.

    Might see if I can hunt it out.

    edit: that was easier than I expected. http://bo ssrush.blogspot.com/2007/03/nig...
    Edited by 1 at 04/04/07 @ 11:31

  • Keso #9 5 years ago

    "wasn't meant to be on the Wii"

    That describes most Wii games doesn't it?

    Has Nintendo got around to shipping its Wii dev kits yet, or are they still using the gamecube ones?

  • Steroyd #10 5 years ago

    sounds a bit like "Play as sonics friends!!" to me...

    *sigh

    and so the fucking it up begins

    /nods

    Sega need to get the game right built around ONE character before they go fudging up the level design to accommodate 10. :/

    Like Sonic and the Secret Rings for example.

  • dbeamish #11 5 years ago

    why am I reading this and seeing a new cool Panzer Dragoon Orta type game?

  • peteb #12 5 years ago

    >why am I reading this and seeing a new cool Panzer Dragoon Orta type game?<

    because they are going to strap machine guns and rocket launchers to NiGHTS head as you fly around causing wanton destruction to a heavy metal/techno soundtrack.

  • MadMirko #13 5 years ago

    ETA?

    It's confirmed for European Christmas.

  • Saladin #14 5 years ago

    Why would I want games that matched the weather outside my house? I play games like Just Cause to escape from the misery of constant rain, not to continue to bask in it.

  • Daikon #15 5 years ago

    @AlcohollicA

    Shut up and go away.

  • geepersd #16 5 years ago

    sound a tad Kid Chamelion / one of the WonderBoy games

    no bad thing - though not having played the apparantly excellent NiGHTS I've no idea if it scans with the game

  • Killerbee #17 5 years ago

    Sounds nice. There's no reason that the masks idea should be as horrible as the "Sonic + friends" thing - done right, they'd just be NiGHTS' equivalent of Link's growing abilities in a Zelda game or Samus' suit upgrades in Metroid.

    I actually think this is sounding better all the time and my interest has gone from practically zero a month ago to this being one of my more anticipated Wii games.

  • peteb #18 5 years ago

    this "Weather in game matches outside" thing is all a bit 1999 isn't it?

    im sure there will be an option to have random or this anywho.

    if they fuck this up im burning my sega t-shirt

  • peteb #19 5 years ago

    >Finally a Nights sequel appears and yet there is still complaining.<

    yea i suppose, i mean, who cares if its any good?

    not so much complaining, as worrying.

  • Moz #20 5 years ago

    As long as there are some straight forward NiGHTS levels like the original I'll be happy. JUst hope the masks are over used, or rubbish

  • peteb #21 5 years ago

    >As long as there are some straight forward NiGHTS levels like the original I'll be happy.<

    Could replace NiGHTS there with "Sonic" and it would be like waiting for the next Sonic game. :D

    But I agree, hope they don't go too mad trying to add the different gameplay styles as they so often do.

  • The-Bodybuilder #22 5 years ago

    Is anyone suprised at a sequel? really, I mean sega were making special wand remote on the dreamcast just for this game.

    With the wii about, the project was bound to be restarted.

    NOW GIVE US SHENMUE 3 YOU BASTARDS.

  • septimus #23 5 years ago

    Mmm, uses the weather channel... so it's going to be raining in NiGHTS all the fricking time to? ;)

    /Manchester

  • Lutz #24 5 years ago

    I wonder if they'll do the April Fools and xmas easter egg stuff again...

  • alexg #25 5 years ago

    I hope they bring the original NiGHTS to the Virtual Console. I'd really love to play it and see what all the fuss is about. I know the Saturn is notoriously hard to emulate but surely it shouldn't be THAT hard?

  • SHNUFF #26 5 years ago

    .... why? It must have been like this, "How can we fuck up NiGHTS in the worst way? What should we absolutely not be doing?". And someone from Sonic Team screamed "Please, i beg you in name of everyone sane in this company, just don't do multiple characters!". "Well, thats right ... but the idea is still great ..." and so on.
    Why are only complete Pepp-snuggling lunatics working there? And why so many Sega games still great?

  • Carrybagma #27 5 years ago

    YAy! ANoTHER NiGHTS SToRY.
    LOoKS LiKE It'S GoNNA BE A ReGULAR THiNG.

  • Saii #28 5 years ago

    The game sequel we've been waiting so long is coming but by now we've lost nearly all confidence in Sega because of their hideous track-record.

    Please don't be shit
    Please don't be shit
    Please don't be shit

  • NegativeZero #29 5 years ago

    @peteb

    because they are going to strap machine guns and rocket launchers to NiGHTS head as you fly around causing wanton destruction to a heavy metal/techno soundtrack.

    You never played Panzer Dragoon Orta, did you?

  • warthog2k #30 5 years ago

    I played the original but honestly couldn't see what all the fuss was about?

    It's Ecco the Floaty Jester and you fly in annoying loops through some rings. Really didn't get the game at all tbh.

    Not excited about this sequel either.