Edit: 3rd April 2007

Oops! I guess I was wrong this time - now I see why I don’t try to keep up with video game news on here! I’ve closed comments because there’s nowt more that can be said, really - I got it wrong, but the upshot is that there is a brand new NiGHTS game coming out and it’s coming soon. Rejoice!

Even if this is your first time on the Internet and you arrived here after typing random words into Google, it’s certain you will have found a rumour or some form of “evidence” relating to a NiGHTS sequel on Wii.

I don’t normally comment on rumour but when it applies to my favourite game of all time I feel I should say something. That something is this: NiGHTS 2 is not coming out. Not on Wii, not on DS, not even on the Dreamcast 2. It’s simple.

The case for the prosecution.

The biggest argument in favour of NiGHTS 2 coming to the Wii is the cancelled development of “Air NiGHTS” (sometimes “Aero NiGHTS”). Upgrades were planned for the Saturn’s analogue pad, one of which was to be a tilt sensor, and Sonic Team toyed with it for a while to control NiGHTS. Development also apparently began on a Dreamcast Air NiGHTS, but that fell through too.

When Nintendo announced the Wii controller, everyone assumed NiGHTS was a perfect fit. But why? It implies to me that a NiGHTS sequel was impractical or impossible before this pad came along, which is ridiculous - the Saturn’s analogue pad was developed for NiGHTS in mind, as was the tilt sensor for Air NiGHTS. It’s just wishful thinking on most people’s part, but the simple fact is that a NiGHTS sequel could have appeared on any console before the Wii, regardless of its controller.

The latest speculation comes from the Official Nintendo Magazine, who printed this image as their teaser for next month’s issue:

The caption reads: “World Exclusive! Step back in time as a classic game makes a long overdue return! Only in next month’s Official Nintendo Magazine!”

The case for the defence.

So instantly the NiGHTS rumour mill goes into overload because if you transpose a picture of NiGHTS onto it, it amazingly looks like NiGHTS! Wow! That’s the evidence. Let’s bear three things in mind here:

1. It doesn’t specify a sequel - it’s not necessarily NiGHTS 2.
2. It doesn’t mention a console - it’s not necessarily on Wii.
3. NiGHTS fans are among the most gullible in the world.

Yuji Naka always stated that he didn’t want to make a sequel to NiGHTS, but seeing as he left Sonic Team to form Prope last year it now has absolutely nothing to do with him. If Sega and Sonic Team want to make a NiGHTS sequel, they can just go ahead and do it. But will they?

When NiGHTS was released in 1996, it was the most revolutionary title on the Saturn, got some of the highest review scores and was critically acclaimed across the board. Unfortunately it sold quite poorly, and with Sega going for high-sales bankers these days instead of the more artistic output they released on their own machines I doubt they’d actually take that much of a risk on it.

Until I hold a legitimate, Sega-produced copy of NiGHTS 2 I’ll do my best to ignore the rumours, no matter how compelling.

Want to know more about NiGHTS? Read my in-depth article here!

I’m listening to Send One Your Love [Vocal Version] by Stevie Wonder, from Journey Through the Secret Life of Plants Disc 2.