Sega: No plans to release NiGHTS PS2 outside of Japan

49 Comments by Scott Jon Siegel Dec 3rd 2007 2:25PM
Filed under: Sony PlayStation 2, Nintendo Wii

Those hoping that the PS2 port of the Sega Saturn classic NiGHTS would be released outside of Japan may be out of luck. Takashi Iizuka -- producer, director, and lead game designer on the Wii-sclusive NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams -- recently spoke with Sega Nerds about all things NiGHTS.

When asked about the PS2 enhanced port of the original NiGHTS Into Dreams, Iizuka commented that at present, the title is only scheduled for release in Japan, and that there are no plans to bring the title to other regions, or, for that matter, to the Nintendo Wii.

Iizuka also commented that the PS2 port was the direct result of a high demand for the game in Japan. Given that, it's still possible that solid sales of the NiGHTS sequel might inspire releases of the original in more regions. Let's keep the hope alive.

Tags: japan, nightjourneyofdreams, nights, nights-into-dreams, nights-journey-of-dreams, nightsintodreams, ps2, saturn, sega, sega-ages, sega-saturn, segaages, segasaturn, sonic-team, sonicteam, Takashi-Iizuka, TakashiIizuka, wii

Read

(Page 1) Reader Comments

Princess Skittles: Dec 3rd 2007; 2:31PM

A hidden unlockable in the Wii sequel would be choice.

Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo): Dec 3rd 2007; 2:31PM

Smart move.

Bloo: Dec 3rd 2007; 2:36PM

I own a Saturn, Nights, and Christmas Nights, and I say BOOOOOOOO! Release for the USA!!! I want to buy it again :)

ThornedVenom: Dec 3rd 2007; 6:30PM

How about Tagadella Nights? ;P

Anorhc: Dec 3rd 2007; 2:46PM

Thank god for HDLoader.

Marty: Dec 3rd 2007; 2:54PM

Having not participated in the Dreamcast / Saturn madness, I just gotta ask: What's the big deal about NiGHTS?

I played it at an in-store kiosk back in the day, and I don't really see what's so interesting about a flying jester.

X101: Dec 3rd 2007; 2:58PM

What's so interesting about a jumping plumber, or a running hedgehog?

You really have to play the game to see how good it was.

bm: Dec 3rd 2007; 3:03PM

Or an italian gravity-defying plumber, or a gun-toting rodent, or a white wolf with a frisbee on his back, or...

Seriously, what the hell is the point of that comment?

bm: Dec 3rd 2007; 3:26PM

Whoops. Got beaten to it.

Marty: Dec 3rd 2007; 3:33PM

Neither answers my question.

Visual Emotion: Dec 14th 2007; 2:14PM

It seems the gaming public is sensitive when you ask what’s so great about NiGHTS. I think I can take the time out to give you an answer.

At the time, the game had brought a some what revolutionary control scheme to the console. I won’t say it brought it to all consoles, especially with Playstation coming on the rise. Anyways, the controller had allowed semi 360 movement, (the controller itself became the backbone of the Sega Dreamcast controller) If anything, think of it as a giant Super Mario 64 Winged Cap level game. With different quirks and puzzle to fly through each level. The game itself was pretty fun to play. Altogether the execution and soundtrack was fitting.

The story was basically this: you’re the jester Nights and you lap around the level three times collecting spheres called ideas. You’re main goal is to defeat the Nightmare at the end of each level to uh… make the two main characters get over their fears and kick ass in their goals.

Marty: Dec 3rd 2007; 5:14PM

Thanks for that, Visual Emotion... I think I *kinda* understand the rabidness now. It would probably take an afternoon with the original game to fully "get it," though. :D

Mr Khan: Dec 3rd 2007; 5:42PM

The ultimate significance of NiGHTS was that it was like Disney's Fantasia, if Fantasia became a video game, a feast for the eyes, ears, and the imagination, as much as an early console analogue stick game,

It's a game to experience as much as to play

killjoi: Dec 3rd 2007; 2:58PM

Nights was not that hot of a game. It was an example of how the Saturn could do great 3d (for the time) if pushed hard enough and that's about it.

WiNG: Dec 3rd 2007; 3:04PM

either that or you don't know what you're talking about

Zertoss: Dec 3rd 2007; 3:01PM

Every time I start to have some semblance of hope for Sega, they quickly crush it, extract the pulp and drink the remains to quench their dark thirsts.

Brello: Dec 3rd 2007; 3:28PM

I stopped holding my breath for Sega to get their heads out of a bucket years ago. Sega, especially Sonic Team, has given nothing but tripe for years. Some may argue sonic advance/rush/adventure, but I wasn't impressed by any of those.

Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School): Dec 3rd 2007; 3:43PM

If you're not impressed by sonic rush, then you're sonic standards are too high.

Not that thats a bad thing: to expect excellence. But given the franchise and the directing its been going, sonic rush is a breath of fresh air from the roots of sonic.

WiNG: Dec 3rd 2007; 3:06PM

That's a shame. Luckily 1/2 the PS2s out there are modded to play Japanese games.

Also luckily, I own a Saturn, NiGHTS, and Christmas NiGHTS.

And to anyone doubting this game is a masterpiece, it really just has an amazing magic to it, between the characters, music, cinematics, and gameplay. It really makes you feel both free and under insane pressure at the same time. And the "good" final endings will put a smile on your face.

killjoi: Dec 3rd 2007; 3:35PM

I'm not doubting it's a masterpiece, I'm telling you it's an overrated Saturn game that, compared to modern games, feels shallow and boring.

Gangsta Smurf: Dec 3rd 2007; 3:17PM

I envy you. I want to buy a Saturn so badly. So many awesome games on there from my childhood.

Shining Wisdom, SCUD: Disposible Assassin, Mr. Bones, Virtual On, Daytona USA, Virtual Cop, etc.

By far, my favourite system of all time.

WiNG: Dec 3rd 2007; 4:27PM

1. Actually since I just played NiGHTS about a month ago I can assure you it is neither shallow nor boring

2. Although the plot was good, SCUD is a horrible game, with bad controls, eye-hurting pixelated sprites, and very uninspired shooting levels.

Ironhide: Dec 3rd 2007; 4:31PM

Yuji Naki managed to place all the right components into the game. 3d that made most psone games look like crap, an innovative new controller, music that just stayed with you even after the game, and most importantly, gameplay that just had you coming back for more. The past may tint some people's glasses a tad bit rose but I for one was very glad to have played it. I still have the game for my Saturn along with the greatest Christmas present from a game compnay ever, Christmas Nights.

Gangsta Smurf: Dec 3rd 2007; 5:33PM

I know it's bad, damnit. Way to ruin my dreams. :(

Actually, I just love the music the game had. Don't know why exactly.

Gangsta Smurf: Dec 3rd 2007; 3:12PM

NiGHTS was a very innovative game and fun to play, if memory serves me correctly. Rather short but the replay value was off the charts. Trying to get A Rank (I believe) was something that kept me going over and over again.

Sigh, oh to be young again.

K: Dec 3rd 2007; 3:13PM

This is why modchips exist. Not for pirating games, but when companies make less-than-intelligent decisions like this not to bring over games. I'm sure it wouldn't take much to localize the game for the US. Hopefully it will sell well and more gamers will get a chance to see what the fuss was all about.

FidliousWong: Dec 3rd 2007; 3:15PM

I'm not really suprised by this. Seriously, how many other Sega Ages releases left Japan? I had to import both Treasure Box and Wonder Boy Collection. Granted, both were totally worth it.

Brello: Dec 3rd 2007; 3:18PM

Well, looks like I won't get to play it after all. To be honest? I didn't care to play the game when it was released, so no big loss. Always thought it was boring on the kiosks.

Oreo: Dec 3rd 2007; 3:18PM

I think if the sequel sells well then shouldn't they release the first one for the Wii / Gamecube?

Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School): Dec 3rd 2007; 3:46PM

I just realized the brilliance of putting original Nights on PS2.

PS2 has a userbase of 120+ million.

They're putting the new game on wii.

How to get 120+ million customers to look at the new console with the new game? Re-release the old game on the console with the highest base.

This probably seems obvious to the rest of you, but its my afternoon epiphany.

gonk: Dec 3rd 2007; 3:53PM

except so far it's just in japan, which only has what, like 20 mil ps2 owners? it's obviously still a lot, but it's not 120 million. and probably the dreamcast sold better over there so a higher % of people will have already played this game. some of those will still re-buy it though

ssuk: Dec 3rd 2007; 3:53PM

This makes me sad... However do understand SEGA's view-point... PS2 is declared obsolete over here, thus they don't really see many sales in this title in the west, especially with us flocking to that ass-backwards 40GB PS3 model with NO PS2 support what-so-ever... Where as Japan's PS2 is still kept alive by countless, cheap, date/rape sim games. But the question must be asked; WHY DID THEY PUT IT ON PS2 IN THE FIRST BLOODY PLACE!?

gonk: Dec 3rd 2007; 3:54PM

i think you missed a "N'T" near the end

K: Dec 3rd 2007; 4:27PM

@gonk:

Are saying that he should have said 'why didn't they put it on PS2 in the first place'? As in the console that didn't even exist until several years later?

gonk: Dec 3rd 2007; 6:42PM

well they're porting it NOW, when the ps2 isn't the hot new thing anymore. why not port it 5 years ago?

Sean Newton: Dec 3rd 2007; 4:13PM

Neat. But while we're talking Sega here... where the heck are my Space Harrier and Thunder Blade remakes? :)

PhrawzT: Dec 3rd 2007; 4:21PM

"I'm telling you it's an overrated Saturn game that, compared to modern games, feels shallow and boring." That's just inane. Do you look at other games from 1996 and compare them to games today? That is like saying that Duke Nukem 3D sucks when compared to games like Half-Life 2 and Crysis.

Fullmetal Salchemist: Dec 3rd 2007; 4:38PM

"That is like saying that Duke Nukem 3D sucks when compared to games like Half-Life 2 and Crysis."

It is like saying that. It is also completely true. There are games that are still good even when compared to their modern equivalents. DN3D and maybe NiGHTS (I don't know, I've never played it) are games that in retrospect, are not very good.

Nostalgia factor doesn't make games better.

Fullmetal Salchemist: Dec 3rd 2007; 4:39PM

Yeah, we should just get announcements of what PS2 games AREN'T being ported to the Wii. The list is considerably shorter.

Abscissa: Dec 3rd 2007; 5:22PM

See, this sort of bullcrap is EXACTLY why regional lockouts need to be abandoned. But, of course, the corporate suits have their heads way too far up their asses for that to ever happen.

BPM - The Return: Dec 3rd 2007; 5:31PM

PS3 games lack region locking, entirely.

Some 360 games lack region locking, but not all.

Wii is completely region-locked.

DS, PSP, and just about every portable before them lacked region locks.

Just presenting a bit of truth to ya.

Mr Khan: Dec 3rd 2007; 5:48PM

It's because Nintendo is the last company where 90% of the great 1st party games are still released in Japan first, so they "need" region locks to insure that a hungry American market doesn't tap the Japanese one

The others, of course, are much more region-neutral in their releases

Abscissa: Dec 3rd 2007; 5:55PM

@BPM: I'm well aware of that. Note that I never said "All consoles are completely region locked". As you've already indicated, region locking still exists.

vgxtremist: Dec 3rd 2007; 9:51PM

Ah man, just when I thought my PS2 was going to get more lovin late into its life...I wanted to play NIGHTS to see what all the fuse these last 10 years has been about.

neoalec: Dec 14th 2007; 5:16PM

I don't know if playing it now on PS2 will help you get what all the fuss was about. You had to be a Saturn owner back then. Playing it now, the game is somewhat out of context. Games all have a particular era that they were created to be played in, take them out of their original era and all you've got now is a $20 "classics" disc with games on it hardly anyone cares about anymore. Call me a nerd, but I prefer to keep all the old consoles handy for playing games on their original platform. Well, I live in a household with an MSX, X68000, Turbo Duo, etc, etc.

syco: Dec 3rd 2007; 10:36PM

And they wonder why people buy modchips...

Hadrian: Dec 4th 2007; 10:33PM

Gotta import it if they think there's no demand for it over here. And hope it pisses the suits off at Sega enough to not make these choices anymore in regards to their classic games being re-released on new systems and in one territory.

neoalec: Dec 14th 2007; 5:10PM

Who cares if the remake doesn't get released outside Japan. I don't want to play the remake. I want to play the original. "Enhancing" the graphics of a game that was custom-made for a particular platform is like colorizing a movie that was originally black and white. The original wreaked of Saturn-y goodness.

DraftRough: Jan 26th 2008; 9:26PM

I had the Saturn and Nights when it first released. It redefined controll, 3d graphics and it was quite trippy. But i have to admit even then i found it kinda boring, i have a massive ammount of nostalgia for it and i purched the new Wii sequal. I would love to rebuy it for Wii NOT ps2, or on VC with the cool new enhamcemnents but if its not so then i dont care cause in order to feel what WAS good about it (and there wasnt much) you had to play it when it first launched. Games have become so much better tecnically and controll wise (look at the Wii) and 3d graphical wise that only nostalgia will make this game seem amazing. Im not saying it sucks and needs not be praised but its time is gone and if a noob played it they wouldnt understand the original feeling even if they really liked it or the sequal. This was a game that i think those of us that had it originally should hold in our hearts and memmories as ours and a time when it was all that. A remake or sequal wont begin to bring those feelings back that we shared back then unless you got an old Saturn and the Saturn game but still with what we are used to now it will feel dated even though we love it dearly.