Phoenix|Down x2: NiGHTS into Dreams 3

[Neon Ignition]

Phoenix|Down returns as is its nature with another franchise revival to ponder over. The recent reveal of a fourth Streets of Rage game shows that Sega isn't closed to the idea of reviving formant properties and here we have a game that originally launched in 1996 (23 years ago!) and received a sequel in 2007 (12 years ago!). It remains a fan favourite franchise and Sega does still refer to it at times but broadly it's very much dormant and doesn't fit in with what sells amongst the big budget releases of today.





NiGHTS into Dreams 3

Sonic Team remains fans of the franchise and the closest we've seen to a modern visual NiGHTS experience is the course in Sonic All Star Racing Transformed. Looking back at the success of NiGHTS and the failures of NiGHTS 2 as well as the world we live in, would you like to see NiGHTS revived and if so how would you go about it?

[dataDave]

Would you like to see NiGHTS revived and if so how would you go about it?

They should give it to Platinum Games. Hideki Kamiya specifically. He knows more than anyone when it comes to handling chains and multipliers and then dealing them out as digital crack.

[Super Monkey Balls]

would you like to see NiGHTS revived and if so how would you go about it?

No. With a vengeance.

[Dogg Thang]

Yes! It should be revisited. Of course! It's a shame the sequel wasn't good. It broke the main game system and then padded it out with very clunky and poor added sections. It looked pretty nice for a Wii game and the soundtrack was gorgeous though. And yes, the track in Sonic Racing looks lovely and does give some hint as to what an updated version could give us.

I'd love just to see them embrace the original concept. Keep it small, keep the play system as simple as it was with no padding. Then make it as pretty as possible. I think it could do well on the Switch.

[Asura]

Yes! It should be revisited. Of course! It's a shame the sequel wasn't good. It broke the main game system and then padded it out with very clunky and poor added sections. It looked pretty nice for a Wii game and the soundtrack was gorgeous though. And yes, the track in Sonic Racing looks lovely and does give some hint as to what an updated version could give us.

I'd love just to see them embrace the original concept. Keep it small, keep the play system as simple as it was with no padding. Then make it as pretty as possible. I think it could do well on the Switch.

Nights on Wii was the absolutely best, closest-to-textbook example of "developer doesn't understand/care about what made the previous game good". Like they understood the superficial elements, but not the core ones.

[Dogg Thang]

Nights on Wii was the absolutely best, closest-to-textbook example of "developer doesn't understand/care about what made the previous game good". Like they understood the superficial elements, but not the core ones.

Yep. You're spot-on.

[Neon Ignition]

The Wii sequel was such a shame, there are moments when it begins to click together in the more traditional sections but it never quite holds it long enough. When the best bits are the old style bits (by quite some margin) then you have a very clear approach for a sequel. Dave raises a fascinating idea, if they were properly engaged in the project I'd be fascinated to see what Platinum would make of the series. I imagine it'd be like a super refined version of the original but would flow brilliantly.

You can't look at the Wii version without desperately wishing it had worked:

[Atticus]

It's an impossible brief really. Gameplay-wise it would probably suit mobile as a platform. But part of the magic of NiGHTS for me is an aesthetic that was born out of limitations. There's something about the way the Saturn game looks that would be lost with any refinement.

[Neon Ignition]

https://gematsu.com/2019/07/sega-trademarks-nights-dream-wheel-in-japan

It'll totally be some mobile or Pachinko rubbish but there's hope... Sega has trademarked the name - NiGHTS: Dream Wheel