After eleven long years Sonic Team finally answers the cries for a sequel - of sorts...

Released at a time when even the most fanatical SEGA supporter began to have doubts concerning the future of the once mighty videogame giant, Sonic Team's Nights: Into Dreams is reason alone to remember the Saturn fondly despite its painfully unforgettable problems.

Billed as the answer to Mario's all-conquering escapades on the Nintendo 64, Nights: Into Dreams bore more similarities to a racing game than a pure platformer. Characterised by a highly accessible control system with a devilishly addictive score/combo system (and a funky new 3D pad to boot), Nights: Into Dreams stylishly ticked the boxes of expectation that surrounded anything Sonic Team touched at the time.

Despite the immediate cries for a sequel from the original's small fanbase, Sonic Team (under the control of Yuji Naka) refused to budge on its typical 'no sequel' policy, with only conflicting comments hinting towards a tumultuous development that spiralled into the wall after SEGA pulled out of the hardware race.

Eleven years later SEGA and Sonic Team have decided to have a change of minds. Following Naka-san' departure last year, taking charge this time around is Takashi Iizuka who founded Sonic Team USA and whose credits include the original Nights: Into Dreams and coming up with the concept behind the Sonic Adventure series.

TVG recently had the chance to sit down and chat with Iizuka-san who provided a few details on the much anticipated sequel, and the reason why they're not calling it Nights 2...

TVG: Sonic Team traditionally shy away from sequels, so eleven years on and after many fan requests, why have you decided to return to Nights?

I have been waiting to do a Nights sequel for over eleven years, but at the time I had a mission to develop the Sonic brand over at the US [Sonic Team USA]. But currently Sonic Team is creating most Sonic titles in Japan, so I had the opportunity to finally create a sequel.

TVG: Eleven years ago Sonic Team was under pressure to deliver a hit on the SEGA Saturn with the original Nights, could you tell us a little about what's different this time around and the challenges you now face?

The differences are that Nights Journey of Dreams is designed for mass-market, a game that new users can play and understand.

We think it's a sequel, but there's a new audience of twelve-year old girls and boys who would never have played the original Nights. So there's a tutorial, new features, and a stand alone storyline for those who have never played. Because of that we didn't want to call it Nights 2, we're treating it like a new IP.

TVG: Deciding not to do a sequel by numbers, has that allowed you to add new ideas more easily and how do you think fans of the original will take to them?

Of course I tried to make the sequel for new players to enjoy. The main problem for me is satisfying the fans and core gamers as well. So we have kept to a similar setting, we expanded upon the original features and the storyline. So I think the core gamers will be pleased with the sequel as well.

TVG: Nights Journey of Dreams is the first Wii game to incorporate Weather Channel conditions in the game, can you elaborate on this feature?

The weather only works in My Dream mode. We have sun, rain, snow, clouds, wind, typhoons, everything. You have to look after your pets, the Nightopians, who appear in the My Dream garden after you've saved them in the main game. They're like Tamagotchi and you have to look after them. If I register in the UK in the winter it's going to rain, if it keeps raining it's going to get mouldy or flood. If you don't look after them they're going to get angry.

TVG: Persona Masks appear to be one of the biggest additions, can you tell us a little more about these and the decision to make such a significant change?

I added the Persona Masks because I wanted to allow players to play the game in different ways. I wanted to have more variation to complete stages other then flying, to bring more depth and variety. By having more abilities there's endless fun, not just one simple flying game.

There's a world ranking network so once you complete the game you can try to get a high score and beat your friends. For example, if there's two rings and you're flying as Nights you can't pass through, but if you change to a rocket or a dolphin you'll be able to get through and achieve a better score. You can change once you open the ability, it's up to you when you change.

TVG: There's plenty of reports about a project known as Air Nights on the Saturn and Dreamcast; can you provide us with any details on this and whether Journey of Dreams shares any of its ideas?

[Iizuka-san stares blankly until a little more prompting]

After the launch of the original Nights on Saturn we developed a motion-sensing prototype that worked with the original Analogue pad. This was going to be the basis for a sequel to Nights, where you controlled movement with motion like the Wii Remote. But in the end we didn't do it.

Shame

I'm not sure whether you're going to talk about this, but could you provide any information on the decision to take the original Nights to the Playstation2?

Unfortunately, we don't have any plans to release the PS2 version outside of Japan. The Saturn was a very unique console so we couldn't just port it; we had to start from the beginning. There are many fans in Japan that want to play the original so it's for Japan only - but maybe one day.

Another shame

TVG would like to thank Takashi Iizuka for taking the time to answer our questions and SEGA Europe for organising the opportunity. Nights: Journey of Dreams is released across Europe on January 25th 2008.