As I mentioned in [url=http://www.snackbar-games.com/r494.html]my SSX Blur review[/url], that game might be the current benchmark for third party exclusives for the Wii. I say this because, at the end of the day, and more than any other platform, exclusives carry the burden of selling the Wii console to the fans. Because of this, quite a bit of weight over the last 24 hours has been placed on a late page announcement in the latest Official Nintendo Magazine which promises a “World Exclusive” in the next issue. In the April issue.

[img]http://www.snackbar-games.com/images/news/2007/03/nights_maybe_1.jpg[/img]

Oh wait, April? The lier’s haven. I’m inclined to take anything next month with a grain of salt in light of April Fool’s Day. However, are we really at the point where a “joke” warrants a month build up? If so, that’s not just a bitter pill, that’s borderline cruel. But I digress.

From the magazine scans (Thanks [url=http://gonintendo.com/]Go Nintendo[/url]), the text reads: “World Exclusive! Step back in time as a classic game makes a long overdue return,” and goes on to note that the upcoming announcement will be for a game for the Wii. It also shows a cryptic star pattern as a teaser for the upcoming unveiling. A pattern, as some enterprising internet Photoshop hounds have uncovered, almost certainly points to Sega and Yuji Naka’s Saturn classic NiGHTS into Dreams.

[img]http://www.snackbar-games.com/images/news/2007/03/nights_maybe_2.jpg[/img]

Not to sound like an elitist prick, but I have always found NiGHTS to be a contrived mess and vastly overrated, but I also know that the fan community has been climbing the walls for a remake or sequel for the Wii, so maybe the video game gods have heard their call and are genuinely planning this as a kind of fan service.

Could we soon be seeing NiGHTS for the Wii? Is this an April Fool’s joke? Does the rooster crow at midnight? These answers and more soon. I hope.

[EDIT: Apparently British mag NGamer’s final pages also speak of a “Big Exclusive” for their next issue, with a picture of the earth as seen from space, complete with a dar and starry sky as a “hint.” What are the odds that both are planning the same joke? I guess we’ll know soon, maybe.]