Sega's April Fool treat still going strong, 13 years on

Christmas NiGHTS, Sega's 1996 Christmas giveaway to Saturn owners, included calender-activated features on the run-up to December 25. But it wasn't limited to Christmas - on April 1, there was a sinister surprise in store. And it still works today...

Above: I wasn't really up at 5am playing Christmas NiGHTS today, honest

You head to NiGHTS' palace to dualize with him as usual... only he's not there. In his place is Reala - NiGHTS' nightmarish sibling. Reala flies around with exactly the same moveset as NiGHTS, but while the gameplay may be the same, the feeling is not.

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Above: Yup, that's right folks.This used to count as 'graphics' in 1996

Above: Fun fact: Reala was the only character to speak in the original NiGHTS into Dreams, saying:"There is no NiGHTS". That's very true today

This is such an easy thing to put in your game and I'm amazed calender-specific functions aren't used more. As it is, it's just one of the many ways this game keeps giving, year after year.

Above: Still going strong,some 15years old. Anyone else still play Saturn?

01 Apr, 2010