Press release: 1996-12-09: Sega grants holiday wishes for games with "Christmas NiGHTS" sampler for Sega Saturn

From Sega Retro

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This is an unaltered copy of a press release, for use as a primary source on Sega Retro. Please do not edit the contents below.
Language: English
Original source: Sega.com (archived)


--Free Bonus Sampler Features A Virtual Winter World Filled With Surprises-- 

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., December 9, 1996 -- Sega™ of America has announced the special distribution of the promotional holiday game "Christmas NiGHTS™," a free sampler disc based on the top-selling Sega Saturn™ game "NiGHTS™."

This Yuletide adventure is available free on December 12 in 100,000 January newsstand issues of both Ultra Game Players and Next Generation magazines at more than 15,000 retail outlets. In addition, nationwide Blockbuster stores will give free rental of "Christmas NiGHTS" to any Sega Saturn game rental customer.

As a special added value, a coupon for a $5 or $15 discount on one or two Sega Saturn software titles will also be bundled with the "Christmas NiGHTS" sampler in the two magazines.

"In many ways ‘Christmas NiGHTS’ is a great technology demonstration for Sega Saturn, but more importantly, it is simply Sega’s way of saying happy holidays to all of our loyal Sega Saturn gamers," said Ted Hoff, Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Sega of America.

Based on the original hit game designed by Yuji Naka and the Sonic Team, "Christmas NiGHTS" takes gamers into newly transformed worlds of beautiful Christmas themes and holiday music. Game environments have been redesigned from lush gardens to landscapes of snow, glittering lights and gumdrops. Each world features a totally different look and feel from the original game, with bells replacing stars, rings becoming wreaths, and Ideya Captures are now giant decorated Christmas trees.

Other annual holiday themes are celebrated in the game as well. During the calendar year (represented by the internal Sega Saturn clock), different dates such as New Year’s and April Fool’s Day along with Winter NiGHTS and Christmas NiGHTS trigger newly transformed environments and theme music which highlight unique and different gameplay.

"Christmas NiGHTS" features more than just newly decorated "NiGHTS" game environments. The sampler also features special presents for avid gamers. After finishing a level, players are treated to a pair-matching game where gamers get a chance to pick pairs of icons. When the pairs match, the resulting present unlocks different features on the disc. Gaming gifts include a gallery of high-resolution image art, a Nightopian Karaoke feature, two movies, and four different methods to play (look for Sega’s blue dude with a ‘tude in this mode!).

Sega of America is the arm of Tokyo, Japan-based Sega Enterprises Ltd. responsible for the development, marketing and distribution of Sega videogame systems and videogames in the Americas. Sega Enterprises Ltd. is a $3.6 billion company recognized as the industry leader in interactive digital entertainment media, and is the only company that offers interactive entertainment experiences both inside and outside the home. Sega of America’s World Wide Web site is located at (http://www.sega.com). # # #