NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams

Long ago when Sega was still a console manufacturer, they were constantly faced with the threat of first-party competition. Sonic the Hedgehog was born after Mario became a hit for Nintendo. In 1996, Sega introduced a new mascot to compete with the plumber brothers: NiGHTS. The game, titled Nights Into Dreams and released exclusively for the Sega Saturn, was an inspired adventure without the typical two-dimensional limitations. Players could fly anywhere in every stage. The game was so unique that it came packaged with a new controller, brining the first thumbstick to the North American market before Nintendo and Sony released theirs.

Considered an instant classic from day one, Nights Into Dreams has been one of those games that spent years (over a decade!) on the “Will we ever get a sequel?” list. After years of speculation, Sega confirmed that an all-new Nights would be coming to Nintendo Wii. And finally, after almost 10 months of additional waiting, the game has flown into retail. 

Nights: Journey of Dreams contains the same kind of two-dimensional aerial gameplay that was featured in the original. As NiGHTS, the Cirque du Soleil-looking heroine who can fly, players will dualize (merge) with one of the two main characters, Will or Helen, who enter the dream world of Nightopia during one frightful slumber. Using the Wii remote or nunchuck/Classic Controller thumbstick, players will guide the path they wish to fly in.

Newbies and returning fans alike will appreciate the latter setup, as it allows you to pick up and play the game with little resistance. There isn’t much of a learning curve involved, especially if you’re used to navigating 3D worlds. This game doesn’t contain actual 3D gameplay, just the perception of it, along with some of the best 2D designs in the biz. Using several camera transformations, Journey of Dreams changes the perspective frequently to impress players and entice further exploration.

While most side-scrollers’ quality is based solely on its ability to consume the player with addictive gameplay, this game is very much an aural and visual experience. The music is beautiful, and though the graphics lack the eye-popping effects of Mario Galaxy or Twilight Princess, they are still impressive at making you feel like you’re flying.

In addition to the side-scroller view, the game also takes on a behind-the-character perspective, as well as a top-down view that alters the way you’ll move through the stage. It’s somewhat surreal and undoubtedly joyous – Journey of Dreams has its share of imperfect moments, but during these scenarios, players will be transported to a dream world unlike any they have seen since 1996. 

Will’s intro shows his father leaving home (permanently, perhaps?). Helen, on the other hand, is upset after abandoning her mother to hang out with friends. 

While soaring above each world, various goals must be completed in order to reach the next stage. They include enemy destruction, ring formation, and Nightopian salvation. Nightopians are the local pint-sized citizens of Nightopia. They’re peaceful, helpless creatures that whine in the face of danger. They also die easily, which is where you come in. By flying in a complete circle, NiGHTS will perform a Paraloop, a special move that absorbs Nightopians (as well as objects) to rescue them before they’re sucked into a black hole. In one scenario, players will have to Paraloop as many of these creatures as possible before the time runs out. No more than five Nightopians can be lost in the battle – lose six and the game will end. Continues are unlimited though, and your progress is automatically saved after every accomplishment.

Rings have been a big part of the Sonic games from day one. They are also a big part of the Nights series, but in a much different way. In this game the rings are twice the size of the main character, allowing you to fly through them to increase your Drill Dash ability. Drill Dash is a special move that increases your speed and attack capabilities. It also determines how long you are able to use a character transformation. NiGHTS can take on three forms that differ from her normal appearance: a rocket, a sea creature, and another rocket. The first rocket lets you travel the fastest and is practically a necessity in defeating the final boss. The other two aren’t anything out of the ordinary, but they will also provide some help during certain bosses and/or stages.

In general, enemies are defeated with a Touch-Dash. This is initiated automatically by making contact with an enemy. NiGHTS latches on and begins to spin in a circle. Push the dash button (A or B depending on the control style) to strike the enemy from this position. This is fun but cannot compare to the depth of some of the boss battles. When NiGHTS faces her nemesis, she can use this move to grab and throw boulders across the sky. The performance is 2D – the entire stage takes place in a giant (and misleading) circle. But the graphics lead you down another path, allowing the boulder to cross over into the third dimension and potentially strike the opponent from outside the two-dimensional boundaries.

During another boss battle, players will use the Touch-Dash and Drill Dash to push the balloon-shaped baddie through its trap-filled stage. The camera stays behind NiGHTS for this one, making you re-think how to maneuver without moving too far from the familiar. 

Are we supposed to assume that something bad happened to these kids’ parents after the intro? That’s the vague indication. By entering the dream world, they’ll get the chance to make things right, while the player is left wondering: was it all just a bad dream? 

Journey of Nightmares

When the action/adventure genre began, the games were short but challenging. Without much storage space (or a budget) for something longer, developers hoped to extend their games’ lifespan with replay value. Though we did begin to see a change with games like Mario 64, the genre has since returned to its short, replay value roots.

More than half of Journey of Dreams’ stages are worth playing through multiple times. Unfortunately, there are a few stages that you won’t care to revisit. It’s not that they’re significantly bad, but they’re not much fun either. They lack the excitement and awe-inspiring feeling that the rest of the game offers.

One of those stages involves a three-dimensional, on-foot search for the level’s exit. Your only goal is to get from point A to point B, and to do that you must find and hit a number of switches. The game is somewhat clever in its way of keeping you from the exit – to reach the end, players must activate and cross several transparent platforms. The platforms must be turned on in a specific order; touch one that isn’t activated and you’ll fall right through, ending the game. You can re-try repeatedly, but you’ll have to start from the beginning every time you die. The same goes for the final boss stage. It isn’t very difficult but it is very long. No direction is provided in how to defeat the boss, that’s a task you’ll have to figure out on your own. Screw up and you’ll regret it.

And while the original Nights game was innovative for its time, you won’t find anything groundbreaking in this sequel. The Wii remote motion controls don’t feel right, and with multiple control options available (including the option to use a GameCube controller), I must not be the only one who noticed. 

Nights: Journey of Dreams isn’t the perfect, Mario-class game that the original was in 1996. But it’s a mostly fun experience with inspired levels, amazing camera tricks, and excellent controls (if you exclude the motion elements, which don’t have to be used).

Gameplay: 8.2
Aerial gameplay from a multitude of perspectives, Nights: Journey of Dreams is an inspiring fantasy world of magical proportions.

Graphics: 7.9
Journey of Dreams isn’t the most beautiful Wii game – some levels are gorgeous, others are somewhat bland – but its camera adjustments are out of this world.

Sound: 8.5
Hey, I don’t remember ordering a game with extra cheese. But if you ignore the lousy voice work and annoying story sequences (which can’t be skipped), you’ll be immersed in Journey of Dreams’ incredible soundtrack. There aren’t many different tunes, but the few that are there are amazing.

Difficulty: Easy/Medium
Mostly easy. The boss battles provide a slight challenge, but it’s nothing you won’t be able to conquer in a few tries or less. 

Concept: 7
A straight sequel to one of Sega Saturn’s most revered action/adventures.

Multiplayer: 7
The two-player race and battle competitions are standard game fare.

Overall: 8
Nights: Journey of Dreams delivers a second dose of the classic, 2D meets 3D gameplay that made the original Nights a success. It has its share of flaws – the lack of innovation is surprising, and the motion controls are the worst of the bunch. But as a whole, Journey of Dreams is a great adventure that will take you to a world you won’t want to leave.