NiGHTS into Dreams...
NiGHTS into Dreams... is a video game that consists of 3 releases
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Overview
NiGHTS was born out of a simple concept: capturing the sensation of flight. Released the same month as Super Mario 64, some viewed it as Sega's answer to Nintendo's mascot superstar. In reality, the gameplay in NiGHTS is very unique even today. The basic game concept plays out sort of like an Arcade Game, complete with High Score tables shown after completing every level.
Each level begins in full 3D, where the player, either controlling a boy named Elliot Edwards or a girl named Claris Sinclair, can move freely in any direction. Quickly, monsters will appear, knocking the player down and stealing all of their "Ideya" spheres (rare dream energy). Though players can continue to walk around in full 3D, eventually an alarm clock will appear, projecting a beam of light at the ground. This beam of light can stun players, and if the player is touched by the beam of light while stunned, they "wake up", eliciting an instant Game Over. Should the player enter the structure that is directly in front of them when they start (called the "Ideya Palace"), they will transform in to the purple jester known as NiGHTS.
When controlling NiGHTS, the gameplay perspective shifts from full 3D to side-scrolling 2D in a 3D environment. The player can only be transformed in to NiGHTS for a specific length of time; should time run out, they will revert back to their human forms and be forced to complete the level on foot. NiGHTS flies around the environment collecting blue orbs known as "Chips". Chips are used to free the Ideya Sphere from its prison somewhere in the level, and once
an Ideya Sphere is retrieved, it must be returned to the Ideya Palace at the beginning of the level. Levels are split up in to four sections called "Mares", and each "Mare" has an Ideya Sphere to return. When an Ideya is returned, the player is graded on their performance based on how high of a score they achieved during that particular Mare. After retrieving four Ideya Spheres, the player faces off against a boss character. Depending on how quickly the boss is defeated, a multiplyer is calculated, and the player's overall score is multiplied by this number, giving the finalized score (and letter grade) for the entire ordeal, which is then entered in to that level's specific high score table. Depending on how well the player might have done, they will be shown a tip to improve their score next time and are promptly sent back to the titlescreen to choose the next level.
For Christmas of that same year, SonicTeam and Sega released a special extended demo called Christmas NiGHTS. 11 years after the original NiGHTS was released, Sega remade NiGHTS for the their "Sega Ages" series of games for the Playstation 2, with enhanced graphics and bonus extras. This Playstation 2 version of NiGHTS is exclusive to Japan.
The Evil Wizeman, King of the Nightmares, is no longer satisfied with simply controlling the dream world of Nightopia. He seeks more! Wizeman hatches a plot to use Ideya Dream Energy to shake off the shackles of the dream world and enter our reality, where his power to shape and create nightmares will leave him unstoppable. To help him accomplish this task, he crafts two special first-class Nightmaren: a pair of jesters by the names of NiGHTS and Reala. He commands the pair to seek out and capture any Ideya they can find, especially the rare red Ideya, representing the emotion of Bravery.
Not one to be so easily controlled, NiGHTS rebels against Wizeman's orders. As punishment, Wizeman seals NiGHTS in an Ideya Prison; the only way he can be freed is if somebody uses their Ideya energy to temporarily unlock his cage, and with his Nightmaren collecting all the Ideya for themselves, it is not likely NiGHTS will ever be released. However, two special dreamers - Elliot Edwards and Claris Sinclair - have an abundance of Red Ideya energy and find themselves very near NiGHTS' holding cell...
Initial concepts involved a newborn baby bird who was just learning how to fly; over the course of the game, this character would grow stronger and learn how to fly more gracefully. This concept was scrapped after deciding it resembled Sonic the Hedgehog too much. Eventually the concept of a graceful jester called NiGHTS in the dream world of Nightopia was decided upon; hundreds of animations were created to convey the acrobatic sense of grace NiGHTS had, easily gliding through the air, defying the laws of gravity. To help control NiGHTS, SonicTeam simultaneously launched a new Sega Saturn Analog Joystick with NiGHTS, allowing players full control over NiGHTS speed and direction.
To flesh out Nightopia, SonicTeam designers actually studied dream psychology for many weeks, reading and comparing the works of psychologists like Carl Jung and Frederick Holtz for inspiration. Each level in NiGHTS was carefully constructed to reflect the apparent memories and emotions both the main characters had growing up.
NiGHTS into Dreams is a 3D flying game made by Sonic Team for the Sega Saturn. You play as NiGHTS in order to stop the evil Wizeman and his minions
Overview
NiGHTS was born out of a simple concept: capturing the sensation of flight. Released the same month as Super Mario 64, some viewed it as Sega's answer to Nintendo's mascot superstar. In reality, the gameplay in NiGHTS is very unique even today. The basic game concept plays out sort of like an Arcade Game, complete with High Score tables shown after completing every level. 
Ideya Palace
When controlling NiGHTS, the gameplay perspective shifts from full 3D to side-scrolling 2D in a 3D environment. The player can only be transformed in to NiGHTS for a specific length of time; should time run out, they will revert back to their human forms and be forced to complete the level on foot. NiGHTS flies around the environment collecting blue orbs known as "Chips". Chips are used to free the Ideya Sphere from its prison somewhere in the level, and once
NiGHTS in Stick Canyon
For Christmas of that same year, SonicTeam and Sega released a special extended demo called Christmas NiGHTS. 11 years after the original NiGHTS was released, Sega remade NiGHTS for the their "Sega Ages" series of games for the Playstation 2, with enhanced graphics and bonus extras. This Playstation 2 version of NiGHTS is exclusive to Japan.
Plot
NiGHTS and Claris
Not one to be so easily controlled, NiGHTS rebels against Wizeman's orders. As punishment, Wizeman seals NiGHTS in an Ideya Prison; the only way he can be freed is if somebody uses their Ideya energy to temporarily unlock his cage, and with his Nightmaren collecting all the Ideya for themselves, it is not likely NiGHTS will ever be released. However, two special dreamers - Elliot Edwards and Claris Sinclair - have an abundance of Red Ideya energy and find themselves very near NiGHTS' holding cell...
Levels
Claris
- Spring Valley ~the IDEAL~ (Boss: Gilwing)
- Mystic Forest ~the POSSIBILITY~ (Boss: Gulpo)
- Soft Museum ~the CONFUSION~ (Boss: Jackle)
- Twin Seeds ~the GROWTH~ (Boss: Wizeman)
Elliot
- Splash Garden ~the AFFECTION~ (Boss: Puffy)
- Frozen Bell ~the CONSCIOUSNESS~ (Boss: Clawz)
- Stick Canyon ~the REVIVAL~ (Boss: Reala)
- Twin Seeds ~the GROWTH~ (Boss: Wizeman)
Soundtrack
Music for NiGHTS was composed by Naofumi Hataya, Tomoko Sasaki, and Fumie Kumatani. The game contains one vocal track, with two variations: one version is sung by children (presumably Claris and Elliot themselves), with a second version playing over the credits as a reward for completing the game with all A ranks.- "Dreams Dreams" by Akira Sasaki with vocals by Curtis. King Jr., and Dana Culitri
Development History
Shortly after completing work on Sonic the Hedgehog 2, future SonicTeam president Yuji Naka had a brain storm on the plane ride back to Japan: What if a game captured the thrilling sensation of flight? This idea was shelved for many years as he continued work on games in the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. After completing Sonic & Knuckles, the team revisited the concept of flight for Sega's new Saturn game console, hoping technology had advanced to the point where a game based around the concept would be feasible and enjoyable.Initial concepts involved a newborn baby bird who was just learning how to fly; over the course of the game, this character would grow stronger and learn how to fly more gracefully. This concept was scrapped after deciding it resembled Sonic the Hedgehog too much. Eventually the concept of a graceful jester called NiGHTS in the dream world of Nightopia was decided upon; hundreds of animations were created to convey the acrobatic sense of grace NiGHTS had, easily gliding through the air, defying the laws of gravity. To help control NiGHTS, SonicTeam simultaneously launched a new Sega Saturn Analog Joystick with NiGHTS, allowing players full control over NiGHTS speed and direction.
To flesh out Nightopia, SonicTeam designers actually studied dream psychology for many weeks, reading and comparing the works of psychologists like Carl Jung and Frederick Holtz for inspiration. Each level in NiGHTS was carefully constructed to reflect the apparent memories and emotions both the main characters had growing up.
Trivia
- Both NiGHTS and Reala do not have any know gender; they are purposely left androgynous.
- A boss against a character called "Selph" was cut. Reportedly, Selph would be a mirror image of NiGHTS. The unused orchestral track "Know Thyself!" on the official NiGHTS Soundtrack is said to be the music for the deleted Selph boss.
- Yuji Naka claims that the original NiGHTS is his "perfect game", declaring it would be almost impossible for him to improve upon the concept. For many years, when asked about a sequel to NiGHTS, Yuji Naka would say that he was interested in doing a sequel but did not think it would be posssible to add anything new to the NiGHTS concept without tarnishing what made the original "perfect". When Yuji Naka resigned from SonicTeam to form his own company, Prope, Sega wasted little time and announced a NiGHTS sequel within a few months of his departure, called NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams.
- Despite NiGHTS existing only in a singular Sega Saturn game for many years, SonicTeam made sure nobody could forget about the purple jester: NiGHTS cameoed in nearly every SonicTeam game produced following the release of the original Sega Saturn title, with appearances in Sonic Adventure, Sonic Adventure 2, Phantasy Star Online, Sonic Shuffle, Billy Hatcher, and more.
- NiGHTS was the debut of SonicTeam's "Artificial Life" (A-Life for short) system. Each level in NiGHTS is enhabited by small pixie-like creatures called Pians. Pians freely move about the level, doing various activities on their own accord; singing, socializing, and generally having fun. NiGHTS can interact with Pians one of several ways: Killing them (which makes all Pians witness to the event very upset), or helping them to mate: by throwing an enemy at them, Pians lay special eggs, and from these eggs hatch hybird Pians with characteristics of the enemy their parent was struck with. Pians also have a secondary function: Depending on their mood, the tone of the music for that given level will change, with 20 total music variations present for each level in the game.
- Many of the concepts included in Christmas NiGHTS were intended for this version of the game, and numerous features in Christmas NiGHTS can be used to analyze save files from the full version.
| Game Name | NiGHTS into Dreams... |
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| Publisher(s) | |
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| Themes |
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| Original US Release |
Aug. 31, 1996
need a fuzzy date? |
| Original US Release |
know the real date? |
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| CERO |
CERO: A
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| ESRB |
ESRB: K-A
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