NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams

Overview

NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams is the semi-sequel, semi-remake to NiGHTS: Into Dreams on the Sega Saturn in 1996. It shares many of the same gameplay elements with the original NiGHTS, with some key additions. Players are given control of  Will and Helen. Both characters have strong relationships with their parents, but as the children begin to grow up, they become distanced from their parents, which leads to the pair having nightmares about the subject.

Each level starts off in full, free-roaming 3D. Like the original NiGHTS, Will and Helen have the ability to "Dualize", which will transform them in to the form of the flying jester, NiGHTS. As NiGHTS, the perspective of the game shifts from 3D to side-scrolling 2.5D on a looping, circular track. As NiGHTS, a timer begins to count down. If the timer reaches zero, Helen or Will will revert back to their human state and elicits an instant Game Over.

Unlike the singular goal in the original NiGHTS, there are five varying mission types in Journey of Dreams, three of which being the most common: Chase, Link, and Boss. Chase missions most closely replicate the gameplay of the original NiGHTS, where players are tasked with "dualizing" with NiGHTS, chasing down a giant bird, stealing a key it holds, and using that key to unlock the cage used to imprison NiGHTS. Once three prisons have been unlocked, the player then faces off against a Boss. Link Missions involve NiGHTS flying behind a creature called an Octopaw, who creates rings in the sky. For every ring NiGHTS flies through, his Link counter goes up. The player has five tries to create the highest Link possible. Boss Missions pit the player against an even harder version of the boss they face at the end of a Chase mission.

Also included is the ability to visit a "Nightopian Garden". Similar to the Chao Garden in the Sonic Adventure series, the Nightopian Garden is a space that houses Sonic Team's unique "A-Life" creatures, and the player is given the ability to visit and interact with these creatures by giving them gifts. Using the Nintendo Wifi Connection, players can even visit their friend's Nightopian Garden. 

Plot

Two children from the city of Bellbridge have recently been suffering from nightmares... their names are William Taylor and Helen Cartwright. For Will, playing Soccer with his father and the bond that they shared meant everything to him.. but after his father is transfered to a different city, Will can't help but feel lonely without him. Helen, on the other hand, has chosen to ignore violin lessons with her mother in order to hang out with her friends more, but eventually, this begins to make her feel guilty. It is these negative emotions that the evil Nightmaren prey upon, and through encounters with Nightmaren, the children discover the secret world of Nightopia hidden within their dreams. It is here that the pair learn from a wise Owl and the playful jester NiGHTS that the evil Nightmaren King, Wizeman, wants to merge the world of dreams and reality so that he can conquer them both. Will and Helen agree that this cannot be allowed to happen, so they team up with NiGHTS to try and stop him - though they meet resistance in the form of NiGHTS' old comrade, Reala, who is serving under Wizeman's control.

Levels

Will

• Pure Valley (Boss: Donbalon)
• Lost Park (Boss: Chamelan)
• Delight City (Boss: Cerberus)
• Bellbridge (Boss: Reala and Wizeman)

Helen

• Aqua Garden (Boss: Girania)
• Crystal Castle (Boss: Bomamba)
• Memory Forest (Boss: Queen Bella)
• Bellbridge (Boss: Reala and Wizeman)
  

Soundtrack

• "Dreams Dreams", Original song by Tomoko Sasaki, with arrangement by Yutaka Minobe, featuring the vocal talents of Robbie Wyckoff, Fiancis M. Benitez, Riley O' Flynn, and Victoria Ashby.
• "Dreams Dreams: Sweet Snow", Original song by Tomoko Sasaki, with arrangement by Tomoko Sasaki and Naofumi Hataya, featuring the vocals of Jasmine Allen.

Development History