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Retro|Spective 166: NiGHTS into Dreams

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    Retro|Spective 166: NiGHTS into Dreams




    History in Games:
    1996 - NiGHTS into Dreams
    1996 - Christmas NiGHTS
    2007 - NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams


    Overview:
    25 years ago this year the race of the 3D platformers had begun following the reveal of the earth shattering confirmation of Mario 64's existence and each platform was in the midst of seeing 3D titles appear. Sega was no different but unlike what had been expected the title didn't emerge as a new Sonic game but instead Sonic Team delivered an analogue controller based new title in the form of NiGHTS. Cheekily the game existed in full 3D but the majority of gameplay took place on a 2D plane with players pulling off tricks and maneuvers against the clock to orb containers and unlock new routes. As infamous for its free Xmas demo as it was its addictive gameplay, the series left fans wanting a sequel for years with the eventual title arriving on Nintendo's motion based system. The sequel received some positive feedback but lost too much traction on control issues and dated visuals, failing to find an audience with Nintendo's crowd at the time which sent NiGHTS as a franchise back into the dream realm where it still slumbers outside of nods in other Sega titles.




    What are your memories of NiGHTS into Dreams and should Sega return to the series?

    #2
    What a game the original was, one of the few in my life I rinsed every ounce of, play control so on it I felt at one with the 3D controller. Haha yes, but really. Not to mention one of the best original songs made for a videogame.

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      #3
      Yep, the original is truly special. I adore it. The feel is wonderful and the looks and sound together are just amazing. It's unique and beautiful. I never really played it for points and instead spent way too much time breeding the little nightopians. And the way the music would change depending on them? That was amazing. I love it. I was the first person in the shop when it came out and got it with the controller.

      Adding to that, Christmas Nights is the best free giveaway ever. I have a terrible memory at the best of times but I still remember the moment the guy in the shop asked if I have a Saturn and then just handed it to me.

      The Wii sequel, well, that's disappointing. Not just because it's not great but because many elements are lovely and the potential for what it could have been is all too apparent. The levels looks nice and the music is great. But they put so much filler in it that just didn't play well. It was bad. And the core Nights-like stuff, they broke it with the chase stuff. It just didn't really work any more. Those same levels with the original Nights structure would have been great. I would have been happy with that but they broke it. I didn't hate it. It's still fun for what it is but doesn't live up to the original, unfortunately.

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        #4
        NiGHTs is one of my favourite ever games; I don't know exactly where, but certainly near the top. I want to echo [MENTION=2725]Baseley09[/MENTION]; I have played every single inch of that game. I've explored all the levels on-foot, ran through them thousands of times, played through them on the various ports...

        I was so excited for the original. CVG and SSM talked it up a lot, and I couldn't wait to finally play it. I still remember going through to GAME (unusual, as I rarely bought games from there - I actually don't remember why I got it there and not other, usual places). I still recall how it was October, not long after going back to school, and it was near closing time so it was in the "golden hour" as I got into the car. Weird what you remember.

        I didn't really get it at first. I think it's one of those games, like F-Zero X, where if it was today, where games are a bit more disposable (partially due to having an adult's income, making each and every game less critical than it was back then) I might have bounced off it. But, I stuck with it, and once it clicked, I couldn't put it down.

        I used to actually hurry home from school to have a few more goes at the infinite link on Frozen Bell. I had written down roughly how long a fast lap of each course took, so I would know if I had time for "just one more" before the timer ticked down.

        Plus, remember the ending theme? Cheesy, low-rent Disney wannabe that "Dream Delights" might be, it was really strange to hear that kind of music in a videogame (one that wasn't based in a movie); like a fully produced, arranged, vocal, cd-quality theme. Foreshadowing of what Sonic Adventure would do years later I guess

        Also as a game it's ludicrously over-engineered in some ways, and woeful in others. The a-life system was kinda pointless and the artificial music mixing system was novel, but kinda inconsequential. A more mercenary outfit would never have produced those things, eager to trim away any fat from the product that might seem like a waste of the budget.

        I have a special Xmas memory for Christmas Nights. In the UK, to get it, you had to buy two qualifying Saturn titles within a time window for that Christmas. Unfortunately, my parents had already bought Virtual On as my Christmas gift, and I never got two full-price games for Christmas anyway (one was pushing it most years). So one day, while out with my parents, I went into Dixons while they did some shopping nextdoor for presents, and it was actually really quiet. I asked the bloke at the games counter if they had any of the newer Saturn titles in, and he asked me if I was going to buy some for the offer; however, I told him that I wasn't going to, as I didn't have the money to buy two full-price titles.

        He asked me to wait a moment, and went back into the store-room, and when he came back, he handed me a copy.

        I asked if it was okay, and I still remember what he said:

        "It's fine. They gave us a stack of 50, and honestly I'd be surprised if I sell five.
        You're the first person to come in who even knew anything about it.
        Merry Christmas."

        Honestly I felt so lucky. It's quaint, now, I suppose, but I really felt like I'd scored on that one.

        The only other NiGHTs memory I have was when @Blobcat and I queued up at TGS one year to play Journey into Dreams; we were in that queue for 2-3 hours, and our main shared memory was how they had this poor idol girl trussed up in a PVC Nights outfit under bright, hot stagelamps who always seemed on the verge of passing out.

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          #5
          I don't think I owned a Saturn at the time of its release but I still saw most of it at a friends house. It was insanely full of little touches like the real time ground clock and the cross breeding of the Nightopians even though really what the game needed most was more levels. It has a style and charm that feels very unique to itself and some time later I picked up the game for myself and it was no less addictive for being familiar with it already. I picked up Christmas Nights too, discs being in abundance by then thanks to Saturn Magazine giving them away, it's always been fun to open all the secrets in it and interesting to try the levels as Sonic in 3D as clunky as the experience is.

          I even imported the PS2 port with the artbook. The sequel, man, it's still a game that I want to like more than I do when I play it. There are moments where it shows that somewhere in it beats the heart of a good sequel but the sheer excess of poor fluff added is insane. Despite that though I'd love to see the game reworked or Sega to make a NiGHTS 3. It should be in the same mindset as SOR4, something that doesn't try to reboot or AAA the game, something PSN/XBL project scaled that uses modern engines and gives us new levels. It's been very wasted by Sega in that regard as its potential for speed runs and themes etc is big.

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            #6
            Oh yeah, I should've added - NiGHTs is definitely one of those franchises which for me, has one game. That's pretty much it. I can make allowances for the pinball table in Sonic Adventure but honestly, nearly everything else that has been done with the franchise has been terrible.

            Originally posted by Neon Ignition View Post
            I'd love to see the game reworked or Sega to make a NiGHTS 3
            We're sort-of getting another crack at the whip though, with Balan Wonderworld.

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              #7
              I liked the Nights table in Sonic Pinball Party.

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                #8
                Originally posted by Dogg Thang View Post
                I liked the Nights table in Sonic Pinball Party.
                Honestly I didn't mind the character in the Sonic tennis game, either.

                Now there's something I'm surprised we haven't seen Sega bang out on the Switch.

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                  #9
                  Oh, that reminds me - there was a great Nights track in the Sonic Racing Transformed game. I really liked it.

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                    #10
                    Wasn't there some Nights content in Sonic Adventure?

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                      #11
                      It's a sad reflection of what's been done with the franchise when we can cite more good uses of the IP outside the games themselves than in. Come on Sega!

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