NiGHTS' Levels Galore!
It's easy to complain that there are only 8 levels in Nights (and even that's only if you count the last one twice). This may be so, but the levels are so diverse and interesting, they'll bring you back again and again, even after you've conquered them all. The levels all have similar goals, but each one has it's own quirks to make it different.
Overall Goal: ~ all LEVELS ~
The player begins each level as either Claris or Elliot. Although one can traverse the land this way, it is intended that he/she follow an arrow to meet Nights, who is located very close to the starting position. The player's time as Nights is limited, displayed at the top of the screen. As Nights, the player flies around, going through rings and picking up color chips and star chips. While doing this you will encounter assorted dangers, most often the Minion Nightmaren. Every time Nights is successfully attacked, he will lose five seconds of time. The point is to pick up 20 blue chips, which are necessary to destroy the "Ideya Capture," a large circular cage imprisioning one of four dream energies. Four separate Ideya Captures must be defeated in each level. If the time counter should reach zero, the player will be turned back into Claris or Elliot and fall to the ground. This is exceptionally tragic because once a character touches the ground, he/she will lose all points acquired and drop any color chips still being held. You may not merge with Nights again until the Ideya Capture has been defeated. On the ground you can still earn points by picking up items and jumping through rings. It is not advised to spend much time out of the skies, however, as you will be chased by the "Alarm Egg," which, if it finds you, will knock you down and try to wake you up, ending the level.
Spring Valley: ~ the IDEAL ~
Part one: This is a very short section of the dream, designed to introduce the player to the game. Since it is so short you should have plenty of time to go through it a few times. This is a very easy way to score an "A" here.
Part two: Here you will first find a type of floating object that, when touched, will shoot Nights quickly in the direction it's pointing. You will also find a cage that holds eight blue chips. Break the cage by grabbing it and then drilling it. Both of these objects will recur in later levels.
Part three: This part includes the first "Power Loop;" pass through it and a ribbon will trail behind you. You can earn bonus points by looping the ribbon and performing other acrobatics with it (though it only last for a short period of time). Hint: This part also includes a chance to access part of the dream that is not on the intended route. There is a launch object which, if avoided, allows Nights to loop around to a cage of chips. After picking up the chips he will return to the launch object and continue his route.
Part four: Much like an extension of part one, part four includes some things you've already seen, including a gust of wind that will shoot you high into the air.
As Claris: See if you can get her to walk around under water!
Splash Garden: ~ the AFFECTION ~
Part one: The only water-based level, here you will find Splash Garden's aqueous spheres. These giant orbs are floating balls of water; diving in one side will send you shooting right back out the other. Although it is tough to control Nights in a sphere, each contains valuable goodies necessary for a high score. Hint: Stop in the path of one of the fountain/geysers to get shot off route; you'll find a sphere which contains a cage of chips!
Part two: This is the first place you'll encounter a type of canister which is triggered by a light. Hit the large round light and it will turn on, causing the canister to spit up goodies (this can be done more than once). The lights will appear in later levels, but not all will have the same function.
Part three: There are more canisters here, located on both the floor and ceiling. An area in this part changes view from the standard side to overhead. You will also find another Power Ring in this section. Hint: Immediately after the Power Ring is a loop of normal rings. Fly through all of them and score a "large loop" with the ribbon.
Part four: In the last part of this dream, Nights will actually leave the skies to swim underwater. Although this begins in side view, it quickly changes to "behind-the-Nights". There are lots of items to grab in here, but the speed at which Nights swims can make them tough to pick up. Hint: There are two chip cages located at the very bottom of the underwater side-scrolling section. Pass by them at first, so you can pick them up after you've defeated the Ideya Capture.
As Elliot: Unfortunately, Elliot is not strong enough to penetrate the aqueous spheres. If you try, you'll fall over, becoming an easy target for the Alarm Egg!
Mystic Forest: ~ the POSSIBILITY ~
Part one: In this area Nights can grab hold of trees and launch himself off of them. How he launches will affect the route he takes.
Part two: This part includes a loop of stars that, if you grab in a paraloop, will reveal a group of chips hidden within them. Don't pass these up! Night can also break blocks that float in the sky, either by grabbing them or simply drilling right through them.
Part three: The Mystic Forest has an underground passage running through it. The entrance looks like a crypt, and will only open when lights (like those from Splash Garden) are turned on. The lights circle the crypt, and they all turn on and off at the same time. They are located in between sections of rings. Hint: Go through the rings as fast as possible, aiming for the lights to guide you through them. You'll earn many links, and (if you've hit every light) the crypt will be open when you reach it. Inside the crypt you will find a Power Ring and my star chips. Hint: Once you've passed through the loop, do all your ribbon tricks in the star chip area. If you concentrate on tricks, you'll pick up plenty of stars while your doing them. The ceiling comes down at Nights while he is grabbing stars, but being crushed by it will not hurt him.
Part four: This is another area that will change view, this time to overhead. As you fly around, you should notice a car on the ground that pulls into a garage (pictured above). As of know it is unknown if this is of any significance to the game.
As Claris: Claris is able to enter the underground passage, but must be careful when doing so. Unlike Nights, she is not invulnerable to being crushed by the incoming ceiling. Get mashed and it's "Night Over!"
Frozen Bell: ~ the CONSCIOUSNESS ~
Part one: Frozen Bell introduces the player to a beautiful winter wonderland, through which a train runs on a set of tracks. Beware the minion Snip, however, who can catch you off guard and freeze you in a block of ice!
Part two: The key to knocking off the Ideya capture in part two is to fly high above the railroad tracks. There is a section that has many color chips and star chips hiding in the supports above. Grab as many as you can every time you pass!
Part three: Giant snowballs float in the air here, concealing more treasures. Paralooping gets rid of them quickly, but the rewards are greater if you drill through.
Part four: Towards the end of the part four route, Nights will turn himself in a luge and race down an icy tunnel. Thought hard to steer, the player can pick up many good items here. Since the level is short, you should many to luge many times before the counter reaches zero.
As Elliot: Feel free to walk on the train tracks, just be carful not to fall through the slats. If the train comes you can jump on it and ride, or just stay in its path and it will push you along.
Soft Museum: ~ the CONFUSION ~
Part one: The last few levels of Nights are loads of fun and graphical beauty, starting with the Soft Museum. Here the ground will warp away from you and loops are placed very low. There are also large platforms here shaped somewhat like pillows, which Nights can bounce off off.
Part two: Here you will enter the actual museum, which is very odd indeed. The ceiling and floor repel you making it tough to pick up objects. Color chips are locked to the down in small green rings. Hit the rings just right to release their treasures. There are also platforms here that Nights can bounce between or drill through.
Part three: As Nights travels along in this area, he will eventually be sucked into a large cannon. It will fire him out into a behind-view section where he will bounce off large walls and fly through more rings. Aim well to link together many rings and you'll earn a lot of points!
Part four: Return to the museum again, this time to find large mirrors mounted on the walls. Some of the mirrors contain loops that don't appear in the actual playing field. Guide Nights' correctly and his reflection will pass through them to earn points. Hint: When Claris is walking through the museum, the camera will not follow her exactly. If you do end up as her, be sure to walk towards and away from the screen to pick up goodies that are out of Nights' reach.
As Claris: Since the ground is so soft, every jump counts as if it has been preceeded by another jump. Use this to your advantage to jump through rings!
Stick Canyon: ~ the REVIVAL ~
Part one: Welcome to Stick Canyon! This truly awesome dream is a mesh of metallic construction, allowing for all sorts of danger! The first of which is found in oversized magnets that try to suck Nights towards them before they explode. There's a good chance you'll find treasures held within their grasp, so drill through quickly to avoid getting hurt. Keep in mind that some magnets can be turned of by activitating a light.
Part two: This area holds the first of a type of roller coast found only in Stick Canyon. Somewhat like a spatula on a rail, touch it and it will push you along at high speed, looping and turning through rings. If time runs out while on a coaster, Elliot will still continue to ride. Unfortunately, he will still lose all his points when he gets off.
Part three: In this part you will pass through a force field that magnetizes you. Now everything (rings, chips, enemies, nightopians) will stick to you as you pass the more you pick up the better, for at the end is a machine that tallies up everything you have and rewards you with points. Hint: Things that stick to you will fall off if you're not careful. To keep this from happening, don't do any drill attacks and fly slowly to keep from bumping into walls.
Part four: Here you will find the culmination of this fabulous dream: a gigantic steel tower which you must navigate around and through, picking up items along the way. Although it's a good deal of fun, beware the large metal objects which fall from the sky. Every hit takes off a precious five seconds. After the tower you will find two coasters, one after another. It's a long ride, so get through this part as fast as possible!
As Elliot: If you turn back into Elliot before you've reached the great tower, don't worry! Search it and you will find an elevator that'll take you straight to the top. Now you can still ride the two coasters to make up for lost points!
Twin Seeds: ~ the GROWTH ~
This dream is unlike any that comes before it, and is shared by both Claris and Elliot. To win the game and see the best endings, you must win this level with both kids.
You will start as Claris or Elliot near Seeds Tower, where Nights has been imprisioned by Wizeman. When you try to rescue Nights, Wizeman appears and throws you far accross the sky. You land on a small platform, and the only thing to do is remember that "It's only a dream" and jump off into the blackness below. Only a split-second after disappearing into the dark, however, you'll emerge to fly high into the sky -- without the help of Nights! It's a joy to watch Claris or Elliot fly on their own, with all the grace their Nightmaren friend had in the previous levels.
The big difference in Twin Seeds lies in the time limit. In all other levels, a limit was given for each part, and the counter was refreshed between parts. Here you get one shot: a larger amount of time that counts for the whole dream. This means that there will be no bonus times, and you must move as quickly as you can.
Hints:
The balloons in this level are your worst enemy. If they touch you as they rise, your character will grab hold and pulled with them, wasting precious time. When you enter a ballon area, drill through it to pop any that come near.
It's definately worth your while to activate lights as you go by. You will find lights that cause stars to fall from the sky; the points you gather here are crucial to getting a high score. To pick up the most, drill as they pass by, and try to follow them as they fall down.
A good amount of the blue chips necessary for defeating the last Ideya Capture are located low around Seeds Tower. They are challanging to grab with so many balloons in there, but be sure not to miss them.
Complete this level and both Claris and Elliot will work together to break Nights free from his cage. Then the three of them will move on to the final battle against Wizeman!