NiGHTS

Review by: John Yeman

Every once in a while a game comes along that is so revolutionary and so original it makes every other game you have ever played look pathetically dull and uninspired. Sonic Team has, in my opinion, created the most original, addictive, and purely fun title that I have ever played in the new generation of consoles (ie. 32-bit and higher) - and yes, I am including Mario 64! NiGHTS (I use the unconventional capitalization in homage to Yuji Naka and the rest of the geniuses at Sonic Team) is the first time that I have developed a Pavlovian reflex to (yes, I drool uncontrollably when I hear the game demoing in a store :P ) and I even find myself humming the music of the game while I am working or driving! Here is my review of what I consider the Best Videogame of 1996.

Graphics: 11/10 (better than perfect!)

Quite frankly, the graphics on NiGHTS are some of the best that I have ever seen. Not because they move smoothly or feature exquisitely texture-mapped polygons, and not because the game moves at 30 fps per second with no slowdown (all of which are true for NiGHTS). The reason the graphics on NiGHTS are so spectacular comes down to just two considerations: speed and originality. Remember the days when you were astonished at how fast Sonic moved through each level due to the ficticious "blast-processor" on the Genesis? Well, they must have a new blast processor in the saturn that runs at 500 mHz. There are times that the graphics are moving so fast that your brain is pushed to the brink and that you are going to overload! The graphics also feature some of the most beautiful scenes in a videogame EVER. The colors are vibrant and full of life - the worlds that Claris and Elliot inhabit really do feel like dream worlds. One of Elliot's stages, Frozen Bell, is so beautifully detailed that you can almost feel the cold and the howling winds. Hands down, the best graphics yet seen on Saturn. And the bosses...talk about originality...don't get me started!

Music: 11/10 (once again, better than perfect!)

To put it succinctly, NiGHTS is a musical masterpiece. Unlike the upbeat music of the original Daytona USA, which (although upbeat) quickly became tiresome and hideous, the music of NiGHTS is both upbeat and EXTREMELY catchy and enjoyable. You can't help but get a smile when you start to hear the music for this game. I guarantee you that after playing just 30 minutes of NiGHTS, you will be humming the opening title song as well as the level music (my personal favorite is the music for Claris' Soft Museum levels). Up until now, Panzer Dragoon was the best aural experience, but now NiGHTS takes the top spot.

Sound: 10/10 (Geez, just a perfect score?!)

Instantaneous. That is the word that describes the sound best. Everything is happening at breakneck speeds and the Saturn sound chip doesn't skip a beat. The collection of items and the sound of progressing through link after link occurs on cue every single time and they even overlap each other if necessary. The sound samples are crystal clear with no hoarseness (hear that Capcom! Make SFA2's sound better than SFA!) and the raise in pitch as link after link is established is handled flawlessly.

Gameplay: 11/10 (That's more like it!)

Before I say anything further, I would like to make a suggestion. Buy the game with the 3D pad ($59.99 @ Toys R Us) AND with the superb companion guide published by Prima (NiGHTS Official Strategy Guide by Nick Roberts, Prima, 1996; $14.99). Also, before you start playing READ THE MANUAL. Despite popular belief, there are times when reading the manual is an essential task and this game is a good example. Only after reading the manual will you have a full grasp of the controls, so PLEEZ read it.

Now, on with yet another heaping helping of praise for Sonic Team and SEGA. Earlier I mentioned that the game moved amazingly fast and pushed your brain to the limit. Well, luckily for us, SEGA has been able to make the game control so well that the feeling of speed is an adrenaline rush and not a rush of frustration. Once the layout of each level has been learned, you'll soon be chaining together long links and flying like a pro! Also, NiGHTS has a feature that Sonic Team has dubbed "A-Life". This pertains to keeping the cute-as-a-button Nightopians happy and propagating their species. You see, there are these little creatures with cone shaped heads and halos flying around them that need NiGHTS help to hatch their eggs. Doing so will result in even HAPPIER (!) music and higher bonuses. They can be injured by looping them (they are sucked away) or by speeding past them with a dash, so having to many may cause problems when it comes to linking and item collection. Shooting an enemy (nightmaren) at one of the Nightopians results in a mutation! (ughh!)

Longevity: 10/10

People have said that "NiGHTS is too short because there are only 7 levels" and that "the game is too easy to beat." While it is true that there are only 7 levels and that the game is moderately easy to beat, I feel that these factors have NO impact on the game's longevity.

REASON 1: Motivation to score higher and rate better. Lately, it seems as though games have gotten away from scores meaning anything. The transition from Mortal Kombat 1 to 2 even eliminated the score from the game. In NiGHTS scoring big is a huge motivation and there is always a way to do something better or faster or both. Getting a better rating (in order to beat the game, you have to rate C or better on each stage) is also a driving factor, especially in the Elliot stages - which are considerably harder than Claris'.

REASON 2: Hidden items. There are a number of hidden items in the game, including a two player mode, different endings based on how well you do, etc.

REASON 3: You will keep coming back for more. This game is quite possibly the most addicting game that I have ever played! If you thought Tetris was addictive, you haven't played NiGHTS!

Overall: 11/10 (They gave 110% to this game)

NiGHTS is a perfect example of a great SEGA game. Innovative, addicting, deep, and lush. This is why a true gamer MUST have a Saturn, and why SEGA is the company that keeps making comeback after comeback (Christmas has been good to Saturn in the US!). If anything, Yuji Naka's name can now be uttered in the same company as the other two game creating gods, Yu Suzuki and Shigeru Miyamoto.

BUY THIS GAME NOW!