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NiGHTS is Sega's answer to the overwhelming popularity of Nintendo's Mario 64. And while the games may appear similar, there is actually a large contrast between the two. Produced by Sonic Team, under the creative guidance of Yuki Naka (Sonic's Creator), Nights offers remarkably more then the blue hedgehog has ever dished out. Set in a surrealistic three dimensional dream word, you must help two kids (Claris and Eliot) battle the evil Wizeman, who wants nothing more then to gain control of the subconscious energy contained in humans and enter the real word. Claris and Eliot's only hope is to join with the only thing not under his control, and that is NiGHTS. A purple acrobatic creature that looks something like a court jester, and is attracted to red dream energy (which you happen to already have). Using NiGHTS, they can fly around nightopia (aforementioned dream world), and secure control of the four different types of dream energy (purity, wisdom, hope, and intelligence) that are contained in different color orbs.

While the plot is extremely kooky (yet, not any more so then "Little Nemo: Dream Master" was for the NES. God I feel old, I still remember that game), NiGHTS it a hoot to play.

In a nutshell you have to fly around and collect these blue "chips" (there's always come little trinkets you're collecting. In Mario it's coins, in Sonic rings, etc.) and deposit them in the ideya capture so you can free the dream energy orb. You're playing against the clock, so you have to collect fast. If you succeed and free the dream orb, the blue chips will turn gold, and the more you collect the better course rating you will get. There are four courses per zone, with seven zones. Three per character. The seventh of which you can't get access to until you get a minimum rating of "C" in the other three. If you run out of time while flying, you revert back to human form, spill all your chips, and have to trudge your way back to the ideya Palace and reacquire NiGHTs. But wait, I'm not done yet.......once on the ground, you have to outrun the alarm clock from hell, or face waking up. If that occurs : Game Over. If you beat the zone, you're zapped to the lair of the zone's boss. Which range from a Dragon like creature, a huge fish, a bouncy opera singer shaped like a ball, and a cat that has a fetish for tying mice to fireworks and launching them at you. I haven't even gotten to the joker that tosses cards, or Wizeman himself.

Confused yet?

Now. Beating the game is relatively easy. But the real challenge comes in beating it with a perfect score (all As). Such a goal is not for the timid. For some this is a experience to make you pull all your hair out. But for others it can increase the replay value.

NiGHTS is loaded with options. Some of which I can recall include a wide screen mode for those lucky folks with projection TVs. Plus all of your other standard opinions. The only obvious absence being a difficulty opinion. NiGHTS is a one player game, but has a two player option once you reach and defeat Reala, the Anti-NiGHTS. I can't comment on the functionality, or funfactor of the two player mode, since I haven't played it.

NiGHTS is full of visual highlights that will convince even the most doubtful that the Saturn *can* in fact execute a 3D game that will appeal to even the most stingy of video game reviewers (like me). The flying scenes are truly a visual treat. The colors are bright are varied. And the backgrounds look surrealistic (that's the word you can basically use to sum up this game). Not to mention, lightsoucring is used to great effect. PSX programmers try to convince Saturn owners that Saturn lightsourcing is not the real macoy due to the means of which the Saturn executes it (software) and therefore isn't as good. I find this repugnant and irrelevant. In the level "Soft Museum", both the ground and ceiling indent as you fly or walk though the level. In the same level, there is also a mirrored background that is in perfect synch with your character. That just proves that a lot of work went into this game. Such effects truly do make NiGHT's seem surrealistic (there's that word again). Your character is composed of polygons. Which I must admit is usually a turn off for me. But they don't seem out of place among the other polygon objects in the world. The flying sequences essentially consist moving your character in 2D side scrolling fashion among a 3D rotational world. In contrast, the walking sequences (when you loose your flying powers), are full 3D, allowing you to move in all 360 degrees (Ala. Mario 64). There are Rendered cut-scenes in both the beginning and ending of the game. With two special ones (one for each character) included if you manage to beat the game with a perfect score (all As). They're cute, but if you've glossed over some of my USENET posts, you'd notice that I have a preference for 2D "anime-style" artwork. But cut-scenes don't make or break a game for many. The bosses are completely composed of polygons. And I must say they look very cool.

Despite all the raving I've done over the graphics, NiGHTS is not without it's flaws. The first thing you'll notice the amount of popup and clipping that occurs. It's particularly noticeable in the walking sequences, but rears it's ugly head in the flying as well. Hilly terrain will appear in and out of the screen abruptly, and quite unrealistically. Slowdown isn't a major problem, but I have observed that it *does* occur occasionally when you enter the checkpoint after acquiring a dream energy orb.

Sound is fantastic! Absolutely crystal clear. And the sampling rate is evidently at a decent level. There are literally hundreds of different sounds in the game. As for voice, I can't recall their being any. Except for a short splurge from Reala (the anti-NiGHTS), which for the life of me, I can't quite make out. Well ....you can't win 'em all.

If the sound is truly great. Then the Music is fantastic. Half of it is Redbook audio, with the other half being PCM. While the Redbook is naturally very nice. The PCM is more impressive because it blends so well with the Redbook. Crystal clear, with good instruments and bass response. It doesn't sound tinny or overly synthetic.

Control with the standard digital control pad (which is what I used for this review) is great. You never end up fighting to move your character from point A to point B, and response time is instantaneous. For the new or casual player, you make need a little practice before become entirely comfortable with the flying aspect. But after a few successful test runs it's will all become second nature. I haven't tried playing with the analog control pad (which is included in some NiGHTS packages).

There are plenty of things that make Nights inferior to Mario 64, but for what it's worth, this is a great game for the Saturn. Some even go as far as to call it a milestone. I think it's fun and well worth the money. ^_^

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Features, Funfactor, and Reply Value: 9.0
Graphics: 9.0
Sound: 8.5
Music: 9.0
Control: 8.5

Overall: 8.8