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Everyone remember Sonic the Hedgehog. Even if you never got the chance to play the games on the Genesis, you’ll still know who he is. Sega’s token figure has been etched into gamers’ minds since he first appeared. The only gaming figure that is arguably more loved is Nintendo’s Mario, but that’s a different matter. In both cases’ being the poster boy has taken its toll on the quality of their respective games. Their games belong in a time when 2D ruled gaming and platforming was at having its heyday. That’s why it’s so unusual for NiGHTS (originally on the Sega Saturn ten years ago) to finally receive a sequel. Fans of NiGHTS have surrounded the game in an unholy nostalgia since its release both praying for a sequel but most likely slating it when it actually comes along. It’s 2008 and those prayers have been answered but does NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams fulfil the fantasies or become your worst nightmare?

Journey of Dreams definitely deserves to be in a dream world with its quirky characters, ‘drug-trip’ setting and eerie music. Set in the world of Nightopia, (which is under attack from Nightmaren) you control the latex-clad jester Nights. Most of the game has you flying around the 3D levels (but restricted to a 2D plane) trying to finish them in the fastest time possible. On and off you’ll be forced to play as the children in the game through on-the-foot sections. The melodramatic story unfolds via tedious cut scenes and introduces various characters, ranging from a patronising ‘tutorial’ Owl, imaginatively named ‘Owl’ to Wizeman the Wicked, the game’s main nemesis. The story is undeniably the game’s weakest point and annoyingly you can’t skip the cut scenes. The experience is instantly forgettable but anyone who’s played NiGHTS before knows that it’s all irrelevant as long as the gameplay lives up to expectation.

It does, just. To enjoy this game to its full potential you’ll have to resort to using the Wii Classic Controller. You can control Nights using the Wii-mote with or without the nunchuck, but the easiest method comes down to the Classic Controller. I tried to play the game with just the Wii-mote but it’s generally it’s finicky to use and especially difficult to perform the special moves. You move the Wii-mote to the edge of the screen and Nights will move accordingly in that direction. Move it up and he’ll move up, simple. On the whole it’s successful in its execution, but fails when you have to execute certain ‘special moves.’ You can spin Nights in a circular manner (mimicked by the Wii-mote) to collect the items in a level but you’ll often find that the motion doesn’t register and you’ll be trying it over and over again. Thus, as a result the frustration will cause you to switch to the Classic Controller which gives you sharper controls and works every time. It’s a shame because it nullifies the whole point of this game being a Wii exclusive.

Control niggles aside; the actual gameplay is fairly decent. At its core is the original NiGHTS and it definitely shows.  You’ll sweep, shoop and glide around the levels, through rings, collecting gems until you get to the end. The levels are bright, colourful and cheery and fit well with the essence of the game. There are seven worlds to choose from and each has a particular theme. Once you get through the world you’ll be greeted with an end of world boss. They’re unique to their respective worlds and are actually quite entertaining.  You’ll often have to use your ‘drill-dash,’ which is typically used to fly through sets of rings, (a spinning speed motion) to destroy the boss. Once that’s done you can go onto the next world which is selected through the Dream Gate, an interactive ‘menu’. In the Dream Gate you can grant Nights Persona Masks which give him special abilities by changing him into a dragon, dolphin or even a rocket. It highlights the fact that this game has no sense of reality or realism, but then again you shouldn’t be expecting any.

The longevity of the game is increased by the inclusion of Multiplayer, which can be played locally, online with a friend or online with a random challenger. There’s battle mode which can be played locally, while Speed mode can be played by any of the above three. We did find it hard to connect to players on occasion, but on the whole the online experience was favourable. That’s about all that can be said about NiGHTS without playing it yourself. The levels are short and sweet, the graphics colourful but textures (visually) are often a bit bland and the soundtrack is satisfying. If you’ve been waiting for a sequel to NiGHTS since its release then you’ll need to buy it on the Wii. If you’ve never even heard of NiGHTS it may as well stay that way. It’s a game for the fans, by fans. It’s a worthy homage to the original game but just lacks that fresh spark.

Score: 7/10

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