To those of us who perched the original Saturn game on top of the highest, needle-tipped pedestal, it beggars belief when someone casually drops into conversation that they never rally “got” NiGHTS. But that’s a common occurrence of any cult classic – obsessive adoration or complete disinterest, with no common ground to be found.

 

This long awaited sequel (over ten years coming) won’t bring those two factions together. Journey of Dreams on the Wii is NiGHTS re-imagined in every possible, wonderful way. The unique combination of two planes of movement in a 3D world, the illusory, chaotic environments, running one moment and flying the next, the dreamscapes of children invaded by nightmarish entities – NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams expands the Saturn classic to meet with expectations of current generation consoles and paint Nintendo’s broad canvas with the vibrant blush of  Sonic Team’s imagination.

 

While the essential mechanics of playing NiGHTS remains fundamentally unaltered (we’ll get around to the control system in a moment), we do get to know a lot more about the fantastical character and it’s interaction with dreaming humans. As a diehard fan of the original game, it was initially jarring to hear NiGHTS – previously such an enigmatic, mysterious creature – talk. And not only talk, but openly wax lyrical about its life, history and the world it inhabits.

 

But what this well approached exposition provides is a great many alternative sub-games within Nightopia; freeing NiGHTS from the flying, maze-based collect-‘em-up that constituted the entirety of the Saturn game. Circling individual worlds on different routes, collecting the blue chips and retrieving keys to free NiGHTS from temporary captivity still comprise the core of the Wii game, but alternative tasks are also set within each realm. A vortex might open that threatens the inhabitants of Nightopia, and it’s up to players to use NiGHTS’ aerial acrobatics to rescue them; or NiGHTS could transform into a powerboat for players to tear down the white water rapids saving drowning dream creatures. While all these alternate gameplay methods feel distinctly subordinate to the main chase around the various dreamscapes, they do serve to expand the game’s universe in a way that the Saturn original never had the opportunity to accomplish.

 

Previously, the main purpose in NiGHTS was to soar through the levels collecting “blue chips” and feeding them into the Ideya Capture, but relying on gamers with rose tinted spectacles was never going to keep Sega’s accountants busy. To bring NiGHTS to the latest generation, the action has now shifted to a concept that’s far less existential and considerably more available to the younger gamer.

 

The surreal nature of NiGHTS was a major part of its charm, but an escalating storyline probably can’t afford such openly interpretative narrative, and care has evidently been taken to accommodate the fans who’ve stood a decade long vigil while newcomers still get the all-embracing gaming experience they’ve come to expect from the Wii.

 

Adopting the role of Will and Helen (in turn), players take these two children into the world of dreams where they meet NiGHTS, combine their ethereal essences with him and work to free Nightopia from a shadowy menace and the boss of the main character’s established nemesis, Reala. Imprisoned in a small cage, the kids are the only ones capable of freeing NiGHTS to chase around the different realms and swipe the keys to his prison from phoenix-like guardians who fly around the course.

 

With a host of other, item collecting duties to perform during the chase, NiGHTS is essentially identical to its Saturn progenitor only with considerably more purpose and scope to the airborne activities.

 

Saturn owners will remember the launch of the system’s analogue controller along with the original NiGHTS – a controller which promised to transform the way NiGHTS flew (and delivered on that promise). It would seem Sega has been waiting for another revolution in control systems before finally bringing us the NiGHTS sequel, and obviously that’s where the Wii fits into the dream.

 

Several methods are available to take flight around Nightopia. The classic controller is likely to be a firm favourite with high score seekers due to the fast adoption and quick return on only a few moments of practice. The nunchuck system is essentially the same to the classic controller, and certainly players are advised to adopt this method for the first few levels (even by the in-game tutorial). The Wii remote can also be used as a kind of laser pointer which NiGHTS will then fly toward – a contentious control system that will undoubtedly divide players.

 

Without question, this latter method provides the most interesting and germane approach to gliding through the wonderfully chocolate box environments, but even after sincere determination to acclimate to this dynamic control system, it’ll likely prove simply too fallibly organic to meet the dexterous demands required by NiGHTS’ performances. That said, at least other systems have been made available for those who find waving the remote around like a drunken conductor too random, so no points lost for making the effort, Sega.