It’s definitely a Sega game. It’s definitely a Sonic Team game. It was definitely released in the mid 90s.

What exactly is ‘NiGHTS into dreams…’? I can’t quite answer that myself even to this day.
Is it a video game? Well, yes. Is it a platformer? Yes, but no. Is it a collectathon? Yes, but no. Is it a simulator? Yes, but no. Is it an action game? Yes, but no.

Is it a worthwhile and in-depth experience that is infinitely replayable? Yes.

These are the things I think about when I think of NiGHTS. To some it’s just a niche little Sonic Team game, but if you look further, it’s more than that. NiGHTS is a great showcase of what Sega was during the mid to late 90s.
Some may know where I’m going with this. You might be annoyed that I’m the thousandth person to say ‘Sega was struggling during the mid to late 90s due to its failure in the console market,’ but you can’t deny that it’s a fact, and a crucial part in the history of gaming as a whole. With the release of the Saturn, Sega hoped to dominate the sales of Nintendo’s new N64 and newcomer Sony with their ‘Playstation.’ Of course, this didn’t pan out well and the Saturn sold mediocre in all territories outside of Japan. But of course as Sega, they still had their fair share of unique exclusive titles to their system. NiGHTS is one of these titles.
NiGHTS showcases Sega’s uniquety, and how Sonic Team can make a damn good game that isn’t related to the hedgehog we all know. Takashi Iizuka and his team poured their heart and souls into this game. They spent most of their time learning all about dreams in order to create the most immersive and relatable experience. They wanted the game to feel like a real dream, because the game is a dream.

NiGHTS as a character is relatable, but not relatable at the same time. NiGHTS can be however you see fit in your mind, and I think that’s why I feel that way about the character. You don’t always understand it because you are its creator. You don’t quite understand yourself, and in a dream, you aren’t very conscious of who you really are at all. Nightopia was, and still is intended to be a place you can lose yourself in. A place you can call home, but not quite your “home.”

Elliot and Claire may seem like simple children on the surface, but they are somewhat multilayered if you think about them deeply enough. In the game, they are our connection to the dream world. They are the ones that we see the dream world through in the course of our adventure. As explained by Yuji Naka himself, Elliot and Claire represent the ‘Anima’ and ‘Animus’ dream archetypes respectively. The Anima, as described by Carl Jung, is “the feminine aspect in men,” while the Animus is “the masculine aspect in women.” These traits are reflected in NiGHTS, as it is a “Shadow” or a reflected being of the self.
NiGHTS is who you are. You are NiGHTS.

Controlling yourself in the gameplay of NiGHTS into dreams is smooth and feels natural. Dodging obstacles and gracefully grabbing orbs feels satisfying and getting good at it feels rewarding with the receivement of that sweet ‘A’ rank. The 2.5D aspect of the game really helps it feel more immersive and well, like a dream world. Nightopia is not without its variety, with snowy mountains, an overgrown museum, and rocky mountain tops. The interesting setpieces and unique obstacles keep the gameplay fresh and exciting.
The bosses and enemies are referred to as “Nightmaren.” They live in the opposite, negative world to the dream world; a nightmare world if you will. They’re twisted reflections of negative emotions the dreamer has within them. Even you, as NiGHTS have one.
The beautifully composed soundtrack is the cherry on top of this excellent experience. Catchy tunes that are different each time based on the mood and emotions of the Nightopians. What are Nightopians? They are the living beings within Nightopia. They sing, dance, and can even breed. Their moods will change depending on your actions in the stage and change the mood of the music as well. These creatures run on the prototype system for the Sonic series’ “Chao;” The A-Life System. The A-Life System is an in-depth system used for the development and raising of Nightopians. I still don’t even know how it works, but it’s such a Sonic Team thing. Leave it to Naka and his development team to create something so complex yet so inconsequential in the grand scheme of things.

“To be this good takes Ages.” Damn right it does. NiGHTS is the perfect example of what Sega could do with their ideas back then and create an enjoyable yet immersive game out of them.

I’m not sure what else to say, so all I have left to say is: Play this game. Even if the idea of this ‘dream world’ doesn’t appeal to you, at least give it a small try. It goes on sale frequently on Steam and even so, it’s only ten bucks. This game is a personal favorite of mine if you couldn’t already tell so I give it one of the highest recommendations I can possibly give.

“NiGHTS came from your dreams too. Being so, NiGHTS will keep living for a long time.” - Yuji Naka.

I only played up to the Stage 5 boss but goddamn, what a wildly fantastic ride.
As a big bullet-hell fan, Touhou always was something I knew about, but never got the chance to play until now. I've seen all the memes, all the fumos, all the fumo memes, but I think those things help me appreciate just how beloved this series is, and for good reason.
The gameplay is extremely fun and addicting. Follow that up with a godlike soundtrack and you've got a spectacular shoot em up. It's dumb fun and I can't get enough of it.
Couldn't recommend this enough, don't let the internet scare you away from this so called "cringe" series.