From the brilliant minds behind Sonic the Hedgehog, NiGHTS Into Dreams is Sega's latest foray into the burgeoning console wars to prove themselves against the Sony juggernaut. We say they've done quite well. Sporting an all-new analog-based controller (not dissimilar to that of the Nintendo 64), this disc presents tight, silky-smooth control that makes floating through the skies an absolute treat. You see, the core joy from NiGHTS stems from its core flight mechanic. Simply soaring around in 3-D space is easily as much fun as speeding around in Sonic. Using the analog pad, players can pull off quick flips and acrobatic maneuvers in an instant. Turning and spinning around mid-flight is so well-programmed that it is a touch surreal. Not to mention, we never experienced a hint of control lag or long load times.

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The titular character, Nights, is a dream world entity that is capable of free flying through the land of Nightopia. Both this jester-like protagonist and his world are rendered in beautiful 3-D. The polygonal graphics are implemented flawlessly, as are the various tracks you can take to change the viewpoint. NiGHTS is packed with seven levels split up into four "Mares", following a similar trajectory structure-wise as a 2-D platformer. Once you get the hang of the controls and the dizzying flight speed, most players will zoom through these stages and conquer the challenges in their way. That may be this title only flaw: Most will complete NiGHTS in around two hours or so. That said, the addictive nature of this disc means happily returning to play a stage or two just for the thrill factor.

Printed in Issue #40, August 1996