Nights (character)

Nights
Nights character
First game	Nights into Dreams... (1996)
Created by	Naoto Oshima (Nights into Dreams...) Kazuyuki Hoshino (Journey of Dreams)
Voiced by	Julissa Aguirre (Nights: Journey of Dreams and Sega Superstars Tennis)

Nights (trademarked and officially written as NiGHTS) is a video game character from the games Nights into Dreams... and Nights: Journey of Dreams, developed and published by Sega. Nights is a "Nightmaren" who resides in Nightopia, a dream world where the dreams of all human beings are acted out every night.

Creation and conception

Naoto Oshima was the original Nights creator and designer, while Kazuyuki Hoshino was the character designer for the video game Nights into Dreams....^[1] By the time of its sequel, Nights: Journey of Dreams, Naoto Oshima had left Sega, and Kazuyuki Hoshino was placed in charge of character design for the game.^[2] Takashi Iizuka, the lead game designer, felt that, with Hoshino, they captured the style used for the character in the original game.^[3]

Nights' personality is described by Iizuka as "a mirror of the child's personality."^[4] Nights' speaking role in Journey of Dreams was performed by Julissa Aguirre, who gave the character an English accent. In addition, Nights was made genderless, leaving the impression of the character "totally up to the player", according to Iizuka.^[5]

Even though this is true, there are some SEGA party games that has hinted that Nights could be a female. In SEGA SuperStars Tennis, Nights has a very female voice accompanying their movements and winning poses and phrases as well.

Character

Nights wears a purple jester-style hat and outfit, with a diamond-shaped, red jewel on the chest. In the miniseries published by Archie Comics, this was said to be a piece of a red Ideya that broke off and latched onto the character's chest.

Nights behaves childishly, never for a moment thinking of the consequences of its actions, for example sometimes scaring people just for fun, but mostly Nights' actions can be considered chivalrous. Nights is also merciful, as shown with Reala in Journey of Dreams. Nights likes new and unusual things, but hates being bound and told what to do. Nights dislikes Wizeman for confining Nights and denying its freedom. Sometimes, when very relaxed, Nights will pull out an invisible flute and start playing "Dreams Dreams", the game's theme song.

Nights' flying ability is related to swimming the breaststroke. During flight, a bright substance called "Twinkle Dust" is emitted from Nights' hands.

Nights has the ability to transform into just about anything, an ability that was expanded upon in the sequel with the introduction of each persona mask. Even without the persona masks, Nights is still able to change forms and abilities as desired.

Nights can also create small portals called "Paraloops" with its Twinkle Dust if the dust is spread to form a closed circle.

Nights comes from the dream world of Nightopia (also referred to in-game as the Night Dimension) and takes shape according to the thoughts, ideas, personalities, and will of the Visitors (humans from the real world). Nights lives alongside Owl, a brown owl who acts as elder and guide in the sequel, and the Nightopians. Nights, however, is a Nightmaren and henceforth its origin is the dark realm of Nightmare. Nights attempts to stop Wise-man from taking over Nightopia.

Nights is kind towards the children (Claris, Elliot, Will, and Helen) in both games, helping all four of them to defeat Wizeman on two separate occasions.

Nights shows disrespect for Owl on a regular basis, but also shows a sort of friendship with the bird. Owl often seems frustrated with Nights' rambunctious behaviour, and his lectures are often to no avail.

Nights was once loyal to Wizeman, but eventually began to view what Wizeman was doing as wrong and in need of being stopped. Nights also wished to have free will, which Wizeman didn't allow; Nights therefore decided to rebel. Their hatred for each other is strong and neither show mercy in battle.

Nights' relationship with Reala appears complicated. Nights still holds Reala as a friend, or at least a former one. Reala often plays on Nights' mercy, using it as an opportunity to imprison Nights. Reala sometimes refers to Nights as a "sibling" and, in almost every instance in the sequel, will try and talk Nights into surrendering before starting a fight.

Game appearances

Nights first appeared in the video game Nights into Dreams... on the Sega Saturn. The second game in the series, Nights: Journey of Dreams, is on the Wii. Nights also appeared in the sampler game Christmas Nights on the Sega Saturn. Takashi Iizuka reported that he is very interested in making Nights 3, but it is the management's decision whether or not to proceed.

Other appearances

Nights has appeared in many other games besides the series, including Sonic Adventure (in the Casinopolis level), Sonic Adventure 2 (in the City Escape and Radical Highway levels), Shadow the Hedgehog (in Lethal Highway, the title screen appears in a billboard without any text), and also in Sonic Adventure and Sonic Adventure 2, the player can raise a chao that resembles Nights. Nights also appears in Sonic Pinball Party, Sonic Shuffle, Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg, Sega Superstars, both Sonic Riders and Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity (as a secret character) and Sega Superstars Tennis. Nights also makes a cameo appearance in Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing as the flagman,^[6] and later appears playable alongside Reala in Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed.^[7]

Nights has also made a guest appearance in Phantasy Star Online I & II Plus, in Episode 2.

Reception

In his review of Nights: Journey of Dreams, Kevin Vanord of Game Spot described the character as an "androgynous jester." Vanord said, "Nights is smoothly animated", but said the "vocal personification [won't really be] everyone's cup of tea."^[8] Referring to Nights: Journey of Dreams, IGN said "Nights was essentially Sonic in the air..." The IGN review of the game called Nights a "mysterious creature." The IGN reviewer, referring to their accents, noted that it was odd how "Nights and all other characters in Nightopia are from England", but said the voice acting was "decent, if not a bit over-the-top."^[9]

References