Christmas NiGHTS into Dreams

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Christmas NiGHTS into Dreams
System(s): Sega Saturn
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Sonic Team
Genre: Action
Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code
ESRB Sega

Christmas NiGHTS into Dreams (クリスマスナイツ 冬季限定版) is a one level stand-alone "demo" of NiGHTS into Dreams that was released in November 1996 for the Sega Saturn.

Christmas NiGHTS was not sold in the same way as most Sega Saturn games. In Japan, it was part of a Christmas-themed Sega Saturn console bundle and not sold separately, however it was packaged in a plastic jewel case like the majority of the Japanese Saturn library. In fact, the Japanese Christmas NiGHTS clearly states "only this winter" on the box, and is always treated as a limited edition game.

In North America the game was given away with the purchase of select Saturn games such as Daytona USA: Championship Circuit Edition. These versions were distributed in a cardboard slip case to cut costs, much like many early Saturn bundles. Later it was distributed with an issue of the US Sega Saturn Magazine, though these versions were housed in transparent plastic sleeves to further reduce expenditure. The game was also available for rent at Blockbuster Video locations in America.

In the UK, Christmas NiGHTS was not bundled with a console, but instead included in the UK Sega Saturn Magazine in December 1997. Cardboard slip cases were used here. It is unknown whether the game saw a release in other European countries.

The game was also included in the PlayStation 2 version of NiGHTS into Dreams. The Saturn disc can also be accessed via a Windows PC for extra content, similar to other Sonic Team games.

Gameplay

Due to its freebie nature, Christmas NiGHTS is a much smaller game than NiGHTS into Dreams - there is only one level (Spring Valley - almost identical to the level seen in regular NiGHTS) however unlike the original it is playable as Elliot as well as Claris. When playing as Elliot the stage is mirrored.

Christmas NiGHTS is Christmas-themed, and so its graphics and music have been replaced with winter-esque versions of the original stage (but only in winter). For example, Ideya Captures are now giant floating Christmas trees, and NiGHTS wears red attire rather than purple. Gameplay is largely identical to the original game, including the A-Life system altered by defeating enemies.

If not played over the winter months, Christmas NiGHTS defaults to "NiGHTS: Limited Edition" and essentially acts as a no-frills demo. Between November and January it is "Winter NiGHTS" and during December, "Christmas NiGHTS".

Unlike NiGHTS into Dreams however, Christmas NiGHTS has a number of unlockable extras (or "presents") which include the ability to experiment with the game's music mixer, A-Life system, and even play the stage as Sonic the Hedgehog. Under the "Sonic the Hedgehog into dreams" mode, the player is restricted to traveling on foot, and instead of tackling the level's original boss, Gillwig, Sonic is put against an inflatable balloon version of Dr. Eggman in a battle similar to Puffy from the "full" game. The boss music is a mash-up of both Puffy's original theme, "She Had Long Ears", and "Final Fever", the final boss battle music from the Japanese version of Sonic CD.

Interestingly this qualifies as Sonic's first "true" 3D outing - Sonic Jam, Sonic R and the Saturn version of Sonic 3D were all released in 1997.

Clock Features

The visuals of Christmas NiGHTS change slightly depending on the time indicated by the Saturn's (or PlayStation 2's) internal clock.

The period between November and February is the most "active" part of the year, which scenery changing almost at an hourly rate.

Time	Background	Falling objects in foreground
00:00	Moon	Hearts
01:00	Moon	Snow
06:00	Northern Lights	Snow
07:00	Sun	Snow
08:00	Sun	Moons
10:00	Sun	Snow
12:00	Rainbow	Purple gems
13:00	Sun	Snow
15:00	Sun	Candy
16:00	Sun	Snow
18:00	Moon	Snow (though less of it)
19:00	Moon	Snow
21:00	Moon	Stars
22:00	Moon	Snow

The main part of the game is not unlocked until December, when Christmas NiGHTS mode is enabled. Here, the children wear Santa outfits, and defeating the boss (Gillwing) will lead to a credits screen.

On New Year's Day, there is a change of title screen, on Valentine's Day, hearts always fall, and on April Fools' Day, users can play as Reala instead of NiGHTS. Reala can be played at any point after the latter event is seen.

Saving Data

The game makes use of the Saturn's internal battery back-up as well as the Saturn Backup Memory cartridge to save progress and unlockable content. In addition, you can link save data of Christmas NiGHTS with the retail version of NiGHTS into Dreams and see in-depth information of save data from the retail version.

Christmas NiGHTS into Dreams Save Data

Name	Comment	File Size
NIGHTS_XMAS	NiGHTS dat	55

NiGHTS into Dreams Save Data

Name	Comment	File Size
NIGHTS___##	Score data	30
NIGHTS___##	A-life	197

Production Credits

Executive Producer: Hayao Nakayama
Project Manager: Youji Ishii
Producer: Yuji Naka
Director: Naoto Ohshima
Game Designers: Takao Miyoshi, Takashi Iizuka
Programmers: Takuya Matsumoto, Akio Setsumasa, Yasuhiro Watanabe, Tetsu Katano, Takahiro Hamano, Yuji Naka
Visual Designers: Naoto Ohshima, Hideaki Moriya, Tohru Watanuki, Toshiko Okano, Tomonori Dobashi, Osamu Ogata, You Nishiyama, Kazuyuki Hoshino
Sound Director: Yukifumi Makino
Compose & Arrange: Tomoko Sasaki, Naofumi Hataya
Sound Effects: Tatsuya Kouzaki
Recording Director: Tatsutoshi Narita
Narrator: Lisa Hart

"Dreams Dreams" A Cappella Version

Coordinated by: Compozila, Inc. Tokyo
Sound Producer: Atsushi "Sushi" Kosugi (Beat On Beat, Inc. NYC)
Co-Sound Producer: Makoto Suzuki (Compozila, Inc. Tokyo)
Chorus Arrangement: Marlon D. Saunders
Singers: Marlon D. Saunders, Gabriel Morris, Issa Clemon
Recording Engineer: Alec Head
Mixing Engineer: Justin Luctor

Executive Management: Shoichiro Irimajiri, Shinobu Toyoda, Malcolm Miller
Executive Coordination: Daizaburo Sakurai, Makoto Oshitani, Jin Shimazaki
Promotion Management: Ren Mori, Hideki Okamura, Hirokazu Kanno, Takayuki Kawagoe, Kunihisa Ueno
Public Relations: Hiroto Kikuchi, Tadashi Takezaki, Masatoshi Kawaguchi, Yasushi Nagumo
Visual Material Editors: Masato Yoshioka, Yuji Sawairi, Ikuo Ishizaka
Market Research: Seigo Tabira, Tsuyoshi Sawada, Miho Okamura
Manual: Hiroyuki Mitsui, Youichi Takahashi, Toshiki Yamaguchi, Chieko Nakamura
Internet Support: Mutsuhiro Fujii
Overseas Coordination: Ryoichi Hasegawa
Special Thanks: Akira Nishikawa, Akira Funada, Chika Ikegame, Miki Morimoto, Yosuke Okunari, Haruki Nakayama, Emi Sasaki, Nobuhiko Shimizu, Kazuhiko Hattori, Hideki Yohkaichiya
Cybersound™, Sega Digital Studio
Produced by SEGA

Physical Scans

Saturn, US
Cover
Disc

Saturn, EU
Cover
Disc

Saturn, JP
Cover
50x50px Disc

Promotional Material

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  JP flyer