___ ___ _____ _____ _____ ________ ______ \ \ | / n / ___ \\ / \ // __ __ \ / ____ \ | \ | | U / / \_\| | | | |/ | | \|/ / \| | \ | | _ | | | |___| | | | | | ___ | |\ \ | | | || | _____| ___ | | | \ \/ \ | | \ \ | | | || | |_ || | | | | | \___/\ \ | | \ \| | | || | | || | | | | | | | | | \ | | |\ \___/ /| | | | | | |\____/ / /__| \___\|_| \_____//___\ /___\ /____\ \______/ ____ _ __ __ | / \ | | |_| |\ | | \ / | | | | | |\ | \ | |-- | \_/ \_/ \_/ | \ | \| |__ | _ ___ _ __ __ _ _ _ _ / \ | | \ |_| | / \ | \ / | / \ | | |- | | |\ |-- |-| | | | | \ \_/ | |_/ | \ |__ | | | v | \_/ ================== ------------------ Table of Contents ------------------ ================== Version History FAQ General -------- Flight Touch and Dash Persona Masks Visitor Controls Getting Started: Will vs. Helen Mission Ranks Story Mode ----------- Dream Gate -Dreamdrop Fountain My Dream Chase Missions Link Challenges Will's Journal --------------- Pure Valley --Chase Mission --Link Challenge --Fluffy Catch --River Rescue --Vs. Donbalon Lost Park --Chase Mission --Bomb Panic --Link Challenge --Coaster Rescue --Vs. Chamelan Delight City --Chase Mission --Neon City Battle --Link Challenge --Broadway Guide -Vs. Cerberus The Stairs on the Hill Helen's Diary -------------- Aqua Garden --Chase Mission --Aqua Challenge --Link Challenge --Marine Escape --Vs. Girania Crystal Castle --Chase Mission --Link Challenge --Labyrinth Guide --Jewel Fever --Vs. Bomamba Memory Forest --Chase Mission --Forest Adventure --Link Challenge --Sky Concert --Vs. Queen Bella The Stairs on the Hill Bellbridge ----------- Bellbridge Chase Vs. Wizeman The Last Ideya --------------- Vs. Reala Vs. Wizeman Unlockables ------------ 2P Mode Visual Memory Sketchbook Sound Library Soundtrack: NiGHTS into Dreams... Credits and Contact ================ ---------------- Version History ---------------- ================ 11/08/09- Found guide on hard drive, finally got the motivation to properly format the guide for resubmission. 4/30/09- Opted to submit current guide; polish will come later. 4/28/09- Story Mode and related sections complete. 4/16/09- General and related sections complete(ish). 3/19/08- Guide started after playing the game a second time. ==== ---- FAQ ---- ==== Q. Where is 'x' Dreamdrop? And why should I care? A. Well, lucky for you, this guide has the answers. I like to think I do a pretty good job of describing all of their locations. I'm obviously biased, so if you have trouble, shoot me a line, eh? As to why you want all of the dreamdrops, well... you can play as the characters from the first game. Exciting, I know. Given how hard it is to find all of them, it's kinda a lame duck award. Really, the only thing you get out of it is a sense of completion. Q. Why should I care about my mission ranks? A. Well, when you get an A rank in all 32 missions, the weather in the Dream Gate becomes a light snow, and the theme music changes to reflect this. You also unlock the soundtrack of the previous NiGHTS game. Q. I'm missing a song in my soundtrack! A. That's not a question. But I've got you covered. Check out the 'Unlockables' section for more information. Q. Why aren't there more questions? A. Well, the F stands for 'Frequently'. I won't know what people usually ask until you send me some e-mails! Q. Dude, that title art at the top looks horrid! A. Oh, my poor feelings. No, I'm fully aware of how bad it looks. Anyone who wants to make me a better, shiny one, I'll be sure to give you full credit. ======== -------- General -------- ======== Flight ======= Here, I'll eventually describe how flight works. Until then, read the manual, and listen to Owl. Touch and Dash =============== Ditto. Persona Masks ============== Persona Masks are unlocked after defeating the Boss Nightmaren in a Nightopian World. They change NiGHTS's physical appearance, and grant him special abilities. For the most part, they are not necessary. However, there are a few missions that require the use of personas, and there are quite a few dreamdrops that cannot be reached without the proper persona. If anything, they're pretty fun to use. None of the personas leave a twinkle dust trail. Because of this, you cannot paraloop while wearing a persona mask. Persona masks require dash power to wear. The mask does not deplete your dash meter, but you must have a bit of dash remaining, or you will revert back. The only exception to this is that NiGHTS will always wear his dolphin persona in the water. You can change personas by pressing their respective equip button, or you can take them off by pressing down. Dolphin Persona (left) ---------------------- The dolphin persona is the first persona to be unlocked, and it will appear in front of the dreamdrop fountain when you defeat either Donbalon or Girania. This is the most important persona mask, as it allows you to travel underwater. Obtaining the dolphin persona allows NiGHTS to access into the many lakes you will find in Nightopia. This persona will automatically activate underwater, but you can equip it anywhere. Dolphin NiGHTS feels a bit more fluid, and his dash is changed into a short spin. It is still a dash, but holding down the button will not maintain the dash effect. Rocket Persona (up) -------------------- The rocket persona appears in its blue chest after defeating either Chamelan or Bomamba. This persona is only required a small handful of times, but it also has the most useful power. Rocket NiGHTS has the fastest dash in the game. It is hard to control, as it can only travel in a straight line, but this dash can be very useful. Unlike the dolphin and dragon personas, whose powers are only used to overcome obstacles, the rocket persona could be useful in any number of places. The handling difficulty is very noticable, and since it is seldom actually required, I use it as rarely as possible. Still, I can easily see why someone might choose to use it frequently. Dragon Persona (right) ----------------------- The dragon persona is the last persona to be unlocked, and it will appear once you have defeated Cerberus or Queen Bella. Dragon NiGHTS appears in a serpentine form, with a spiral dash and the ability to hover. Normally, NiGHTS will slowly sink to the ground if no direction is pressed. Dragon NiGHTS, however, will stay in his exact midair location. More useful, however, is his ability to negate wind currents. The dragon persona allows you to ignore the affects of the wind, allowing you to access certain areas of earlier missions. Visitor Controls ================= The controls for Will or Helen are much more straightforward. The control stick or pad will move your character, with buttons to jump, throw blue chips, and to point the camera forward. There is also a button used only in My Dream, which opens a dialogue system. Getting Started: Will Vs. Helen ================================= Despite what you may think, selecting between Will and Helen means more than simply chosing the gender of your character. The two have entirely separate storylines, and the majority of the levels are entirely different. And, of course, in order to truly beat the game, you'll have to complete all of their dream worlds. So, then, who should you play as first? Well, that depends on your skill level. If you have never played a NiGHTS game before, you should start with Will. His dream worlds are, on the whole, much easier. But, if you've played NiGHTS before, I really recommend that you start with Helen. From a plot point of view, starting with Helen means that you will see NiGHTS wearing his persona mask, setting up the end plot twist much better than Will's storyline does. Helen is also the first to learn about the threat of the Awakers- Will really only has one level where the Awakers pose a threat, and it is all the way in the third world- the game is done telling you about them. Admittedly, Will receives a much better explanation of the NiGHTS Captures, but the whole system is a bit contrived anyway. Not only that, playing Will last means that the fear of Cerberus as the final Nightmaren makes sense- he actually is the final Nightmaren you will face. Even the showdown with Reala becomes that much more epic. But, as you've guessed, it doesn't actually matter. And, honestly, most people choose to play Will first simply because he appears first on the menu screen. Because most people use Will as their first character, this guide is written accordingly. Mission Ranks ============== You will receive a letter grade at the end of each mission. The game assigns a grade from A-E based on your score for that level. E is the worst, meaning that you were barely able to pass the mission. A is the highest, meaning your completion of the level was almost masterful. You just need to pass the level ro unlock the next one- so Why should you care about these grades? The true ending of the game will not appear until you have at least a C rank on all 32 missions. So, if you complete a mission with a D or an E, I highly recommend you hit 'replay' instead of 'next'. Few missions in the game are difficult- it just takes time to understand what the mission requires of you. It is almost impossible to manage an E rank without failing outright, and you can usually tell by your progress if you will end up with a D rank. Restart the mission while you still have a loose feel for it, and you should be able to scrape by with at least a C rank. Completing the game with solid A ranks is of course much harder, but doing so will unlock the original NiGHTS into Dreams soundtrack, as well as change the weather in the Dream Gate to a calm snow. =========== ----------- Story Mode ----------- =========== Before I start discussing the missions, giving you dreamdrop locations and tips for achieving A rank, I will first discuss the areas of Story Mode that are not graded. Additionally, I will discuss general tips and tricks for Chase Missions and Link Challenges, as every world has one mission of this type. It's much easier to discuss these missions up front than it is to repeat myself six times. =========== Dream Gate =========== The Dream Gate serves as a sort of World Map for each character's three dreamworlds, with Will's doors on the left, and Helen's doors on the right. A pair of blue chips will mark the door with the newest mission, but standing near the door will let you see the rankings you have earned on previous missions. Owl will offer random quotes in front of the fountain, while NiGHTS stands at the rear to offer a repeat of the tutorial. Opposite the entrance is the door to My Dream, while the Stairs on the Hill will appear to either side of that door. When you achieve an A rank on all 32 missions, the appearance of the Dream Gate will change. The trees will become pine trees, and the entire landscape will transform into a winter wonderland. The music will also change to suit the new, snow covered Dream Gate. The first dreamdrop is pretty simple to find, if you're the explorative type. It's located up on the hill, behind the door to My Dream. The second is a bit harder to find, but still pretty easy. If you leave the central Dream Gate area, there is a dirt path that travels around the edge of the park area. About halfway aound the path, you will encounter a well. Jump inside to be catapulted upward to the drop. This trail ends at the rear of the Dream Gate island, but there is a cave path into the mountain that will lead you back to the doors by an air jet. You can reach the fourth drop this way, but it's far easier to wait until later. The third and fourth drops are located in the tutorial, but you will need personas to reach them. The third drop is at the far right edge of the lake bottom, so you will need the dolphin persona. For the fourth drop, use the dragon persona to enter the air jet. Wiggle around in the chamber until you hear the familiar chime letting you know you've collected the drop. Dreamdrop Fountain =================== So what are dreamdrops? Well, I won't lie- they can be easy to miss. If you don't find Owl at the game's start, you might not even realize they exist. There are sixty drops hidden throughout the game, most of which are well hidden. Walk close to the fountain, and you can see the number of drops you have collected. Once you have completed a mission, its information screen will display how many drops are hidden within, and also show you how many of those drops you have collected. Finally, there is a page toward the back of each characters record book which shows a listing of each world's drops, and how many you have found. Why collect dreamdrops? Well, that's a good question. Once you have collected all of the drops, the game informs you that a change has occured in the fountain. The water has all of the colors of the rainbow, turning the fountain's basin into a sort of vibrant kaleidoscope. It actually kinda hurts the eye, as it is a great contrast from the nearby stonework. When you jump into the fountain, you will spring out in the form of the character from the original NiGHTS game. It doesn't hold through cutscenes, but it does work for any mission where you would see the children- including NiGHTS vehicles and Bellbridge flight. So, if the dreamdrops don't unlock some sort of super-secret ending, why bother? Why do I want to put in all of this work for cosmetics? Well...if you're like me, it's a matter of perfectionism. Whatever your reason, this guide will help you find all sixty drops. ========= My Dream ========= 78 Nightopians To say that My Dream is a weird place would be a vast understatement. It's a simple, wide square that is the same for both Will and Helen. With the exception of Fluffy Catch, any Nightopian or Nightmaren that is caught in your paraloop will be sent into My Dream. There doesn't seem to be any limit on the number of Nightopians you can have, but you are only allowed two of each type of Nightmaren. You can see them tumble into the area when they first enter, and the bottom corner gives you a number of what you've captured. As you fill your dream, the landscape starts to change. The corner holds a tree grove, and random objects start appearing. Your Nightopians will soon have rocking horses, phonographs, fountains, and even statues to play with. Objects from chase missions also make an appearance- I've seen boats, sea cliffs, cacti, glass panes, bubbles, musical notes, lamp posts, and even televisions. Even the boss Nightmaren leave their mark. Doghouses, playing cards, cauldrons, and torches all make an appearance in My Dream. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to which objects will appear, but the more crowded your dream is, the more objects there will be inside of it. It seems like an awesome system- what's the catch? Well, everything dies. If you leave My Dream for a few days, and re-enter, most of your inhabitants will be wiped clean. It's possible to go through and revive them, but you still won't retain your optimum number, and it takes a lot of blue chips to revive a large dream. It's a pain to maintain, but if you never enter... nothing ever dies. For this reason, I treat My Dream like a one-time challenge rather than a feature. Once I've unlocked everything, I never re-enter. It's vaguely cheap, but also very effective. So, what is there to unlock in My Dream? Well, there are two dreamdrops, and four songs which will appear in the Sound Library, My Dream themes A through D. The first dreamdrop is located right behind the door which leads back to the Dream Gate. It's a pretty crafty hiding place, but it's simple to reach. The second drop is located in the exact middle of the dream, floating in the air. Because the initial dreamscape is flat, you cannot reach the drop at the beginning of the game. You will need to wait for the dreamscape to develop hills before you will be able to jump up and grab the drop. The songs are a bit trickier, as they are related to the number of Nightopians you have in your dream. Song A is the default theme, a song of simple chords. Song B appears around 15 Nightopians, and adds a drum part to the song, as well as a heavy, electric sound. Song C appears around 30 Nightopians, and you can tell it by the strong keyboard emphasis and lively tones- it's upbeat, but less edge-y than B sounded. Song D appears around 75 Nightopians, and sounds entirely different from the first three. The vibrant sounds suddenly shift into a melodic belltone, chime sort of tune. So how does one get that many Nightopians? Well, the first key is to constantly cull out the Nightmaren, since they're using your Nightopians as a food source. They will die out on their own, but it's much easier to just peg them with blue chips. Any dream resident, -maren or -topian, will be removed from the dream if they have stars above their head when you leave. So just how is one supposed to keep all of those Nightopians alive? Well, by feeding them blue chips! Like a farmer feeding birds, you will want to enter My Dream after every mission to wander around, throwing blue chips at all of your Nightopians, regardless of their health. Think of it as a preventative measure. Watch the counter in the corner- it will drop for dizzy Nightopians, and raise for eggs. When the number drops, find the sick Nightopian, and toss him a blue chip to bring him back to full health. When the number grows, wander around until you find the egg, pick it up by walking into it, and then set it down with the throw button. Congratulations! It's the miracle of life. Or...something like that. Yes, you really should do this after every mission. Like I said, they're fragile, and require constant care to keep them alive. For this reason, I recommend you complete at least all six of the chase missions. I only use the chase missions for Nightopian gathering, as they have a lot of Nightopians on the ground- not to mention the ample amount of time you have to gather them. You won't get a stellar rank when you're collecting ...but then, you really don't need to. Rotate between each chase mission, because the mission will not have nearly as many Nightopians the second time around. Link Challenges and the Bomb Panic mission could also reap many Nightopians, but I still recommend you use chase missions, because these missions also guarentee you a high number of blue chips to use as food. It takes more time than you'd think, but- again, My Dream is time sensitive. It may be tedious to play all of the chase missions in sequence, but it is the best way to get the job done. Just remember ...once you grab the two dreamdrops, and you hear the fourth My Dream song, you'll never have to enter My Dream ever again. No more running around feeding blue chips to those creepy angel babies! Finally, I'll leave you with other random facts about My Dream. What is a Mepian? Well, a mepian is a term for a hybrid resident. When you paraloop a Nightopian and a Nightmaren in one loop- even if the Nightmaren is in ball form because you hit it with a dash attack- you will create a mepian. They might have different wings, different skin color, or even a different face from normal Nightopians, but you should be able to tell what Nightmaren it gets its odd features from. Whether or not the Nightopian has a pointy hat depends on its appearance in the mission you looped it from. On Halloween, the Nightopians all wear witches hats. On Christmas, the theme music changes. When you have full A ranks, the hatched Nightopians are wearing winter caps. You can talk to your Nightopians using symbols, but I have not noticed anything relevant happening while doing this. There are empty stamp slots which appear on the page in your record book dedicated to My Dream. I have never received any of these stamps, and I have yet to meet anyone who has. If you have any information on this- please, drop me a line. =============== Chase Missions =============== The first mission in any Nightopia is a chase mission. They're fun missions, but it also means that NiGHTS will be captured at the start of every world due to plot necessity. Though, as you've probably noticed, just about every event in this game has to be taken with a large grain of salt. These missions are no exception. NiGHTS has been kidnapped, and placed inside a cage called a NiGHTS Capture. You can enter the cage, because your Red Ideya allows you to pass through its walls. So, apparently NiGHTS also gains this ability when you dualize with him. But since a visitor can only stay in Nightopia for a short period of time, you need to grab the key from the Goodle birds so that you don't wind up back in the cage once the dualized period is over. I'm not sure about the other two cages, or why there's a boss fight at the end. The game is very vague as to exactly why these missions happen, so just smile and nod. Each cage has a corresponding race track- you travel in a loop until you grab the key and take it back to the cage. From there, you'll either progress to the next cage, or to the boss fight. The courses get longer as you continue along- the first course will almost always take two laps before catching the bird, as the course is just that short. Likewise, the third course is so long that you probably will not have enough time to make two laps. The courses are mostly sidescrolling, but there is one part of each chase mission, usually a cave, that has a forward-flight perspective. The idea here is that you need to fly through as many rings as you can so that you can dash to catch up to the key. It's pretty simple, but it might take you a few times to get a feel for the course layout enough to keep your dash levels high. And, of course, each Nightopia has unique obstacles and enemies to hinder your progress. Still, there are a few basic tips to keep in mind. The first is to use the layout of the course to your advantage. If the course swoops into complex curves, dash in straight lines to cut corners. If the launch balls ever flings you ahead of the bird, drop down suddenly to try and grab him- the bird is programmed to be in front you. If you ever manage to pass him- not capture, but pass- the game will give the bird an extra dash of speed to put him back in front of you. Other than that, the missions just take practice. As you play the game more often, you'll get better at flying, and the chase missions will become much easier. The ranking of the chase missions is rather straightforward. The game will give you a ranking after you unlock each cage- do not worry if one of these ranks is low, as the game will only rank your final total. These ranks are just giving you a projection of how well you're doing. At the end of the cages, the game will show you the three letter ranks, and then give you a grade on the chase portion. This is based on the point total, not an average of the letter grades. I have had the game turn an A, a B, and a C into a C rank before- it's all about the point total, not the letter value. The boss fight does not give you any additional points- it grants you a modifier. Your chase total will be multiplied by a decimal ranging from one to two based on how quickly you defeat the boss. A multiplier of 1.9 or 2 can turn your C rank into an A- but more likely your multiplier will be around 1.4, turning your B into an A. I seldom manage to have an A rank going into the boss fight- it's the multiplier that pushes the score into the A range. The score ranges are pretty solid- anything above 85,000 will net you an A. One last thing to mention about the chase mission- it is continuous. The three cages and the boss fight are all counted as one mission. That is, if you fail any part of the mission, you will have to start over at the very beginning of the sequence. That doesn't seem too bad, until you consider how gimmicky some of the boss fights can be. Chamelan and Bomamba in particular can waste a lot of time as you try and defeat them- if you have to restart, it means you're going to have to go through all three of the cages to get back to that point. It's even worse in Bellbridge, where failure means having to watch all of the cinematics again. ================ Link Challenges ================ Link Challenges are my personal favorite type of missions, though it is unclear why Octopaw enjoys appearing in whatever world you happen to be in at the time. The idea is simple- make the biggest chain of links that you can. The game will pick the best chain out of the five that you can complete. Even if you pass the mission with one successful chain, you must make five chains for the mission to end. There are a few blue chips and rings already in place, but for the most part, Octopaw creates the obstacle course in front of him. This means that if you approach too closely, he will start spurting ink clouds in an attempt to slow you down. The ratings in a link challenge are static- 50 links will get you a C, 80 links a B, and 100 or more links an A. The course is a modified version of the chase sequence. You will see almost all of the chase mission gimmicks while chasing Octopaw, but they are in a different order. These missions are all about stability. A calm, controlled flyer will have greater success than someone flailing about in the skies. Grabbing blue chips with a paraloop requires a bit of finesse, but grabbing one or two will help keep the link chain going, as long as you dash to the rings. For the most part, dashing is unnessesary to maintain a link, but there are a few sections in each mission where NiGHTS must dash to the next section of the course. And, of course, if NiGHTS misses a series of rings, your best hope is to dash over what you accidentally skipped so as to try and keep your link chain. The course is a full loop, and the rings and blue chips do reset, if you were wondering. But, the courses are a lot longer than you might think, and they will not repeat until at least 200 links or so. Any link chain of 5 or higher will constitute a failure, so keep this in mind when you're traveling around the course. If you are having difficulty maintaining a chain as you travel through an obstacle, you might consider 'skipping' that section, and starting a link chain once you are past. The section of Delight City before the slot machine levers, the prism in Crystal Castle, and the carousel in Memory Forest are all tricky sections that might be worth skipping. As long as you don't make a link higher than 4, you will not be penalized. There is no time limit, so don't feel rushed. And, of course, if you are searching the course for dreamdrops, you will want to make sure you don't create a chain before grabbing it, as the drop is always located well outside of the course. ============== Will's Journal ============== Upon entering the Dream World, you soon meet Owl, the sage of the land. Per tradition, he gives you all sorts of advice when you don't need it, and is nowhere to be found when you could really use some help. Here, he explains the nature of the world in which you have found yourself. His monologue is cut short, however, when the sound of the flute drowns out his words. Owl then introduces you to NiGHTS. NiGHTS offers to dualize with you, which you should accept if you would like to continue playing the game. It is never really explained just how this process grants NiGHTS additional power, but anything's better than hanging around an empty fountain with a scholarly bird. So begins the tutorial. If you need help figuring out the in-game instructions, I really don't think Video Games are for you. Once your flight tutorial has finished, Owl discovers a portal to Nightopia! Well, -A- Nigtopia, at least. It doesn't seem hard to find, seeing as how a low series of steps suddenly turned into a door. Owl tells you this has appeared because of your Ideya of Courage. Your hands conveniently glow red to confirm this. Owl tells you all about your Ideya while NiGHTS enters the door. It's time to enter the first world. Pure Valley ============ Upon entering, you see NiGHTS surrounded by a bunch of creepy cone-headed angelic babies. These are Nightopians, and you had better get used to them, as they inhabit all of the Nightopian worlds. They soon run crying away, as they do anytime danger comes near. Enter Reala, who looks oddly similar to NiGHTS. Owl tells you to stay back, as Reala is one of the most dangerous Nightmaren. NiGHTS is then promptly captured, and it is up to you to save him. Chase Mission --------------- My A Rank: 100605 This first chase mission is pretty standard. All of the normal chase mission rules apply. The only thing that might suprise you is the ropes- grab onto them toward the bottom, but as most of them are necessary to the course, don't try and avoid them. They provide a faster speed, anyway. The first dreamdrop can be found by walking directly behind you. Walk past Owl to find it along the cliff to your right. The second is found during the first chase. Right before you fly through the trunk of the tree to collect blue chips, fly directly upward. You will find the drop hidden in pine needles near the top of the tree. During the second chase, you will find yourself flying in a circle between the lake and a cliff. As soon as you fly up and away from the lake, fly to the left instead. You will find the third drop here as you fly behind the windmill. For the fourth drop, you will need the dragon persona. Before you enter the cave, hug the ground. By flying through the wind current that would normally knock you into the cave, you will find the fourth drop sitting in a rock basin. Link Challenge --------------- My A Rank: 135 This is one of the simpler Octopaw levels, and the only level where I've been able to survive a full circuit of the course. The dream drop here is underwater, in the center of the lake. It is near the botton of a basin, surrounded by four blue chips. It's pretty hard to miss, but since it is underwater, you will need to have the dolphin persona. Fluffy Catch ------------- My A Rank: 3260 The idea here is that Wizeman's storm is sucking in all of the innocent Nightopians who, instead of running away, have decided to grab onto dandelion fluff for safety. For some reason, that doesn't work out too well for them. Who'd have though? Well, it's up to you to save them by performing your paraloop. I know you remember how to paraloop, as you of course paid diligent attention during the tutorial. You can lose five Nightopians to the storm- any more than that, and you will fail the mission. The key to this level is the map in the corner. The map, so unhelpful during the chase missions, is worth its weight in gold here. It won't tell you their altitude (NiGHTS can fly higher up than it looks like he could), but it will tell you their location in the circle. It will also help if you can get to their location early- the Nightopians leave the ground in packs, and this cluster won't separate too much until about halfway up the level. This level is one of the worst if you are a new player who hasn't quite mastered flight- keep at it, and you'll soon pull it off. The dreamdrop here is located along the ground- it's not hidden very well, so scoop it up before the level picks up its pace. Working on that A rank? Don't worry too much about lost Nightopians. You can lose one or two and still get an A rank. Waste too much time in the storm clouds looking for the one Nightopian who slipped past your defenses wastes time you should be using to rescue the next cluster of victims. And no matter how many you rescue, you won't pull above a B rank unless you fly along the bottom of the level and scoop up all of the blue chips in one, long link. You need those points. River Rescue ------------- My A Rank: 15990 (48 Nightopians) Hear that music? That snazzy brass line either heralds your success or your frustration, depending on your level of completeness. I kid you not, I spent over an hour on my first playthrough because I could not, for the life of me, get that first dreamdrop. Well, that's why I'm here, right? The first part of the level features all sorts of slight hills which hide many of the Nightopians from view until you're almost in front of them- and by then, the current will interfere with your collection unless you're right in front of them. Still, a few repetitions, and you'll have no problem collecting all of the Nightopians in this first section. After the chain of blue chips, swerve immediately to your far left. Even if you don't care about dreamdrops, this path has more Nightopians in the water. If you do care about the dreamdrops, you need this path. The first dreamdrop of the course is located high in the air, above a waterfall. The idea is that you will jump high into the air and grab the drop, as well as a handful of blue chips. Unfortunately, failing this jump means that you must restart the entire first portion of the level. And Owl never instructs you how to jump- only that it is possible. If you do not perform the most maximum jump you can, you will not be able to make it high enough to grab that drop. It's all or nothing. So, here's what you have to do. First, take the left path around that rock. The current is much faster here, and you need all of the speed you can get. Then, cut back to the right as soon as you can, making sure to try and stay inside the current. Don't worry about the four Nightopians in this section- you will probably miss most of them. When you reach the wooden platform jutting out from the cliff, jump as soon as you touch it. Pretend the platform is a diving board that you're bouncing off of. If you jump before the platform, you will drop straight down the waterfall. If you jump even a second after touching the platform, you will have lost all of your momentum. This is one of the most infuriating dreamdrops in the game. Even when you do finally snag the drop, it is doubtful you'll get less than half of the blue chips floating in the air. Get it? Well, either way, there's an entire second half of the stage. After a few more bends, you will come across a lake. This section of the level is very weird. The intended path is obvious, but the current of the water will fight you at odd times. You'll strain to the right only to need a sharp left to keep collecting blue chips and Nightopians. Halfway across the lake, you will see a ramp sticking out of the water, with a few Nightopians leading straight to it. Jumping off of the ramp will take you over the bridge reaching across the lake. Going around the ramp and under the bridge will lead you to the second dreamdrop. Take your path, and sail past a few more Nightmaren. You're now at the final stretch of the level. Owl recommends that you not hold forward for this last stretch of level, lest you miss several of the Nightopians in the water. It's a good thought, but it's one that will likely result in you running out of time. Personally, I find the problem is not seeing them so much as it is fighting the current to reach them. Full speed ahead! You will soon find yourself in the open lake in front of the windmill, the stage clear. I have never had problems collecting 30 Nightopians- the catch is beating the clock. If you time out, don't worry. Half the battle is knowing the layout of the course. Working on that A rank? Work on chaining together links, especially right before the jump and in the lake section. Collecting a Nightopian is equivolent to collecting a blue chip, so a long chain will really help your score. And, most importantly, never slow down. A Nightopian is only worth 100 points. Time on the clock is worth much, much more. Vs. Donbalon ------------- My A Rank: 156 seconds Donbalon is one of the creepier Nightmaren bosses in the game, and easily one of the most annoying. The premise is simple- get Donbalon to the top of the stage, where he will burst. The problem is that one misbounce can ruin a perfectly good run up the tower, especially if he starts bouncing downward with speed. The only difference between encounters is the height of the tower. The first encounter stops at the round, open chamber, while the second encounter uses that chamber as a halfway point. The instructions can be a bit misleading- yes, you can use your drill dash to bump into him and send him flying. But while he's being knocked about, you can also grab hold of his body. In fact, you can do this at almost any time, as long as he's not spinning horizontally, and you don't grab his head. Once NiGHTS has grabbed Donbalon, he will spin in a full 360 degrees, just like he would with any other enemy. Once NiGHTS is pointed in the direction you want him, press the dash button to send him flying in the direction NiGHTS was facing. Be careful; it's very easy to send Donbalon flying into walls and platforms and out of control. And if you caught Donbalon against a wall, NiGHTS may not be able to complete a full spin- you might be forced to make a bad throw just to release your grip. Try and keep your dash meter near full so that you're able to chase after him at a moment's notice. Once he stops moving, he will start a spin attack of sorts, which isn't a big deal Just keep at it, and pretty soon Donbalon will be at the top of the tower, his patchwork creepiness exploded by the menacing teeth at the tower's crown. Lost Park ========== After a brief conversation equating the barren Nightopia to Will's heart, Reala enters to ruin the moment once again. This time, Reala chooses to attack you, the visitor, as well. After being paralooped by Reala's evil magic, you find yourself in a confusing hallway. Just when you're about to give up, who should appear but Helen! It turns out that Reala's paraloop has sent you into one of her dreams. After agreeing to help you, the cutscene shifts, and the two of you say goodbye. Don't worry, you'll experience the joy of that hall of mirrors later. Re-enter your second Nightopia, and save NiGHTS! Chase Mission -------------- My A Rank: 111600 This chase mission has a few special features. Throughout the entirety of the level, you will stumble across TV monitors with various landscapes displayed on them. By hitting them, the entire level will change into either a grassland or a ocean shoreline. If you find a section of the first few chases that seems oddly devoid of rings or blue chips, it means you missed a monitor. The second oddity is the train. Make sure to dash any boulder blocking the train tracks- when the train is in motion, the accompanying fireworks will produce blue chips for you to collect. And after the beanstalk in the third chase- don't be afraid of the clouds. It's an uncontrolled bounce, but it's faster, and the game expects you to use it. And then there's the roller coaster section- it's a pretty simple variant on front-view cave flight. I recommend taking two trips if you're after the dreamdrops. This is the only level where the Awakers become a serious threat- if you decide to go after the first two drops in one playthrough, you will be attacked by Awakers. No question about it. Once again, the first dreamdrop is located right behind you. Keep to the left, and you will soon find it under an outcropping. The second drop is located at the top of a spire. From the start of the level, head left. You will soon come across a wide valley with a pillar of stone jutting out. Climb the spiral staircase, hopping over a few of the tree roots. Once you've grabbed the drop floating by the tree at the top, jump down and head back toward the door. If you're collecting only this drop, you will be cutting it close to reach the NiGHTS capture. If you collected both, say 'hi' to the Awakers on your way back. Remember that it takes three to cause a game over, but it only takes one to seriously reduce your speed- and you still have to make it up that chain. During the first chase, when the path dips down alongside the coaster track, keep on the lookout for a land formation. If you trigged the water, it will be an island. If you didn't, it will just be a floating rock. Either way, you will find on it a tree, a scorpian bubble, a few Nightopians, and the third dreamdrop. The fourth drop can be found during the third chase. Instead of going into the water, I recommend skimming the surface, so that you can see what is coming. The drop is floating in the air, right before your flight takes you up the beanstalk. The dragon persona is not necessary, but it seems to help. Bomb Panic ----------- My A Rank: 22050 The objective here is simple. The Nightmarens are lowering 50 bombs into the water, and you need to get rid of them. Preferably, you accomplish this by cutting the chain in the middle with your dolphin dash, but it does count if you run into it. You have a lot of time to complete the level, but not enough to go around defusing all of them with your head. After swimming under a root for the green rings, stay low to the ground. The dreamdrop is located on the ground, to the right of a rock immediately after one of the green ring sections. Working on that A rank? Don't mindlessly follow the green rings. Dash only in front of a mine, and you'll find that your dash meter never really drops below half if you're smart about it. Visiting the green rings is important, but it's more important to follow the normal rings. If you see a corner formation leading upward, swim out of the water for a link chain. The level will take you out of the water twice- the second time is a bit harder to see, it's directly above a root, but the chain is worth a good 30-40 links. Even if you manage to complete the level without running into any of the bombs, you won't get above a B rank without those points. Link Challenge --------------- My A Rank: 101 Don't even try to last the whole level to grab this dreamdrop. Fly left from the beginning of the course, and look at the mountain formations as you come toward them. The drop is located on the top of the camel's nose. Simple. Coaster Rescue --------------- My A Rank: 16400 (16 Seconds) This mission is both straightforward and highly annoying. The only thing that matters is how fast you can reach that train. Grab all of the green rings you can, boost whenever your meter isn't empty, and don't hit any of the rocks. The first dreamdrop is located in the air right before the jump. Once the cliff walls begin to block your view, raise yourself into the air. After a left turn, you should snag the drop as long as you're straight up in the air. You don't really have enough time to see the drop, but the sound will let you know you've collected it. You will probably also hit the rock overhang, but that's not too terrible of an event. The second drop is located at the end of the cave. As soon as you start climbing steeply uphill, raise yourself as high as you can. You'll grab it right before you leave. Working on that A rank? This is, frankly, one of the most annoying stages out there. It's easy to beat, but almost impossible to A rank. There's not much to say- grab all of the rings you can, dash when you can, and don't hit rocks. Staying low to the ground as much as possible doesn't seem to help. Boosting primarily on uphill sections doesn't seem to help. Hitting scorpian bubbles doesn't seem to help. It's fun, and you can get points for it, but it doesn't seem to help. One second is worth 1000 points. That's all there is to it. Vs. Chamelan ------------- My A Rank: 254 seconds Once you figure Chamelan out, he's actually very easy. The problem is figuring him out. He starts out in the card phase. You can paraloop the background all you want- he's not there. He attacks by bringing cards to life, and sending them after you. Touching them, even dashing into them, will cause you to lose five seconds. They like to swarm you and make you lose ten to fifteen seconds. The only way to defeat them is to paraloop the background, and stay in the section you've looped. If a card touches a part of the stage that doesn't have the smoky background, it will disappear. Eventually, the background will stop showing cards, and start showing question marks. He is now in the hiding phase. In the first encounter, all you have to do is follow the cards in the background. They appear in order, from King all the way down to Ace. Three chains of cards will lead you to one spot- Chamelan is hiding in the center, where the three Aces meet. Loop once to make him appear, and once more to defeat him. But in the second encounter, the hiding phase has changed. If you follow the normal sets of cards, you will discover that a bomb is in the center of the cards. You don't have to unveil the bomb, you just have to get near it. Once it starts ticking, you should either leave or get caught in its blast. I find that it's usually the latter. These cards and bombs line the entirety of the stage. The trick is to find the second set of cards. Somewhere in the stage, there is a second set of cards in the background. These cards are half transparent. Follow the line of transparent cards to the intersection of the half transparent Aces, and loop twice to defeat him. Working on that A rank? You have 50 seconds. That's it. You cannot afford to be hit by cards or bombs. Unlucky search during the hiding phase? Well, tough luck. Looks like you'll be starting over. At least you know his attack patterns. Delight City ============= As you walk into this Nightopia, you see NiGHTS playing his air-flute once again. But this time, he's all alone. Reala has approached, and is lecturing NiGHTS about how much a disappointment he is to Wizeman. NiGHTS is actually a Nightmaren? Gasp! Well, Owl won't let you interfere, so it looks like NiGHTS will have to fight Reala alone. It's a matter of aim, but if you are having problems fighting Reala, look for his boss section later in the guide. After thouroughly thrashing him, Reala still imprisons NiGHTS in another capture system. Before limping away, Reala offers one final warning- Cerberus is coming. Chase Mission -------------- My A Rank: 94086 This chase mission is full of oddities. The first thing you will come across is the giant slot machine in the second chase. Just make sure to dash the handles as you climb, as it will spit out blue chips based on what pictures came up. I mention this mostly because it will become your friend in the link chase. The main thing to look out for is the entrance to the city. When you enter, the camera will switch viewpoints. Unlike the caves in the earlier chase scenes, where the camera shifts to your feet, this time the camera shifts to a top view. It's a bit nausiating at first. I find it helps to think of the style as that of an early Zelda game. Notice that the city has two levels, an upper layer and a lower layer. Depending on the color of the switch, there are neon signs that will block passage if they are active, and teleporters that will take you either up or down; whichever layer you are not currently on. You won't encounter too many of these things in the chase mission, but they are key parts of the later levels. There is one more oddity that bears mention- the pool table. Normally, you strike the balls, they scatter, and then you fly up against the ramp that pinballs you away. However, it is possible to mess this section up. If you interfere with the process, the ramp won't appear. So, if you find yourself trapped in the pool table, put the sparkling nine ball in the pocket. This doesn't happen often, but it can be horribly confusing when it does. For the first dreamdrop, walk to the left. Head over the sand pit and past Owl, and you should see this drop near a chest containing a time chip. (Where was this in Lost Park?) For the second drop, turn around and look for a tree on top of a hill. It is past the jungle gym, near the city. When you approach the poles during the second chase, do not follow the rings through the gap. Instead, swing around on the pole. The third drop is between two of these poles, surrounded by blue chips. The final drop is located in the city. After entering the lower layer, follow the course like normal. However, when the map shows that you are at the bottom of the city, keep going straight instead of turning right. You will find the fourth drop inside the southern-most dead end section of the city, right before the exit. It may take a bit of trial and error to find, as the drop is literally moments away from the part of the city which launches you to the next section. Neon City Battle ----------------- My A Rank: 42250 This level is fairly odd. If you haven't quite figured out how the color switch system works from the chase mission, you'll learn here. Nightmaren slowly appear on the map, and you'll need to eliminate all of them as you sweep across the city from right to left. When you find yourself in the top level of an open plaza, defeat the Nightmaren to make a switch appear.
Beyond that, it's mostly an exercise in guess and check as you try and find
the best path as you stop the invasion.  The dreamdrop here is located near
the section with the disco ball, on the upper layer.  Head to the top left
section of the disco ball plaza to find the drop hidden away in a dead-end.

Working on that A rank?  The key here is time.  You don't have to go
dashing through the level hitting every enemy on your way past; but you
shouldn't be getting too many time penalties, either.  As long as you're
cautious, and you attack as soon as the Nightmaren comes into view, they
won't have enough time to attack you.  The Nightmaren will reappear in the
same spot each time, so don't sweat it if it takes you several tries before
you're able to snag an A rank.  Make sure to plan your path to take one
route, hitting as few switches and shifting between layers as few times
as possible.  Especially the last switch revealed after defeating two
Nightmaren on the second layer- don't hit the pink switch until it is
absolutely necessary, so that you can pass through the pink teleporters
with no trouble.

Link Challenge 
---------------
My A Rank: 101

You'll need the dragon persona for this dreamdrop.  Right after you exit
the slot machine, you can see a jungle gym building in the background.
The drop is sitting right in the middle of the roof, but you won't be able
to make it through the air current without the dragon persona.  If you're
going for only the drop, make sure to avoid the slot levers, as they will
likely give you just enough of a link chain to create a failed attempt.
Remember that any chain above five links counts as a failed attempt.

Working on that A rank?  In my opinion, this is both the hardest and
easiest of all the link challenges.  How does that make sense?  Well, as
far as the actual course goes, this one is very hard.  The timing between
rings and blue chips is difficult, even with constant dashing.  But you
have one advantage here- the slot machine.  Hit every single lever you
can.  You might have to break a chain to hit some of the levers if
you're unfamiliar with the course, but I assure you it is worth it.
You can get anywhere from ten to forty bonus links per lever, but the blue
chips have a small delay between pouring out and reaching you.

Broadway Guide 
---------------
My A Rank: 15420

This level is both really fun, and really tedious.  Helen has found
herself in your Nightopia this time, but she's hurt her ankle.  She can
still walk, but it's up to you to come up with a path out.  For the most
part, the path is linear.  Hit the swtiches to light up sections of neon
light so you can walk across the gaps, and make sure Helen is following
behind you so that the two of you can activate the moving platforms.
Several times you will have to drop down in certain areas, leaving Helen
behind so that you can trigger the right color of switch.  Helen will
follow you again once you're near her, either behind you or below you,
but she will occasionally get caught on corners.  Go back for her-
you need her for the platforms.  About two thirds of the way through
the level, one of the chests is covered by a bee swarm.  Behind it is
the first dreamdrop.  At the very end of the level, be on the lookout for
the blue switch in the middle of the moving platform's path.  If you
miss it, you'll have to find the one at the end of the level, hidden in
the corner by the level's exit.  If the exit is to your right, the switch
is in front of you- this is the only switch I had problems finding.
You'll need to trigger one of these switches, or Helen will be stuck on
the platform.  Opposite that switch is a platform with the second
dreamdrop, located to the right of the blue neon.  You can probably find
it easily enough...but how do you reach it?  There doesn't seem to be a
pink switch anywhere nearby.  Actually, it is -inside- the unlit neon
sign.  Aim for the middle, and you'll eventually trigger it.  Walk over
and claim your prize.

Working on that A rank?  Once again, time is the most important factor.
Take the most direct route to the exit.  Don't worry about going out of
the way to knock out Nightmaren for points, and don't worry about detouring
for a few blue chips.  Move as fast as you can, and defeat only the
Nightmaren that are in your way.

Vs. Cerberus 
-------------
My A Rank: 244 seconds

Here they are, the hounds of nightmare.  Even Reala fears the awesome power
of Cerberus.  And, boy, aren't they...umm...spherical?  What happened to
the three-headed dog?  They're two balls chained together!  Cerberus is
quite possibly the easiest of all the Nightmaren.  The two hounds will
follow you relentlessly, so take whatever opportunity you can to grab that
yellow ball.  Dash between them, grab it, and then dash again to fling it
away.  Hopefully, the two hounds will crash into each other, knocking them
out.  Bash them together three times, and you've won.  If this is your
first encounter, just dash and grab.  If this is your second encounter,
the yellow ball will turn into a third hound whenever it sees you
approaching.  The only way to get close enough to grab the ball without
triggering this third dog is to use the Rocket Persona.  Just aim the
rocket at the ball, and dash away.  You'll soon have Cerberus seeing stars.

The Stairs on the Hill
=======================

So what happens now?  The stairs appeared at the base of the hill, which
Owl says haven't appeared in thousands of years.  Well, that's the end of
the game.  And you're certainly welcome to go there now- skip to the
section on Bellbridge near the end of the guide.  The staircase appears
to both Will and Helen after their third Nightopia, and it is nearly
identical.  So, you can beat the game for Will now, or you can set his
campaign aside and move onto Helen's dreams so that you can complete both
of their versions of Bellbridge at the same time.  It's all up to you.

=============
Helen's Diary
=============

Upon entering the Dream World, you soon meet Owl, the sage of the land.
As you are probably noticing if you have already played as Will...
the exact dialogue may be different, but the content is the same.  Sadly,
there is no skipping this.  You're stuck in the slow, tutorial-esque
beginning sequence whether you like it or not.  Owl blabbers on about
the nature of the world in which you have found yourself.  He manages to
ramble for some time before NiGHTS interupts him, asking for you to
dualize with him.  Owl admits it is easier to explain by just doing it,
but that won't stop him from trying.  Accept his offer, and try to
contain your joy as you get to complete the game's tuturial.  Again.
When you land, Owl is happy to discover that door to Nightopia has opened,
thanks to the Ideya of Courage.  But before you can enter, another figure
appears.  It's Reala, and he's come to take NiGHTS away.  Owl holds you
back, not that you're chomping at the bit to fight him.  It looks like
you'll have to enter that door to save NiGHTS!

Aqua Garden
============

Once inside, Owl introduces you to the Nightopians, creepy little things
that they are.  They inform you that NiGHTS is being held in a cage- a
good guess, seeing as how he's fully visible from where you're standing.
Thanks to your Red Ideya, you can climb through the cage, dualize with
NiGHTS, and grab those keys!

Chase Mission 
-------------- 
My A Rank: 109098

This chase sequence is pretty standard.  If you find yourself being flung
bodily across the screen, that just means you've stumbled into one of the
stage's many water jets.

For the first dreamdrop, walk straight forward, with the cliffs on your
right.  The drop is floating alongside the wall, though it is a bit further
out than you might think.  Keep following the beach until you find it.
From there, turn to your left, and walk out to sea for the second drop.
It is located in the half of the shallow water that does not have any rocky
outcroppings- look for the floating school of orange fish.  The dolphin
persona is required for the third drop, located in the first chase.
It is located inside the watery ceiling, to the left of the cage.
The fourth drop requires the dragon persona.  Just like in Will's first
chase, this drop is located before the wind blows you into the cave.
This time, the drop is located on the ceiling.

Aqua Challenge 
--------------- 
My A Rank: 5100 (35 Bubbles)

This level is pretty straightforward, and very easy.  Knock the water
droplets into the center ball so that your sphere can be bigger than Owl's.
I find it is easier to bump multiple small droplets than forming one,
large, unwieldly one.  Especially since the Nightmaren will only block
the larger droplets.  You can kill them for points if you want, and which
I recommend if you fly past them, but keep in mind that they do respawn.
The dreamdrop here is located at the edge of the stage, past the green
ring pillars.  It is also located inside of a school of fish, but this one
is a bit harder to find unless you get it from the very beginning.
Head straight backward from the start, and you'll grab it.  

Working on that A rank?  It's very easy to get an A rank on your first
try- grab bubbles and destroy fish.  If only they were all this simple.

Link Challenge 
---------------
My A Rank: 124

This dreamdrop is a bit obnoxious, as it is located near the middle of
the small course.  Still, I find that it is easier to fly left, going
backwards, than it is to find it during the normal course.  The drop is
safely nestled in a green crater, past the water jets.

Marine Escape 
--------------
My A Rank: 27360

Oh, the pleasures of controlling Helen.  Well, I suppose that it's no
one's fault Helen was knocked into the ocean...but wouldn't it be more
reasonable for NiGHTS to try and find her, not the other way?  Oh well.
As you start walking, Owl will give you helpful advice about the Awakers,
and instruct you on how to defeat Nightmaren with your blue chips.  Once
the level widens into a cavern, start looking for the first dreamdrop.
After the water jet elevator, you need to ride one of the ships up to a
cliff, where another ship is waiting to take you even higher.  Instead,
defeat the Nightmaren bothering you, and start looking over the edge.
There is a platform with blue chips and boxes that you need to fall on,
though it might take you a few tries.  The drop is located inside the
crates, but to break them open you'll need to lob blue chips from the
edge of the platform, or your chips will go sailing over the boxes.
Continue upward, and you'll soon see NiGHTS smiling at you, waiting on
a boat half stuck in a cliff.  Has he been watching you this entire time?
He's not done taunting you, either.  If you get anywhere near him, the
level will end.  But we haven't gotten that second drop yet, have we?
Carefully jump onto the edge of the ship NiGHTS is standing on, carefully
jump onto the bow of the ship, and carefully walk up the pole toward the
drop, floating in the air at the highest point of the stage.  If you fall,
you will either plummet to the bottom, or trigger the end of the stage.

Working on that A rank?  Once again, time is the most important factor.
Do not worry about collecting blue chips or killing the Nightmaren.
Just get to the top of the stage as fast as possible, and you should net
an A rank pretty easily.

Vs. Girania 
------------ 
My A Rank: 232 seconds

Frankly, I find Girania to be the most frightening of all the boss
Nightmaren.  Girania bursts from the floor of his lair, the green flames
reflected in his helmet, to snatch NiGHTS with his long teeth and strong
jaw, pulling him under.  Flying anywhere near his powerful maw means
certain ensnarement...but if you can grasp the top of his head, and
perform a simple dash attack, Girania will...explode into a series of
multicolored balloons?  Well, that's about normal from a game like this.
Paraloop the balloons to destroy them before Girania reforms.  The more
balloons you destroy, the smaller he will become.  It's pretty
straightforward.  In your first fight, he will form a sphere.  In the
second, the sphere is wider and hollow.  A one-time paraloop length
power-up waits for you in the center, but I find that it is much easier
to simply work your way around the edge of the shape.  Be careful about
how many balloons you destroy- you'll need to be able to grab his helmet
to reach his balloons, and it is much harder to grab a smaller fish.
Don't be afraid to stop paralooping early so that the reformed Girania
is easier to catch- you can defeat him either by dashing a small fish or
destroying enough of the balloons.  I have yet to paraloop all of the
balloons in one trip, but I have created a Girania so small I wasted
most of my time trying to grab a fish smaller than a balloon.

Crystal Castle
===============

NiGHTS, what is that mask you are wearing?  It makes you look like Reala...
Well, if you say it's nothing, I believe you.  After discussing how
fragile this glass world seems, NiGHTS informs you that this is because
each world is a reflection of the Visitor's heart.  As you ponder this
new information, NiGHTS gets captured again.  Well, it looks like it's
up to you to save him.  

Chase Mission 
--------------
My A Rank: 113544

This mission has some of the cooler chase gimmicks, but I find this level
to be my least favorite.  Everything about this level is optical.  The first
gimmick you will find is the purple crystals.  They will suddenly grow to a
great height when you pass by, blocking your path.  NiGHTS will immediately
grab hold of them if he touches them, and you will have to dash to break
them.  The next trick lies in the palace, where the rings, blue chips,
and glass blocks are not actually visible.  You will have to look at your
reflection in the mirrored wall to discern their locations.  The third is
the prism.  NiGHTS will split into five, smaller clones which will help
collect more links- as long as they don't collide into anything.  I have
trouble getting the clones to last for very long.  Last is the magnifying
lens.  The camera will switch to a view following NiGHTS very closely to
interfere with your ability to see ahead, but at the same time you can
break the glass blocks and purple crystals without slowing down.

This level is unique in that you will need to collect other items for the
fourth dreamdrop.  There are five mirrored gems that you will need to touch
in order to activate their beams of light.  For the first drop, head right
toward the waterfall.  The drop is located inside the water, against the
cliff, though it can be hard to see because of the water's spray.  The
second drop is located during the first chase.  Be on the lookout for a
section of the lake that you can enter.  After the end of the link chain,
don't leave the water.  Instead, follow the ground until you see the drop
at the base of an elevation change.  Hopefully, you will make two circuits
in the first chase, as this causes you to miss the first gem.  After flying
over the lake the first time, the gem is located very close to the ground.
The second and third gems are located in the air of the second chase-
activate them, and a glass sphere will burst open.  The fourth gem is
located very high in the air, before the land bridge and the palace.
Yes, aboue the Murtle Nightmaren.  Higher.  Even higher.  Yes, it's
located before the glass palace, still the second chase.  It's the
hardest to find, so don't leave without it.  The third drop is located in
the glass palace, before the U-turn staircase but after turning the corner.
When you enter the third room from near the floor, fly upward toward the
ceiling and then fly backward.  The glass blocks have created a small cage
for the third block, making a backtrack the only way to reach it.  The
final drop is located in the giant glass sphere at the end of the third
chase, and the final gem is located in the air before it.  If you have
activated all of the gems, the beam of light will break open the cage,
allowing you to grab the drop along with a great deal of blue chips.

Link Challenge 
---------------
My A Rank: 104

Once again, it is much easier to fly backward to grab the dreamdrop.
Especially in this course, with the tricky optical items composing the
start of the course.  The drop is located very low to the ground, past the
fence, above a river.

Labyrinth Guide 
----------------
My A Rank: 24370

This is quite possibly the most annoying level in the game.  If you've
played through Will's campaign, you will recognize this area.  Will has
found himself inside your Nightopia, and he can't find the exit...for some
odd reason.  It's up to you to lead him to safety.  Leave the first room,
and then turn around.  Right there in the corner, floating in midair, is
the first dreamdrop.  Sneaky.  Well, anyway, the idea here is that some of
the mirrors and walls that you see are not actually solid.  There are some
pretty big maze areas, but thanks to a skilled placement of blue chips,
you should never actually get lost.  Be wary of the Murtle Nightmaren that
disguise themselves as chests or blue chips- it's very easy to walk
straight into them.  Whenever you see pairs of Seapo Nightmaren, you will
need to defeat both of them to continue- otherwise, the stage will loop
endlessly.  Be on the lookout for the second drop on the third floor of
the palace.  You start walking forward immediately after stepping off
the staircase, hugging the right wall.  Walk past the lone Seapo
Nightmaren, and head into the room on the right.  This room is filled
with almost invisible glass blocks you will need to climb in order to
jump toward the drop floating in the air.  The bees will either leave
you alone, or cause you no end of trouble, and it's very easy to lose too
much time in this room- you still need to make it to the end of the stage
before the Awakers claim you.

Working on that A rank?  Well, once again, speed is the most important
factor.  But, for some reason, speed alone doesn't seem to be enough.
In the open room with the two Seapo, there is an ring of blue chips as
well as a chest full of them.  I've found that collecting all of them
in one long chain adds enough points to give you the edge you need for
an A rank.

Jewel Fever 
------------ 
My A Rank: 30200 (140 Jewels)

This is one of the most straightforward levels in the game.  Collect the
jewels before they crash into the ground.  The amount you have to collect
is surprisingly small, given the large amount of time you have.  Even the
dreamdrop is easy to find.  Simply look along the ground for the drop-
it has not been hidden.

Working on that A rank?  Good grief, what happened to the level's
difficulty?  The level is very simple to clear, but nearly impossible
to ace.  At least, that's how I have found it.  Obviously, the diamonds
are much more important than the gems, as grabbing the diamond will cause
a long chain of gems to appear.  Listen for the distict sound, as the
diamonds fall very quickly, and appear randomly.  Expect a diamond every
twenty seconds or so.  You can get away with missing one diamond, but
that's about it.  The next thing to realize is that there is no map of the
level.  Keep moving left and right so that you can keep a solid view of
the volcano.  You won't collect many gems if you don't know where to expect
them to appear.  Lastly, use the paraloop to good advantage.  There is no
difference between touching the gem yourself or having the paraloop touch
the gems.  Let the gems fall into the paraloop while you head to the next
set of gems.

Vs. Bomamba 
------------
My A Rank: 122 seconds

Bomamba is the most annoying Nightmaren in the game, hands down.  It's very
easy to see what you need to do to defeat her, and her attacks don't
really hinder your ability to do it.  The trick is just being able to 
do it.  The way to defeat this crazy cat lady is by destroying all of her
cat...head...ball things.  We'll call them cats.  She shakes them all
onto a magic glyph with holes in it.  Grab the handles, and move it
around so that the cats roll into the holes.  Easier said than done.
It's very easy to burn a lot of time trying to pull this off.  I
recommend moving them all into a corner before switching handles- you'd
be surprised how many of them can accidentally roll into holes.  Use
gradual tilts instead of yanking the board forward- they will roll out
of the hole instead of falling in it if they have too much momentum.
Besides, a gradual tilt allows you to adjust for the gradual rocking of
the stage.  Try focusing on one cat at at time if you're still having
problems- don't just slam the board down and expect them to fall.
It's faster to get one cat at a time than it is to wave the board
haphazardly and hope a cat falls.

Working on that A rank?  There's not much else to say, unfortunately.
Just keep at it, and your skills will improve...but, ultimately, it comes
down to luck.  There are two boards in this fight, so if you waste too
much time on the first board, it's probably best to just restart.

Memory Forest
==============

Not long after entering the forest, Reala enters to harass NiGHTS one
last time.  He wants NiGHTS to resume serving Master Wizeman.  NiGHTS is
a Nightmaren?  Well, that explains the mask.  NiGHTS is captured, and you
are caught in one of Reala's paraloops.  You'll have to save NiGHTS, but
first you'll have to save yourself.  You awake to find yourself in
Will's dream, and Will is more than happy to take you to the exit.
The two of you have an endearing conversation about friendship and trust
before you leave.  Nightmaren or not, NiGHTS needs your help!

Chase Mission 
--------------
My A Rank: 102222

The layered carousel is odd, but there's really only one gimmick for this
chase- the switches that cause temporary night.  There are certain,
ornate blocks which will become transparent during the night.
Additionally, the blue flowers can be brushed aside for blue chips at
night, but they're immobile during the day.  The switches can be hard to
hit, but it is rather easy to fly over the obstacles that are
impassable during the day.  The only time I recommend backtracking for
a switch is if you are very low on dash power.  There is a musical staff
in the first chase, and you'll need to hit all of the notes in the song
to continue the level...but that is self explanatory, and there's no
pressure for hitting the notes quickly- take your time and hit them all.
The pressure'll come in a later level.  The enemies in the chase are
also worth mentioning- if you hit a portal created by a Nightmaren, the
colors will invert, affecting your controls and preventing you from
traveling too far forward until it wears off.  Hit a second portal
instead- it reverses the effect instantly.

For the first dreamdrop, you will need to hit the switch to cause night.
Turn a sharp left, and run over the cliff.  Walk into the cave, and find
the block in the middle of the dash balls that are arranged in a vertical
zigzag pattern.  It can be a bit awkward to find, so you might want to find
the block before hitting the switch- you may be racing the switch's clock,
but you'll have plenty of time before the Awakers chase you down.  The
second drop is found during the first chase, in the crater of the current
that forces you up into the musical canopy.  Once you've played the song,
the current is stopped, and you can snag the drop.  The third drop is
inside the carousel, sitting on the floor of the third layer.  The fourth
drop is more difficult.  Before the dash ball tunnel you entered with
Helen, in the middle of portals and Nightmaren, there is a time-sensitive
block.  The drop is located inside, so you'll need to trigger night by
switch.  The problem is that the nearest switch is still very far away.
You'll need to use the rocket persona to reach the block in time, so make
sure you line up clear paths to reach it.

Forest Adventure 
-----------------
My A Rank: 24110

This level is proof that NiGHTS hates Helen.  NiGHTS turns into all sorts
of vehicles for Will, but he won't even let her hear the sound of his
flute.  He just abandons her.  One minute, Helen is telling NiGHTS about
her childhood, and the next, he is simply gone.  And, lucky you, you get
to go chasing after him.  Using the switches from the chase, you will
switch between night and day not only to pass through solid blocks, but
to raise and lower platforms.  The first dreamdrop is easy to see.  You
can see two chests up on a ledge well before you reach it.  Instead of
following the level left, hit the switch, and ride the platform to the
drop behind those chests.  The second drop is located a bit past midpoint,
after falling down the hole.  When you need to weave past the minefield of
thorn rings to hit the sphere switch which allows you to continue, look
around for the setup to this drop.  There is a platform whose only purpose
is to raise you into the air so that you can grab this drop.  One quick
note about that switch- it creates the only maze-like portion to this
level.  The switch clears a wall of thorns, so that you can hop up onto
some blocks and continue onward.  Or, you can take the dash ball that
appears in the middle of a day block.  They both lead to the final
platforms-over-water section, but I don't recommend the dash ball path,
as it is much longer, despite being safer.

Working on that A rank?  If you guessed time is the most important factor,
well, you'd be right.  Don't worry about the blue chips found as you're
falling down the hole- they're hard to grab.  What you will want to focus
on is the platforms over the water.  The third set of platforms is the
most important, so of course they're the most difficult.  After jumping
across all of the night platforms, the switch will run out, and you'll
need to fall onto the day platforms.  Still, when you reach the end,
you'll be able to snag a chest full of blue chips, not to mention the
chips lining the dash balls which will take you past the entire last
section of the level.  The points you'll get from this massive chain
should push your score well into the A range.

Link Challenge 
---------------
My A Rank: 104

This is one of the harder link courses, simply because it is difficult
to keep a link going as you move between layers of the carousel.  Even
when you make it outside, missing a switch- or not hitting fast enough-
means your link chain will be broken.  But at least the dreamdrop is
easy to find.  Head left from the course's start to find this drop
nestled in a crater on the ground.

Sky Concert 
------------
My A Rank: 101980

Well, the good news is that the dreamdrop is really, really easy to find.
Fly straight up and then head left- the drop is floating in the air,
slightly hidden by leaves.  The bad news is that Sky Concert is widely
regarded as the hardest stage of the game, and it's pretty easy to see why.
It doesn't matter if you're a musician or not- this course is hard.  Being
a musician just means you can better tell that you're failing.  You have
to play the entire song, which means you will have to last until the timer
reachs zero.  If you miss any more than five notes, you will lose.  The
note will be counted as missed once it reaches a certain distance from
the tempo bar.  This means that if you get too far behind, all of the
notes you haven't reached yet will be counted as missed.  Don't bother to
backtrack for a note- when it's gone, it's gone.  Trying to stall, fly
backwards, hit it, and then hit all of the others in between you and the
tempo bar is nigh impossible.  If you miss a note- well, you missed a note.
If you missed an eighth note run...well, you might have to start over.
It's better to be a bit behind the tempo bar than a bit in front. The
curve of the course is misleading- it's easy to think you're inside the
bar when you're actually ahead of it, whereas you can think you're behind
the bar but actually still be in it. You also have a bit of give time
between notes- as long as you hit the note in the tempo bar, it doesn't
matter if you fly outside the bar.  With the song changes range, aim,
then dash to play.  But the biggest key to realize is that it's a lot
easier to hit the notes than you think. You can skim the top of the note
and still hit it- you don't have to dive directly for its center. This is
especially key during runs- fly in a line, not a curve.  Above all- just
keep at it.  It's much easier to hit the notes when you remember where to
expect them to appear.

Working on that A rank?  I wish you the best of luck.  It is important to
note that you do not have to have a perfect performance.  I repeat that-
you do not need to be perfect.  In fact, on my A rank run, I missed not
one, but two notes.  The important thing for this level is that you create
long combo chains.  Normal link chains cap at 100 points per hit- in this
level, a musical note can give you 500 points.  The points add up quickly,
so it's vital that your chains last as long as possible.  When the musical
notes reach their maximum point value, The Nightopians will fly upward on
balloons, and accompany the tempo bar as they sing a bizarre harmony to the
song.  They will stop immediately if you break the combo by missing notes
or hitting notes outside of the tempo bar.  It's an odd, chirpy sound...
but it's the sound of victory.

Vs. Queen Bella 
----------------
My A Rank: 243 seconds

Why are the final bosses the simplest?  Like Will's fight against Cerberus,
Queen Bella is just as difficult as she is frightening.  My, that's an...
odd regal outfit you have, Bella.  It suits the jazzy music so well.
Well, the idea here is that you need to knock Bella off of the metal
platforms and into the lava.  Of course, Bella isn't going to go down
without a fight.  She attacks by... dropping balls of silk into the lava.
As soon as you grab them, they will inflate in size, forming a projectile
that can break the metal platforms.  Try to aim them sideways as much as
possible, so that they bounce repeatedly between layers.  You'll get many
more platforms that way.  Also try to aim in front of Bella's path- she
moves around the stage with surprising agility, and she will jump to the
next safe section of upper platform if you let her.  The silk does create
a large geyser of lava when it touches the ground, so keep that in mind.
The differences in the second fight are minor.  The platforms have a
different arrangement, and a few of the platforms are much stronger.
These stronger platforms need to be broken with a brass ball, which acts
exactly like silk, except that it is brown instead of purple.

The Stairs on the Hill
=======================

So what happens now?  The stairs appeared at the base of the hill, which
Owl says haven't appeared in thousands of years.  Well, that's the end of
the game.  And you're certainly welcome to go there now- after all, if
you've followed the guide exactly, that's all you have left.  By all
means, feel free to go back to previous levels and grab dreamdrops and
A-C ranks that you have missed.  But, every time you enter the Dream Gate,
you're going to have to see that exact same camera pan showing you the
stairs...  Personally, I'd get it over with.

===========
Bellbridge 
===========

!---Note---!

There are actually two versions of Bellbridge.  Well, four, since Helen
and Will have slightly different versions of the level as well.  The true
ending of the game, in which you gain your last Ideya, is only unlocked
by obtaining a rank of C or better in all 32 of the game's missions.
When you have done so, the game will show you a picture and some text
informing you that a change has occured on the hill.  But, notice that I
said 32 missions.  Not 30, the sum of the six doors.  You have to complete
Bellbridge once before the true Bellbridge is unlocked.  The final version
of Bellbridge is located further down, in the section labeled
"The Last Ideya".

!---Noted---!

Depending on which character you are using, you will see the same scene
from a different perspective.  NiGHTS and Helen climb to the top of the
stairs, only to find Wizeman waiting for them.  Helen shrieks, alerting
Will of danger.  Wizeman grabs NiGHTS and Helen in two of his hands, and
then uses his power to sever the platform from the Dream Gate.  Will is
knocked to his feet from the tremor.  Helen starts the level automatically,
while Will needs to jump into the darkness.

Bellbridge Chase
-----------------
My A rank: None (C rank is fine- grab your A rank the second time around.)

Each character comes to terms with the issue that caused their nightmares,
with an ephiphany they credit to their parents.  NiGHTS isn't here to help
you- you're on your own.  You can't paraloop, but you can still fly, and
you still need to catch the three birds for their keys.  You're unlocking
doors instead of cages, but the idea is the same.  As you float along the
surreal cityscape, you will notice glowing orbs floating in the air.  Make
sure to grab these- they will flutter ahead of your path, creating rings,
lengthening lightpoles, and eliminating buildings from your path.  If your
dash meter is low, you might even want to swing back around if you miss one.

At the end of the second chase, you will hear Wizeman's evil laugh as all
of the lights are extinguished.  Helen shrieks as her Red Ideya floats away
(good thing she grabbed those other three, huh?) and plummets toward the
ground.  Shouting something that sounds like "Helenahmaway!", Will swoops
in to rescue her.  For the third chase, the character you are not using
will be trailing behind you, following your exact path.  At the beginning
of the third chase, there are three chambers.  If you do not reach the
closing double doors in time, you will have to break them open.  Upon
contact, you will brace yourself against them as if you had grabbed an
enemy.  When your ally joins you, start your dash attack to break the seal
open.  The end of the chase will take you up the top of the clocktower,
but keep the door technique in mind for the upcoming battle.  The children
free NiGHTS from his chains, and prepare from the sweeping tide of shadow
that is Wizeman.

The layout of the course is the almost exactly the same for both characters,
but the exact ring placement differs.  Because of this, each character has 
a different course, and three different dreamdrops.

Will:
The first dreamdrop is located in the second chase, after flying through
the bridge.  There are four corner rings forming a circle, with an orb in
the center.  Fly straight down to find the drop hovering above the roof of
a building.  After swinging up the pole in the green building, fly low to
the ground to grab the second drop, which is hovering on the roof of a
nearby domed building.  The final drop is located on the floor of the third
room in the third chase.

Helen:
At the start of the second chase, as you fly downward, stay at the top of
the screen to grab the first dreamdrop.  The second drop is located at the
bottom of the hollow green building.  Make a short detour downward into the
center of the building instead of flying straight through it.  The final
drop is located near the end of the second chase, after flying out of the
perspective change through the building.  Duck under a pole to grab this
drop, which is floating on the roof of a domed building.

Vs. Wizeman
------------

After an odd scene statement about free will, NiGHTS dualizes with both of
the children to take on Wizeman.  This fight is odd, to say the least.
To defeat Wizeman, you will have to break his three seals.  You start in a
void, which contains nothing but empty space and green dash rings.  Make
sure you fill your dash meter, because you will need to use your personas
to break each of the seal.  They appear in a random order, and the fight is
over once you have broken all three.  Once you reach the end of the seal,
you and your ally need to perform a dash attack on Wizeman, exactly like
you did on the double doors during the chase.  Wizeman will recoil 
backward, and one of the three circles rotating behind his back will
disappear.  After breaking each seal, or after a set period of time if you
fail, you will return to the void to refill your dash meter.

Dolphin Seal-  It is random, but the game seems to favor putting this seal
first.  You will be put into your dolphin persona, and you need to swim
past through the gaps in the columns of water to reach Wizeman.  Simple.

Dragon Seal-  You won't actually need the dragon persona until the end of
the course, but if you run out of dash, you'll be stuck.  At the end of
the course, which flings flaming meteors at you, there is a swirling red
wind barrer.  If you are not in dragon form, you won't be able to pass
through it to reach Wizeman.

Rocket Seal-  This is easily the hardest, longest, and most annoying of
the seals.  Not that this says much.  Glowing rocks and illusory Wizeman
clones block your path, and you'll need to dash along the course to reach
the end.  Flying along the top or bottom of the course is easiest, but
don't use all your dash- you still need to break the seal.  A word of
caution- it is very easy to become trapped in this seal.  As soon as you
come into contact with Wizeman, you become stuck in place.  If you come
in too close to a rock or clone, it will trap your ally.  It will never
join you so you can break the seal, meaning you are immobilized until
you return to the void.  The loss of time will likely cause you to
restart the entire mission, cinema and all.

===============
The Last Ideya
===============
My A Rank: 104680

The Ideya of Hope is lying in plain sight on the top of the hill.
Before you can grab it, Wizeman appears, grabbing NiGHTS and taking your
Ideya.  It seems Wizeman plans on recycling NiGHTS's body when he creates
a new, more obedient servent.  You'd think it'd be better to create
someone more like Reala.  Y'know, someone who actually looks threatening?
Well, he's the boss.  Wizeman severs the top of the hill from the
Dream Gate, leaving you to float in the dark space.  Well, NiGHTS told you
never to enter that water during the tutorial, so I guess it's game over.
Hah!  Drop into the abyss to complete the Bellbridge Chase all over again-
it's the exact same course.  After freeing NiGHTS, Reala drops in for a
few taunting words.  NiGHTS holds the children back- it's time for a
one-on-one battle.

Vs. Reala
----------

Reala summons an entire battle arena, with a giant star in the center that
respawns the purple orbs.  I'm pretty sure just being able to do that
means Reala is far more powerful; but then, NiGHTS can get hit almost an
infinite amount of times- he just takes a time penalty.  The star shows
Reala's heatlh, three points in Delight City and five in Bellbridge.  Each
time you strike, one of the circles will hollow out.  Once you grab an orb,
it turns orange.  You'll shoot the orb straight forward, so line up your
shot and hope for the best.  As you've probably noticed, Reala is a really
small target.  However, an orb that hits another orb causes both of them to
explode.  If you're still having problems hitting Reala as he flies, try
hitting him before he throws an orb.

Vs. Wizeman
------------

After a discussion on free will that makes a lot more sense the second time
around, everyone dualizes in preparation of the fight.  But when Wizeman
points out that defeating him will also harm NiGHTS, the children no longer
wish to fight.  After a small pep talk with your character, and a
confirmation from your ally, it's time to reclaim your Ideya.

The seals are more difficult this time.  The safe gap in the dolphin seal
is disguised by the presence of a false gap, there are more rocks in the
dragon seal, and the rocket seal is longer.  But despite all this,
Wizeman is much easier the second time around.  Instead of the 180 seconds
of the first trip, you have 300 seconds to defeat Wizeman the second time.
The multiplier you'll earn at the end of the fight practically guarentees
you an A rank.  Sit back and watch the extended endings.

============
------------
Unlockables
------------
============

2P Mode
--------

Pure Valley and Aqua Garden are playable courses by default.  To unlock the
other four Nightopias, simply clear their respective chase missions.

Visual Memory
--------------

Taking the form of either a Violin Case or a Soccer Trophy, the beginning
and end game cinema for each character is unlocked after you obtain their
Ideya of Hope.

Sketchbook
-----------

When Helen first clears Bellbridge, the Sketchbook appears in her room.
A handful of the sketches are missing, but they will appear once you clear
Bellbridge a second time.

Sound Library
--------------

After clearing Bellbridge with Will, the Sound Library will appear.
A song will only be listed once you have reached that point in the game.
Most of the tracks will be unlocked with a full playthrough, but a few
are harder to find.

Song 7: Dream Gate - Snow ver.
Song 44: Race
Song 47: Concept Art
Song 48: Concept Art with Vocals
Song 52: My Dream - D

When you achieve an A rank on all 32 missions, the Dream Gate will be
covered in snow, unlocking song 7.  For song 44, start a round of 2P Race
mode.  For songs 47 and 48, just open the sketchbook.  With these three 
songs, make sure you start playing story mode to save your file, or they
will not remain unlocked.  Song 52 is discussed in the section on
"My Dream", located earlier in the guide.

Soundtrack: NiGHTS into Dreams...
----------------------------------

The soundtrack to the original game is unlocked by achieving an A rank
on all 32 missions, and it is accessable from the Sound Library menu.

====================
--------------------
Credits and Contact
--------------------
====================

First, I would like to thank GameFAQs for hosting this guide, and Sega
for making the game in the first place.  You've probably read other guides
for other games before- you know the drill.  I am no different.  I would
also like to thank acortest, RyokoSparda, and the GameFAQs board community
for their help in getting me through my first playthrough of the game.
A quick shoutout to MetaDeDeDe and nbkbruce as well, whose questions
inspired me to write this guide after my second playthrough of the game.
And, of course, none of this would be possible with the support of viewers
like you!

Looking to get in touch with me?  Do you have a question you feel isn't
quite answered in the guide?  Do you have a comment or a tip about the
advice I give?  Do you just want to tell me how totally awesome I am?
Drop me a line at The_13itch(at)hotmail(dot)com with NiGHTS in the subject
line, so that I'll be sure to read it.