The character sheet for Sega and Sonic Team's NiGHTS into Dreams… and its sequel, NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams.
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Main Characters
NiGHTS
Voiced by: Ikue Otani (Japanese, Sonic Shuffle), Elara Distler (English, Sonic Shuffle), Yukari Tamura (Japanese, Journey of Dreams), Julissa Aguirre (English)
Click here to see his appearance in the original game
The eponymous character of the series, NiGHTS is a carefree, mischievous being that flies around the world of dreams. He's interested in anything new and unusual, including Visitors, and tends to do his own thing, for the most part. NiGHTS has a tendency to be unthinkingly rude, especially towards Owl, but he generally acts in fun, and means no harm.
- The Ace: By the end of both games, he's managed to defeat all of Wizeman's forces and is capable of fighting Wizeman on equal terms.
- Ascended Demon: He's one of Wizeman's servants who went against his master and chose to be the hero.
- Ambiguous Gender: NiGHTS looks and sounds androgynous even for a dream world inhabitant.note
- Anti Anti Christ: NiGHTS is a Nightmaren created by the Big Bad Wizeman for the sake of stealing a human's ideya. He chooses to be The Hero instead.
- Attention Deficit... Ooh, Shiny!: He has a tendency to be distracted by whatever looks like it will be more fun at the moment, the biggest example of this is the Octopaw missions.
- Badass in Distress: Every level starts with him trapped in an Ideya Palace, necessitating the player to free him. In the sequel, he's stuck in cages, and getting the keys to unlock them is the goal of each level.
- Berserk Button: Being under anyone else's control or authority. It's the main reason he rebelled against Wizeman, and also why he doesn't get on great with Owl in the second game.
- Beware the Nice Ones: In the Reala fight in Journey of Dreams, NiGHTS basically snaps at Reala, picks a fight, and then proceeds to beat Reala up so badly that the other Nightmaren is forced to retreat.
- Big Brother Mentor: A bit more like this to Will and Helen than Elliot and Claris. Understandable, as Will and Helen are 12 while Claris and Elliot are 15.
- Dark Is Not Evil: NiGHTS is a heroic Nightmaren and his main color is a darker shade of purple.
- Dramatic High Perching: One of NiGHTS' trademark poses is standing atop each of the two game's towers, usually playing an invisible flute.
- Dreary Half-Lidded Eyes: NiGHTS' eyes tend to be half-lidded a lot of the time, making him appear mysterious and alluring.
- Friendly Enemy: Usually acts like this toward Reala.
- Heel–Face Turn: Had one before the series started, going from one of Wizeman's servants to the main force opposing him.
- Hellish Pupils: Both NiGHTS and Reala are subtly cat-eyed.
- Heroic Sacrifice: In the true ending of Journey of Dreams, he helps to destroy Wizeman, even knowing it will mean he will die as well. His cameo in The Stinger may suggest that he survived, though.
- Idiot Ball: He is constantly being captured, necessitating a rescue by the kids once per level.
- Magical Flutist: When bored, they mimic playing a flute, which actually causes music to play.
- Nightmare Face: Can make one by showing his pointy teeth (as seen in the first game's opening FMV) and overly-long tongue (as seen in concept art, see below).
- No Biological Sex: According to Yuji Naka, the characters from the dream world are sexless, and their genders are in the eye of the beholder. note
- Overly-Long Tongue: Concept art
◊ shows that NiGHTS has one, even though it's never shown in the games. - Peter Pan Parody: NiGHTS bears many resemblances to Peter Pan, most notably being defined by his ability to fly and the freedom it embodies. In NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams, this is much more prominent, being a carefree trickster with the voice of a young boy (according to
Word of God, anyway), and the Clock Tower iconic to the game resembling the Elizabeth Tower to accent it. - Purple Is Powerful: Is designed with purple/violet colors, and is one of the most powerful (if not the most powerful) Nightmaren created by Wizeman.
- Scary Teeth: Has a mouth full of pointy teeth, as shown in concept art and the first game's opening FMV. They're still present by JoD, albeit smaller and less obvious.
- Sensitive Guy and Manly Man: In JoD. Friendly, playful, and flamboyant to contrast Reala's rough stoicism.
- Sibling Rivalry: Has this dynamic with Reala. They are both creations of Wizeman, which would technically make them siblings. NiGHTS rebelling against Wizeman is what caused the rivalry and Reala spends the second game trying to persuade (or force) NiGHTS into joining Wizeman's side again.
- Sir Cameos-a-Lot: Despite having cameoed in 29 Sega games thus far (mostly Sonic), NiGHTS has only been the star of two games.
- Shadow Archetype: Unlike many other shadow archetypes, he is not focused on the negative. Instead, he brings out the positive traits of the Visitors, that are hidden deep down, and makes it part of its own personality. Will's determination and Helen's bravery are just two examples.
- Sharing a Body: The Visitors in both games can dualize with NiGHTS, which allows them to fly in his form. In the second game, we see that the Visitor they’re dualized with visibly flies besides them as a spirit in cutscenes.
Claris Sinclair
Voiced by: Jasmine Allen
An aspiring singer with a serious case of stage fright, Claris finds her way into Nightopia after a disastrous audition.
- Curtains Match the Window: Both her hair and eyes are pink.
- Continuity Nod: Her voice actress sings the "Sweet Snow" version of "Dreams Dreams" in Journey of Dreams, and quite well, in fact.
- The Cutie: She's a very sweet, cute-looking girl who aspires to be a great singer and is one of the heroes in the story.
- Daddy's Girl: One of her levels signifies her love for her father.
- Happy Holidays Dress: In Christmas NiGHTS, although it's cut in a way that could also be a Sexy Santa Dress.
- High-School Sweethearts: Implied to be this with Elliot at the end of the game. Even more so in the ending for the Christmas game.
- Informed Ability: She supposedly has a beautiful voice, but this doesn't shine through until the sequel gives her voice actress the chance to sing one of the game's main tunes.
- It Runs in the Family: Claris comes from a family of artists.
- Older Than They Look: She's actually 14 years old in the first game.
- Pink Means Feminine: Her hair and eyes are pink. Her clothes are also designed to complement them.
Elliot Edwards
Voiced by: Cameron Earl Strother
A friendly, popular boy who loses confidence in himself after the local Jerk Jock and his friends push him around. He then finds his way into Nightopia...
- Alliterative Name: Elliot Edwards
- Curtains Match the Window: Both his hair and eyes are blue.
- David Versus Goliath: He plays basketball against older, more experienced kids. His lack of confidence in himself as he faces the competition becomes a source of his nightmares.
- Heroic Resolve: As with the other main characters, but Elliot's is especially focused on in the storybook.
- High-School Sweethearts: Implied to be this with Claris at the end of the game. Even more so in the ending for the Christmas game.
- Older Than They Look: He's actually 14 years old in the first game.
- The Hero: In the comics and the storybook.
Helen Cartwright
Voiced by: Victoria Ashby
A child prodigy who is gifted at playing the violin. She's very close to her mother, and finds herself in the Night Dimension when she begins to have nightmares out of guilt for sacrificing her time with her mother for her social life.
- Action Girl: She spends a lot of time running around Nightopia by herself, fighting Nightmarens.
- Big Fancy House: It's clear her and her mother are well off. From what we see of her house in Helen's intro, it's massive.
- Damsel in Distress: Gets this a few times, especially when Wizeman kidnaps her in Will's route.
- Designated Victim: Gets kidnapped more than any other Visitor.
- Duet Bonding: With her mother.
- Informed Attribute: Like the other children in the series, she possesses the rare Ideya of Courage. Despite this, she's afraid of nearly everything, and near the end of the game, she actually loses her red Ideya, something none of the other kids ever did. NiGHTS even lampshades this at one point.
- Naïve Everygirl: She's the other innocent human hero who trusts NiGHTS and almost immediately tries to help him save Nightopia... and then Reala drops a speech and cause her to (briefly) question her trust in her ally.
- Nice Girl: Very polite to the point where she apologizes to her mom before heading off to meet her friends. She also helped William get out of a long maze without any second thought.
- Pink Means Feminine: Not to the extent of Claris, but she has her elements. There's her pink jacket, along with the formal pink dress she wears in the ending.
- Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?: Helen is terrified of the dark.
William Taylor
Voiced by: Riley O'Flynn
A lonely boy whose favorite hobby is soccer. He's very close to his father, so when the man leaves for a business trip, Will's loneliness leads to nightmares. It's after this he finds his way to the Night Dimension.
- Beware the Nice Ones: He may be young and full of angst over his dad leaving, but the kid shouldn't be underestimated, especially when he turns out to be more than brave in trying to save NiGHTS.
- Butt-Monkey: The poor kid has a really hard time with some situations in the Night Dimension such as having no idea how to get out of a maze to an angry Wizeman causing him to fall into the dark ocean in the hub world.
- Child Prodigy: At least at the game of Soccer.
- Determinator: In Lost Park, a place with a lonely tree representing the lad's resolve, Will resolves to become stronger to ensure all Nightopians can be strong as well. This kind of resolve to press on helps him remember his dad and use whatever strength he got from him to save NiGHTS and Helen in the climax.
- Doting Parent: His dad is hinted to be a parent who loves him and willing to go along with his wants, such as going to a theme park, if Lost Park is an indication.
- Humble Hero: Compared to Helen, who is shown to come from a very well-off family, Will is just a normal kid.
- Kid Hero: More so than Elliot, because he's a little younger.
Owl
Voiced by: Jeff Kramer
An elderly, owl-like Nightopian, he serves as a guide to both Helen and Will throughout Journey of Dreams. He panics easily in bad situations and is irritated by NiGHTS' childish antics.
- Butt-Monkey: He gets thrashed on, mocked, and ignored a lot throughout the second game.
- Cool Old Guy: While his exact age is never specified, he's a very affable grandfatherly figure. The only thing we know is that he was there long before Helen and Will were even born.
- A Dog Named "Dog": He's a large owl, named after his own species.
- Grumpy Old Man: He doesn't always like NiGHTS' childishness.
- Mr. Exposition: His main purpose in the story is to explain Nightopia to the kids and thus the players. In the game, he is used to give players hints on how to proceed.
- Older and Wiser: At least he says so. He teaches Helen and Will about the game mechanics and scolds NiGHTS for acting up.
- The Owl-Knowing One: Plays this trope as straight as can be.
- Remember the New Guy?: Journey of Dreams treats him as an essential part of the world of Nightopia and someone who has always been there, while there was no mention of him in into Dreams at all.
- Talking Animal: A talking Owl, although this is mainly thanks to him being a living dream.
- Team Dad: He tends to act as the grandfather to the other characters. Indeed, when Will learns that NiGHTS is a nightmaren, Owl is the one who helps him come to terms with it.
Villains
Wizeman
Voiced by: Roger L. Jackson
The ruler and creator of Nightmare. Wizeman created the Nightmaren as well. He seeks to rule over the Night Dimension (and the waking world in the US version of NiGHTS into Dreams) and is especially interested in corrupting Nightopia.
- Abusive Parents: He is the creator of NiGHTS, Reala, and all the other Nightmaren but has no qualms about threatening or killing them when they fail him, as shown in the second game.
- A God Am I: Granted, he is implied to be a god, but that doesn't stop him from acting out this trope.
- All-Encompassing Mantle: Most of his body is covered by his cloak.
- Archnemesis Dad: Created NiGHTS, but is perfectly willing to destroy him for defying him.
- As Long as There Is Evil: Ties directly into his Type I Immortality, being the seeming source of Nightmare and Nightmarens.
- Big Bad: He is the source of all conflict in both the original game and its sequel.
- The Blank: His face seems to be totally blank, save for something that could be a mouth.
- Card-Carrying Villain: He makes no bones about the fact that he's evil, and in fact relishes in it.
- Create Your Own Hero: According to the backstory, Wizeman created his highest-ranking minions — NiGHTS and Reala — with free will. Unfortunately for him, NiGHTS used their free will to defend the Night Dimension from the Nightmarens instead.
- Dark Is Evil: He is the leader of the Nightmaren, and an evil being bent on world domination.
- Elemental Powers: He uses fireballs, ice balls, waves of boulders, and tornadoes against the Visitors.
- Evil Sounds Deep: He is given a guttural, distorted Voice of the Legion in Journey of Dreams.
- Eyes Do Not Belong There: In each palm of his hand, there is a red eye. They're most prominently seen in the cutscene following Donbalon's defeat.
- Floating Limbs: Six disembodied hands.
- God of Evil: He's really the only character implied to be a god, and being able to create Nightmare and the Nightmarens certainly attests to that. The evil part comes with his being the Big Bad.
- Immortality: Type I. It apparently doesn't stop him from being destroyed in the good ending of Journey of Dreams, however.
- Shoulders of Doom: He wears large, armored shoulder pads.
- Spikes of Villainy: His head/helmet is covered with long, wavy spikes.
- Was Once a Man: His backstory, at least in the Japanese manual for the first game, states that he was a Visitor who was deprived of his Ideya.
- You Have Failed Me: In the second game, he tends to pull this a lot on second-level Nightmaren, and even threatens to do this to Reala.
- Why Don't You Just Shoot Him?: Wizeman doesn't kill NiGHTS in the second game despite having him captured multiple times. This is because NiGHTS, alongside Reala, are the only first-level Nightmaren and the most powerful of Wizeman's creations. So he'd rather force NiGHTS to rejoin his side instead of killing him.
Reala
Voiced by: Casey Robertson
Click here to see his appearance in the original game
NiGHTS's rival. Unlike NiGHTS, he's cruel and insidious, willing to do just about anything to get what he wants. He is completely loyal to Wizeman and is constantly out on missions from him, and is the third boss Elliot faces in the first game. He has a much larger role in Journey of Dreams and is fought multiple times by both children.
- Arrogant Kung-Fu Guy: Considers himself to be superior to NiGHTS and desires to fight him in order to please Wizeman.
- Ascended Extra: Only appeared as one boss in the first game and had no story presence, but in the sequel, Reala has a major presence in the story overall and is a much more active threat, being fought by both kids multiple times.
- Card-Carrying Villain: He makes no qualms about being a villain, and is easily loving every second of it.
- Circling Monologue: Gives one to Helen while revealing that NiGHTS is a Nightmaren to destroy her trust in NiGHTS.
- Cool Mask: Given one called a persona in the sequel.
- The Dragon: Reala is Wizeman's most trusted servant, and he is blindly loyal to his master in return.
- Dragon Ascendant: Briefly in the comic book adaption.
- Excessive Evil Eyeshadow: Though for all we know, it's his actual skin.
- Evil Counterpart: To NiGHTS. They are both Nightmaren who resemble devilish harlequins, but while NiGHTS is kind and caring, Reala is cruel and sadistic.
- Giggling Villain: He laughs during his fight in the original game when you're damaged, and really becomes this in Journey of Dreams every time he has NIGHTS on the ropes.
- Hellish Pupils: In NiGHTS into Dreams, Reala's pupils are round and huge with points at the bottom (and assumedly, also at the top, though the top part isn't visible). In Journey of Dreams, he has vertical slit pupils like NiGHTS does.
- Kick the Dog: In Journey of Dreams, he sadistically taunts Helen over her discovering NiGHTS is a Nightmaren for no reason, causes William to overhear a conversation about NiGHTS's origins and holding both kids hostage just because he can.
- Large Ham: Casey Robertson had a whale of a time adding drama and flamboyant villainy to Reala's dialogue.
- Jerkass: He's extremely cruel and egoistical, in stark contrast to NiGHTS.
- Mirror Boss: In the first game, NiGHTS can only harm Reala by trapping him in the paraloop, and must do so while Reala tries to do the same thing to him.
- No Biological Sex: Though he appears masculine, Reala is a living nightmare and has no real gender.
- The Only One Allowed to Defeat You: Very territorial about who gets to defeat NiGHTS in both games.
- Playing Tennis with the Boss: In the second game, where his boss fights are basically a game of dodgeball with explosions galore; NiGHTS must land few hits on him with his own energy orbs to defeat him.
- Perpetual Frowner: His default expression. When he does smile, it's always just to be condescending.
- Red and Black and Evil All Over: He is the evil counterpart to NiGHTS, and his wardrobe is mostly red and black in contrast to NiGHTS' purples and pinks.
- The Rival: Due to equal skills and opposing personalities, Reala is constantly led into rivalry with NiGHTS.
- Would Hurt a Child: Most prominently in Journey of Dreams, where he grabs Will and Helen and threatens to kill them if NiGHTS doesn't surrender, and when he fights him for the last time, Reala states his intent to bring their heads to Wizeman.
Nightmaren
Puffy
A fat, round, bouncing, pink rabbit-like Nightmaren that can sing opera. The first boss Elliot fights.
- Rubber Man: She's made of a balloon-like material that makes it impossible to hurt her directly, and instead you must throw her around until she's popped by collapsing rubble.
Gillwing
An odd Nightmaren that looks like a cross between a frog, bat, and dragon, and Claris's first boss. One of the few re-occurring bosses, appearing in Christmas Nights.
- Cutting the Knot: Gillwing is normally defeated by repeatedly flying into its head, causing it to lose a section of its tail each time. Or you can paraloop the tip of its tail, killing it instantly.
Clawz
An ever-grinning cat Nightmaren that jumps around a horizontal, ferris wheel-like contraption on exploding mice. He is Elliot's second boss fight.
Gulpo
A giant fish Nightmaren that swims around in a giant glass tank. The second boss Claris fights.
Jackle
A second-level Nightmaren created by Wizeman. He appears as a bodiless hood with gloves and boots. Only appears in the first game as the third boss Claris fights.
- Boss Banter: Speaks in gibberish during his boss fight.
- Circus Synths: "Jackle, the Mantle" is his funky battle music, which plays inside his surreal Circus of Fear-like arena.
- Deal with the Devil: He does this in the Archie comics version of the story, promising the two main characters' desires in exchange for their Ideya.
- Death Dealer: Uses tarot cards and playing cards to attack his foes.
- Flawed Prototype: While it's not made clear if he was created prior to NiGHTS and Reala, he's explicitly mentioned to be Wizeman's failed attempt at a first-level Nightmaren. He's arguably the strongest of the second-levels, but has a glaring weakness (losing his cape) that the first-levels don't.
- Giggling Villain: He cackles constantly when attacking NiGHTS.
- Improbable Weapon User: Razor-sharp tarot/playing cards.
- Nigh-Invulnerability: As long as he has his cape on, nothing will faze him. NiGHTS has to force it off him to do any damage.
- Weaksauce Weakness: He can't do anything without his cape.
Donbalon
A clown Nightmaren from Journey of Dreams that bounces around like a large balloon, hence the name. Will's first boss fight.
- Rubber Man: Like Puffy, he can't be hurt directly and is defeated by throwing him to the top of his tower, where Malevolent Architecture does him in.
Girania
A giant fish Nightmaren from Journey of Dreams, clad in knight-like armor. Has a thin mustache, and a penchant for eating its enemies. Sinks into the ground to avoid them as well. Helen's first boss fight.
- Asteroids Monster: Girania is defeated by making it split into colorful orbs and defeating those, with successive hits making it smaller and smaller.
Chamelan
A chameleon magician Nightmaren that wears a stage magician's tuxedo, top hat, and cape. Seems to drag opponents into its own realm, and uses playing cards to fight for him. Will's second boss fight.
- Death Dealer: Uses playing cards to attack his foes.
- Dirty Coward: Chamelan spends most of his boss fight hiding and must be drawn out with paraloops.
Bomamba
A witch Nightmaren who fights on top of a tiltable table. Fights by firing blasts, and using her cat familiars as rocket projectiles. Helen's second boss fight.
Cerberus
A vicious dog Nightmaren that appears to be three orbs with dog-like auras, bound to each other by chains. Will's third boss fight.
- Chained by Fashion: All three are bound together by two chains. NiGHTS has to use this fact to defeat Cerberus.
- The Dreaded: Both Reala and NiGHTS are scared of them, though Reala tames them under Wizeman's orders and looks forward to them defeating NiGHTS.
- Energy Being: The third Cerberus is revealed to be an energy being made of lightning.
- Hellhound: Explicitly called such, and even the other Nightmarens fear this creature.
Queen Bella
A giant spider Nightmaren, dressed like a British queen. Fought above a lava-filled hole on grate platforms. Seemingly likes to spin silk balls for no reason. Helen's third boss fight.
- Tactical Suicide Boss: She's defeated by using her own silk balls to break the platforms she's standing on.
