Candy Coloured Clowns: Nights Into Dreams Out Now

I missed out on Nights Into Dreams but I feel I should describe it as 'much-loved', or possibly 'cult favourite'? Does that sound about right? Steam describes it as follows: "Collect Ideya (colored orbs), rack up points, and battle bosses to help Elliot and Claris save Nightopia from Wizeman the Wicked. With enhanced graphics, achievements, leaderboards, and playable content from Christmas NiGHTS". The reason Steam is describing it is because the HD re-release is now available on PC for £5.99. Videos and words have led me to believe that it's an on-rails flying game set in colourful dreams and nightmares.

Nights is one of those games that people have told me to play several times but I've never had the inclination to seek it out. I'm not completely console-ignorant but I was never a Sega or Nintendo kid. While eight year olds wearing overalls and fake moustaches were putting out bowls of sour milk for the neighbourhood hedgehogs - the most vile act undertaken in those early console wars - I was debating the qualities of the Amiga 1000 and wondering whether it would be a decent replacement for my ailing Atari ST. I was seven years old and most likely already an insufferable being of pomp and fluff judging by the memories.

I might try Nights during the Christmas break but I'll probably be doing the opposite of so many other people and actually avoiding games for a week or two.