Personal advice - please read before playing

When I played the game, I went through Normal mode first and only then did I play the Alternative version. I found the latter much more stimulating and it is to me the "real" game. I think I've actually missed out for experiencing the tricky puzzles after I had seen all the areas, instead of getting it all at once, so I really do recommend all of you looking for a challenge to play the alternative mode straight away, instead of only on the second playthrough.
I would only recommend the normal mode to those seeking a Knytt-like contemplative experience with almost no challenge.

Of course this is just my opinion, though. Whoever wrote this review, for instance, thought the exact opposite.

Anyway, have fun.

I actually did my first playthough on alternative before doing normal. I really recommend to do normal before alternative because once you've done alternative, normal will be too easy and that takes out the fun. So I disagree with Ponto here.

I actually had a few occasions where I just were stuck on the alternative mode. Would I have played the normal mode first, I would've known what to do. But the main reason is that normal is very easy and in order to enjoy Normal, it should be played first. Alternative is nearly the same but made harder and that will still be enjoyable to play.

If I replay the game for another time, it will be on alternative. I wouldn't replay it on normal, and for that reason, once you have finished Alternative, you're going to replay what you did but then easier. Doesn't sound right, does it?

I'll have to disagree as well - I really don't see why you would go with the more challenging alternative mode first. I think that everybody who buys the game should play both modes - I love the alternative mode, but you should keep the "original" order. If you play the alternative mode first you won't have as much fun with the normal mode. It serves as training for the alternative mode as you're getting used to the physics and find movement techniques that will help you later.

I guess nobody agrees with me, then. xD
I still stand by my original opinion, though.
When a game has various levels of difficulty do you always play through them all? I normally skip at least the easiest one. Of course I can't know for sure, but after beating everything I did get the feeling that I didn't get as much off the game as i would have gotten if I had played the Alternative mode straight away. I guess normal was too casual for me. x)

This is not just a level of difficulty. It is an alternative mode. It has completely different puzzles. It's not like the alternative mode has 20 times more enemies than the normal mode or something.

Actually the alternative mode is the game Nifflas originally intended to make.
It was due to the fact that many players were likely to find it too hard that he then made easier versions of every level. Normal mode is the one which should be called alternative. xD

Interesting. I'm currently playing the normal mode and enjoying it; I'll definitely have to try out the alternative once I'm done too.

Did you all beta test the game?  Or is the game so short that this many people have already played it twice within hours of its release?  (I ask because I haven't had time to download it yet.  I guess I'll see for myself soon enough.)

Well, they're probably still all playing the demo version.
Which isn't too long, if you're familiar with these type of games.

I'm familiar with how short Nifflas's games usually are, but I guess I've been hoping that they would start being longer, for two reasons:  1, that he started charging for them, and 2, that he's moved away from pixel art.  I know pixel art is very time-consuming, and when he started using photos for backgrounds instead I thought, that's too bad because I love Nifflas's pixel art, but at least this would free up some time for him to make the games bigger/longer with more areas.  When Saira was released I was pretty surprised at how short it was, considering its price and the use of photos for graphics.  But I guess I was still holding out hope that NightSky would be a longer game, since it was so long in development, and again, didn't require making pixel art for each area.  (Now that I'm playing it I'm actually even surprised at how few photos there are so far.  It's mostly just gradients and black foreground.  I thought a couple years ago Nifflas said he was collecting tons of photos for use in this game.)

Back on topic, now that I've played the first few areas of the game I agree with those who suggest playing the normal game first and then the alternative version second.  This gives you incentive to play the game twice, first for the atmosphere, and then for really hard puzzles.  I agree with those who say that playing the hard version first will make the normal version seem boring and therefore it won't encourage playing twice.

Did you all beta test the game?  Or is the game so short that this many people have already played it twice within hours of its release?  (I ask because I haven't had time to download it yet.  I guess I'll see for myself soon enough.)

I can confirm that Ponto, Looki and I have betatested the game.

playing alternative mode before playing normal breaks the satisfying difficulty ramp-up that is otherwise present

if you just played one or the other then whatever but if you play both and you play alternative first it's ruined

I can confirm that Ponto, Looki and I have betatested the game.

I did too! 

...since it was so long in development, and again, didn't require making pixel art for each area.

Granted. The basic level layouts and fluff were done withing a year or something, then some near-Daikatana-esque delay shenanigans ensued. While saving time at not making pixel art for everything, the level creating mechanism for this is quite a bit more complicated than in, say, Knytt Stories. So it's not like the levels could be whipped up overnight.

I thought a couple years ago Nifflas said he was collecting tons of photos for use in this game.

That would've been for Saira.

On the topic, I'd personally recommend doing Normal mode first too, if for nothing else than to get a good hang of it first. Unless you just are into challenges more than casual gameplay. As the mode selection inside the game tells you.

Paula also beta-tested.

I think Nifflas had mentioned collecting photographs before he even announced the existence of Saira, so that must be why I assumed the photos were for NightSky.  When Saira came along I just assumed he was also using some of the photos in that in addition to NightSky.

And wow, I didn't realize so many people got to beta test this game while the rest of us were waiting so long for it!