N+

N+ plays with only three buttons and the directional pad, used to control a small black ninja. Players jump, dodge, climb and rebound from walls, collecting gold on their way to a level's exit. Each level the player enters has a time limit based on the ninja's "metabolism" which, according to the instructions for the games, gives the ninja an extremely short life-span and a "thirst for gold". Gold increases the remaining time for players, thus being a valuable item to collect.

While the player is given infinite lives, death can still come swift and often, a key design feature of N+. Anything that is dangerous to the ninja will kill them instantly. Droids of varying abilities (seeking missiles, flying droids, ground-based droids, chasing droids, laser droids and rapid fire) can kill the player on contact, as can proximity and timed mines, laser and missile turrets, and simply falling from a dangerous height. Other dangers include one-way walls that can trap players and blocks that fall down on players underneath them.

Metanet Software joined forces with Klei Entertainment Inc. to develop a version of N+ for the Xbox Live Arcade. Klei Entertainment partnered with a new studio called Slick Entertainment, which took over the development work for N+. Metanet Software produced/published this title, as well as providing all level design and extensive consultation.

An expansion pack for the XBLA version, containing 150 single player levels, 50 multi-player co-operative levels and a few ninja colours were released on July 22, 2008.

The Xbox Live Arcade version of N+ scored favorably amongst critics, receiving perfect scores from both GamePro and Official Xbox Magazine UK. Eurogamer's Dan Whitehead said "Purely on the basis that it's a wonderful concept executed with no small amount of wit and style, N+ comes highly recommended - at least to those with a taste for such punishing gameplay. It's obscenely generous in the number of levels you get to play with, while the multiplayer modes provide even more incentive to keep playing." 1UP.com's Nick Suttner called the game "a perfect fit on Live Arcade and is exponentially more entertaining to play with a few friends from your couch. The nuts and bolts hold up as fantastically as ever, and the presentation is spot-on; it's all the more tragic that a few correctable details keep it from being something truly special."

GameSpot commented, "Regardless of your jumping skill, platforming history, or dodging prowess, N+ is sure to leave you equally nonplussed and wanting more," while IGN stated, "N+ is just plain fun to play. The controls feel nice and the levels are creative and addictive."