Kotaku
When I first heard that Metanet's minimalist ninja game N was going to be released on Xbox Live Arcade as N+, I have to say I was skeptical. An excellent free game for the PC, why would I want to spend my hard-earned monies on a game that uses a mere fraction of the power of my Xbox 360, filling up my widescreen TV with a game that looks like it could have been made 15 years ago? The answer, in short, is that it completely kicks ass. N+ is gaming distilled down to its component elements. You have a door, switches, and obstacles. Your job is to get to the door. Simple. The single player is as fun (and as frustrating) on the 360 as it was on the PC, but where N+ really shines is in the multiplayer.
A Lone Ninja
The single player game is exactly what you would expect - stage after stage of increasingly complicated obstacles separating you from your door. At first you might simply have to jump from column to column, but soon you'll be introduced to homing missiles, rotating lasers, roaming electric sentry balls, and a whole host of diabolical little devices trying to keep you from escaping. Each of the game's levels is split up into five stages, with a timer counting down that can be refilled by collecting the gold in each stage.
The only real problem I had with the single player game was that the difficulty is all over the board. There really doesn't seem to be a steady build in difficulty, with some of the most difficult stages followed by the simplest. I suppose it's nice to take a break from the grind now and then, but it can tend to put you off your guard as you progress.
As you play you're sure to find a level that completely kicks your ass. I found quite a few as I progressed through single player, and while I was frustrated I wasn't discouraged. The small stages really lend themselves to repeated attempts, keeping the frustration level at a dull roar. I personally spent two hours retrying one level that was particularly tricky without even realizing the time had passed. That's a very rare occurrence for me, and a testament to N+'s brilliant design.
Team Ninja
Single player is great and all, but the game really transforms itself in multiplayer mode. I'm not talking about the Survival Mode or the Race Mode here, but the four-player co-op. Teaming up with three other (good) players completely changes the experience. Playing over the same levels in single player mode the teams I have gotten with have come up with some truly innovative and entertaining ways to use our numbers to our advantage. Common tactics include sacrificing yourself to take out a batch of mines, allowing your teammates safer passage through tough areas, or having one player keep a homing missile busy by moving in circles while the others pass safely. All in all, N+ might be the most fun I've had in a multiplayer Xbox Live Arcade title.
For the most part, co-op multiplayer runs smoothly, though I've noticed some particularly nasty lag at times that can completely screw up a well-orchestrated plan of attack. Still, overall I haven't had too many problems finding a match to show off my utter lack of skill in.
Choose Your Own Ninja Adventure
N+ includes a level editor, and while I've not spent too much time with it, I can see where creating your own challenges could be a blast, especially when tailored to your own particular strengths so that you can let your skills shine. My experience with the editor is limited to seeing how many homing missiles I can avoid at one time. Answer? Not many. I hate homing missiles.
Go Ninja, Go Ninja Go!
N+ might not look like much, but it doesn't have to. The game is a triumph of substance over style, delivering raw gameplay without worrying about any of the bells and whistles game publishers feel are so necessary in today's high-end titles.
Comments
I may have to pick this up soon.......
So... another good Live Arcade game? Sweet. Cool if it comes to WiiWare and PlayStation Store too.
aye Fahey! the multiplayer adds LOADS to the game...my brother (who is typically a single-player guy, i mean i have to BEG him to play multiplayer with me) and i stayed up for hours playing co-op and the races! N+ is easily one of my favorite games in a long long time!
Controlling this with an actual controller seems like it would be more fun. Hmm...
I played N a LONG time ago on The PC when I heard N+ was coming for XBLA I KNEW I had to get. Even know it would say bye to 800 points, but it was WELL worth it.
@7ucky: Try the Demo!
Yes it controls much better than with the arrow keys. Much.
Oh fudge, there's co-op? Okay, NOW I'm gonna buy it.
I tried the demo and liked it, it reminded me a lot of Jumpman and Jumpman Jr. on the C64 for some reason.
I'm debating buying it, the game seems both fun and frustrating and I take exception to MS charging $10 for everything as a minimum charge that's not a classic arcade game.
Is the MP aspect local, via Live, or both?
Is this headed to the PSN by any chance?
@def PD: PSP and DS, no PS3 thus far.
@def PD:
Both. It has local co-op and I think local VS modes too. It's pretty cool, since the levels are so compact everybody just plays on the same screen.
I guess it's pretty hard... though - judging from the PC/flash-version of N.
@def PD: Sorry, Multiplayer is via Xbox Live, system link, or two player on the same dealie.
Can't wait for the DS version...
@Maximus9: Um, I think that's the developers, too. They don't know how many sales they'll get, so $10 isn't that bad. You can try it first, so if it sucks, then you don't buy.
Just played the demo last night. It was really the first time a demo has ever convinced me to buy a game I was convinced I wasn't going to. The presentation is great especially the transition from level to level. And the music was surprisingly good as well.
WHY did I spend my last 800 points on Bomberman?!
I really wasn't too keen on the game by itself(simply because I heard it gets really difficult), but the multiplayer side sounds like an awesome idea.
@Mike Fahey: Go Ninja, Go Ninja Go!
Mike you made another funny HAHAHAHAHA.
Good god now Vanilla Ice singing that song is flooding back to me.
I just bought it like an hour ago :D
Even the single player game will keep me busy for ages
Plus, I love the secret achievement in it.
Couldn't agree more, one of the best arcade releases on the Xbox, and the best pure platforming game I have played in ages!
i have played this game almost non-stop since it came out. it is tons of fun and through-out the entire multiplayer you will laugh and have fun the entire way. never a dull moment. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
@Mike Fahey: Go Ninja, Go Ninja Go!
You made another funny HaHaHaHa
Damn.. now that song is flooding thru my head. Grr on you Vanilla Ice.
@Rabidsquirrel: AWWW Kotaku comment lag! I thought I had closed the window before it had submitted.
I loved the game on the PC, and I love it on the 360. I played Live co-op w/ my friend last week and then regular co-op with my girlfriend, who never plays anything on the 360. But becuase the game is so simplified, she gets it... start, avoid obstacles, get to the end. We had a blast.
Terribly overrated.
The original might of been fun if the game hadn't felt like it was coated in greased ice.
@DankPanties: Yep. Didn't like it at all...the little man is too sensitive and hard to control. Oh, that sounded bad.
But you get the idea...it's like "STICK FIGURES IN SPACE!" or something.
Microsoft's response to LittleBigPlanet?
@7ucky:
I actually prefer the keyboard controls versus the 360 d-pad or analog stick.
And I can't tell you how many times I pressed the restart button versus jump.
Minor complaints though.
I got 1200 points on my account that Im trying to save for Bionic ReArmed, but the N+ demo was just awesome and this article didnt really make the 'what-to-do' choice any easier!
This game is very well made and a lot of fun.
@KEELr: Bionic my friend.. Bionic
Oh how I can now remember back to two years of high school physics, and computer science. Because you know, stations with computers in high school = N game, and after we got emulators, Halo and Super Smash LANed through the internal network. Good good times. N was the shit. Especially during a midterm...
Fahey, you mention playing 4p in the single-player levels, but you neglected to mention the brilliant level design of the co-op campaign! Co-op levels with 2 players really test the skills of both players, often putting them in unique situations in completely segregated areas. Play with 4 and you've got a little more room for error.
One awesome map has one player (or two) on the top of the screen, jumping increasingly risky gaps, while the other player(s) are on the bottom half, hopping through moving drones. On each half of the screen there are switches that open doors for the other player(s) to progress further, so teamwork is absolutely crucial.
Great game... props to microsoft for a sharp eye on this quality pc game and getting on xbla.. now lets hope that BS about microsoft snagging half the profits away from devs is untrue..
Yeah 2-player on the maps designed for co-op is really great. There are some evil levels though. One has one player at the top where there are some circle drones and some doors, the drones are pretty easy to avoid (and initially blocked by the doors so until the first one is opened you are completely safe). Meanwhile, the other player is in a large lower area with a missile launcher and the 5 door switches spread out on top of spring blocks. If you've played the game you know those missiles are really tenacious, and there are no solid blocks in that entire space to block them with. Also, if you hit one of the higher-up switches and miss landing on a spring block below, you fall to your death. I was the guy on the top, and I basically had to sit around for half an hour and watch my friend struggle with getting the door switches. (the level incidentally is called "pressurizer", you'll know it if you reach it!)
Just need to jump in on the n+ love. I bought a few other Live arcade games because I wanted to support the developers and really liked the style (eets, alien hominid, etc)
But this game which i was excited for has just grabbed me and held me. Absolutely one of the best experiences I have had on my 360 yet. Not because its pretty, not because its deep, mostly because it makes me feel like a bad ass when after an hour of blowing up, i have that beautiful flow of a run that takes me through a episode.
Also I was so sucked in I bought the friggin gamer pics and theme, I have lost it.
Still waiting on that PC version of N+...
@Detha:
Given the fact that the original Flash version of N existed long before the PS3 was even announced, I seriously doubt it (the fact that it's also headed for the DS would seem to suggest the same.)
Anyone thinking $10 might be a bit steep can forget that fact. It is easily the best $10 I have ever spent on a game. Tons of levels and incredibly fun to control and master. If you ever buy an XBLA game, buy this one.
I should also say that the best part of this game is the leaderboards. I can't stop playing an episode until I rank in the top ten.
I've made some maps I'd love to test out on people (co-op maps) if anyone would like to give them a try, add me. Gamertag: Xlom3000
If I had to sum up the three maps I've made so far they would be, "ghost and goblins hard and team ninja a-hole-ish"
Triumph of substance over style? I thought the art style itself was a triumph in minimalism...
FUCK. THAT. GLITCH.
*Cries*
@Touy: And I realize I didn't say what glitch. For the love of God, do NOT quit the game without going to the main menu first. It seems to be the only 100 percent safe way to have your progress saved.
I tried the demo and wasn't that impressed. dIfferent strokes I guess.
Never played the web version of this before and I wasnt expecting to like it from previews and info I read.
I downloaded the demo, beat the 1st two levels and I know there was something special about it, so I bought it right away and no matter how much you play it doesnt seem to get old.
@Scrapple: even if the devs are only getting 35% of revenue, thats still more then they would make selling retail.
You gotta figure since there is always a demo unlike on psn (one of my major gripes about it) you know if you like it before you buy it, and demos that are easy to get like all XBLA games make telling your friend about it that much easier which turns into more sales.
If this game hit a retail shelf for the same price it wouldnt sell half as well. Casual console games have a sort of retail stigma and if you looked at the box for this chances are you wouldnt buy it cause it looks stupid and pointless...you need to play it to get it.
Mare and Raigan (aka Metanet) are two of the most talented people in videogames today. they were actually worried that the difficulty level of the game would scare off potential buyers who grabbed the demo, but based on the latest majornelson charts, it seems like they have nothing to worry about.
i consider myself lucky to call them friends and colleagues in the toronto games' scene
I'll definitely be grabbing this when it releases on the DS because I need some frustration on the go. Of course, I may have to drop a few hundred MS Points just to be able to leave a few friends with the right idea of who's best at N.
Completed the cooperative campaign with my brother just this past weekend, we too found that while there are levels that really, really do kick your arse, none did so to the extent of not wanting to play anymore.
It controls flawlessly, failure never came because the game 'cheaped' you or the controls weren't up to scratch, it's all you buddy. Not an easy game, by any means, but so very satisfying on completion, be it the whole game or just a level that's been taunting you for the past half hour. Can highly recommend.
@Infradead:
Because Bomberman is probably the best game on XBLA
This is has basically convinced me to buy a 360, too bad I don't have the monies for it :(