N++ (Xbox One) Review

There is something satisfying about something that refuses to change. N pretty much is the epitome of a simple formula that works because of how simple it is. With N++, the core game is the same as always: run through the timed stages while collecting gold for more time while avoiding threats. What made this enjoyable was the physics and the amount of control the stickman ninja has while in air, and the way momentum can be generated to make some vast leaps and wall jumps. The minimalistic look has become a signature style that's both iconic and very functional. The stages get increasingly complex, and the plain visuals ensure that things don't become a visual mess. An attempt to mix things up to prevent it from becoming visually exhausting is done by stages changing colour to create some sense of progress.

The music in N++ is as restrained and subdued as its Flash graphics. Do not expect much variety in terms of musical composition, since much of the music sounds like someone sleeping on a Casio keyboard. Once in a while there is a more pulsing beat that has a techno-Atari feel to it, but this is the extent of how memorable the sound design gets.

N++'s gameplay is the same as it's always been... There is just more of it. Pretty much all the levels from past versions are included - and then some. The vast amount of content presented here is unprecedented, and as if it wasn't enough, there are even multiplayer stages and much harder remixed versions of past stages. The ninja's control at first may seem slow and sluggish, but after a few stages, the logic behind the controls becomes apparent.

The ninja builds up momentum in a specific way and he has a lot of control in the air, so players can land very precise jumps and rebounds. The ninja also dies instantly from obstacles and explodes if he hits the ground at a terminal velocity, so expect to retry a lot. The stages from the Ultimate Edition, and N++ especially, are sadistic and enter Kaizo-trap territory. Naturally, these are the most entertaining - especially with a group of people watching, as they point and laugh at how sadistic some of these levels can be. If over 4,000 stages weren't enough of a gauntlet, N++ also has a level editor mode, so the gold hunting can never end.

N++ is a very pure video game. In many ways, it is almost like an old Atari 2600 game, or something from a coin-op arcade. It isn't even clear why the player-character is a ninja and why the gold he collects gives more time. All this ninja does is grab gold, hits the door-open switch, and makes his escape. It's a very satisfying feeling to pull off some of the feats in-game due to the fast pace, but only in small doses. N++ is impressive with how much it offers, but after a while it wears thin. People who really love and crave more N are going to get their fix with N++.