Beneath its simple exterior lies a cruel, sadistic gaming beast. N+ is known for its brutally simple, addictive, ninja-inspired platforming. The goal of the game is ridiculously simple: get to the exit. However, each level in this challenging title will test your nerve and will push you to that strange land where frustration and euphoria meet.

There are a number of obstacles that can get in your way -- all of them deadly. Whether it be explosive mines, homing missiles, or heat-seaking lasers, death lurks in almost every inch of N+. The combination of clever level designs and obstacle placements make each level like a puzzle: players must think of interesting ways to get to the goal. Players will be able to perform incredible feats of acrobatics, bouncing off walls, racing past rockets, and jumping past deadly lasers. Players must learn how momentum works, as many of the levels require pixel-perfect jumps.

Download to PSP

If you didn't know, N+ is launching on PSP this week for a budget price of $20. The addictive ninja-inspired platforming game is known for its terrifying difficulty -- will you be up to the challenge? Check out this trailer, and new screens ... and wait for our full review later this week.

What? Is that a new PSP game? You bet! And guess what? It's coming out at the end of the month ... for only $20! (That's a drop from the original retail price of $30.) N+ is an addictive ninja platforming game with an emphasis on Game 3.0: PSP players will be able to design their own levels and share them online for the entire world to download. With the potential for unlimited gameplay, N+ looks like it'll be quite the steal.

Check out the new lower price at amazon.com and GameStop.

Continuing our previous chat about N+, the upcoming PSP and DS platformer is David Geudelekian from Atari. As a producer, he helped bring the indie game over to the handheld scene. Find out more in our exclusive interview.

What caught your eye about N? What made it so appealing to bring to the console side?
David Geudelekian: I had been playing N since 2005, and on top of simply being one of the greatest platform games of all time I had always thought that this would make an excellent portable game! The organization of the gameplay into 5-level episodes make for an excellent translation to portable gaming with each level usually lasting under a minute and each episode just over the two minute mark. The simple but stylish graphics would translate well too, and even the run-and-jump gameplay seems perfectly suited for the often interrupted attention-spans of the average portable gamer.

Metanet's latest game, N+, recently took Xbox Live Arcade by storm. With a pending PSP and DS release, we chatted with the development team about what handheld players can expect from this challenging, community-driven platformer.

The original N was a surprising success. What do you think made it appeal to such a wide audience?
Mare & Raigan: It's very addictive, in part because it's not easy -- the more you play, the more you learn and the better you get, the more you want to keep playing. Hundreds of levels provides a lot of options for players, so that if they get stuck on a specific level they just play a different level rather than giving up. Online replays allow them to show off their talents to the world and be competitive. The simple presentation focuses the player's attention on the gameplay and puts the spotlight on the movement of the ninja. N references old school games like Lode Runner and Jumpman, titles that inspire nostalgia in the older gamers, and the injection of modern physics and collision plus the hilarious ragdoll deaths makes it appeal to younger gamers. N has something for everyone!

It's funny to see IGN's new videos from N+. We mentioned it a while back -- this game is notoriously hard. So, when we see the player of these videos struggle through the same levels we did, we can't help but chuckle. It's the kind of game that'll either scare you away, or make you come begging for more. And, don't forget the built-in level editor and networking mode, which allows you to create and share your own devilish creations with other PSP owners via Infrastructure. Not bad, huh?

Check out all of IGN's videos here.

Are you ready to get ninja platforming stuck in your mind? That's what this new ad is trying to do. The frustratingly difficult (but incredibly satisfying) levels of N+ are enough to drive anybody mad. After dying hundreds, nay thousands of times, you'll also go as mad as this dude.

N+ is one of the most stressful games ever made. Its simple exterior hides some of the most gruesome platforming challenges we've ever had to face. There are so many ways to die: fall from to far a height, you die. Get hit by lasers, homing rockets, bombs, mines, flying orbs -- you name it, and it will kill you. Even the most skilled gamer will find themselves getting completely destroyed by each of the game's 200 (!) levels.

While there were clear moments where we felt like simply throwing our PSP systems on the ground, we couldn't help but continue trekking onward. Strangely, you do feel like a ninja while playing the game, and when you're able to successfully complete an episode (which contains multiple levels), you feel truly accomplished. Like any good ninja, your character will be able to make some truly spectacular jumps. Over time, you'll learn how to exploit the wall jump and fly long distances like a pro.

Coming soon for both DS and PSP, N+ from Atari has you busting out some elaborate ninja moves to survive a deadly 2D world of ... death. Based on a popular Flash game, we're pretty excited by the intensity of the action on display. It may look visually bland, but at least it looks like character movement is quite smooth.