N 1.4

Climb walls, steal gold, flip switches, and make your escape from a wide variety of deadly enemies in this fantastic and free 2D platformer. The addition of 200 new levels and new unlockable secrets help maintain a top rating for this ninja adventure. Gameplay at higher levels can be tricky, and some might find it slightly repetitive, but one of the main attractions of this game is its difficulty. If you're an obsessive-compulsive type looking for a great way to kill numerous hours with mindless ninja maneuvering, look no further--N is one of the best freeware games you'll find anywhere.

In N, you control a ninja through a series of underground rooms. You must escape each room via a locked door while avoiding deadly packs of homicidal robots. The filthy lucre on each level sustains your energy as you navigate your escapes. Run out of gold energy, and the game's over. Hidden traps and an unforgiving control system can result in repetitive gameplay, but that's a big part of the core experience--it's hard.

The design of this 2D platformer is simple and elegant. Created entirely in Flash, the graphics are inherently minimal, yet your ninja still has flair. Motion details are implemented well, and the interface--including an extensive help section--is superb. With a massive number of levels, an editor to create your own, and an online high-scores table with replays of the best performances ever, N is a modern freeware classic.