The ninja is a stick-figure character the player controls in the N games.
The ninja's goal is to get to the exit door, which needs to be opened with the exit switch, and collect gold to increase its life-span. In an episode, the ninja must pass a series of five levels before its lifespan runs out.
Throughout a level, the ninja must avoid enemies and landing too hard on surfaces, which will kill the ninja instantly.
The ninja has a starting life-span of 90 seconds, represented by the timer, which can be extended by collecting gold, each piece adding two seconds.
If the ninja dies to an enemy or by hitting a surface too hard, the player must restart the level, and the timer resets to its original amount at the beginning of the level.
If the ninja's life-span runs out during an episode, it's game over - the player loses their progress and must start the episode from the beginning.
Controlling the ninja[]
Movement[]
Customization[]
The ninja's default colour is black, but the games offer various looks for the ninja. In N, the player can unlock a different colour (labled as 'flavours' in the game) for the ninja by completing a column of ten episodes.
In N+, besides colours, the player can choose costumes for the ninja. Some costumes are references to other games.
In N++, the player can choose from a set of four different colours for the ninja. The colours are based on the color theme that the player selected. The player can also choose a headband colour for the ninja and can unlock different handband styles.