GD: "N+ developer Metanet Software has announced a new action puzzle game currently in-development by the name of Office Yeti. Which I officially nominate for Game of the Universe based solely on the title and my imagination."
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Major Nelson writes:

"Xbox LIVE Gold Members can now grab the Arcade game N+ for only 560 points. Normally 800 points, this Deal of the Week will be available until Monday, July 13th."
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Console Monster writes: "We mentioned earlier that new Gears of War 2 content was available but it doesn't stop there as the Xbox Live Marketplace has been updated with even more content including two Xbox Originals. Here is the full Xbox Live Marketplace update for Monday 15th December 2008:

Xbox Original: Raze's Hell
Price: 1200 Microsoft Points
Availability: All Xbox Live Regions except Asia

Xbox Original: SEGA Soccer Slam
Price: 1200 Microsoft Points
Availability: All Xbox Live Regions except Asia

Mercenaries 2: World in Flames: Blow It Up Again
Price: Free
Availability: All Xbox Live Regions
Description: Blow it up again with four new explosive missions..."
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Metanet releases a free level pack for XBLA game N+
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Console Monster writes: "It's the news post that needs no introduction: It's the Xbox Live Marketplace Update and today it's mostly Xbox Live Arcade content. As well as today's three new releases, there's some Buku Sudoku content, a Double D Dodgeball Picture Pack and Theme, new N+ levels as previously reported and more. Here is the full Xbox Live Marketplace Update for Wednesday 10th September 2008:

Name: Buku Sudoku - Theme Pack 3
Price: 150 Microsoft Points
Availability: All Xbox Live Regions

Name: Buku Sudoku - Picture Pack 3
Price: 100 Microsoft Points
Availability: All Xbox Live Regions

Name: Buku Sudoku - Puzzle Pack 3
Price: 200 Microsoft Points
Availability: All Xbox Live Regions..."
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The first downloadble content pack for N+ is available right now from the Xbox Live Marketplace. This is the first of three DLC releases for possibly the most challenging Xbox Live Arcade game released to date.

The First DLC Pack includes...
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DarkZero: According to the developers site the DLC will offer 150 "easier" Singleplayer levels and 50 "regular difficulty" Co-op Multiplayer levels when it get's released "very very soon - by the end of July!"
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Joystiq writes: "A little ninja scampered across our screen to bring news that Metanet, developer of N+, has three level packs for the Xbox Live Arcade version of the game ready and waiting. According to a post on Metanet's blog, the downloadable content has already been submitted to Microsoft for certification, although it has yet to receive a release date.

The post also reveals that one of the three packs will be free, and that, in total, the DLC-drop contains more than 750 new maps (roughly 300 of which are mutliplayer levels). The maps are reportedly "a lot better than the ones that came with N+" due to the fact that Metanet has "had more time to learn what works." We know what works: 750 more reasons to love the stylish and seductively simple ninja platformer."
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Myan-themed Puzzle Game 'TiQal' opens up with a horrible start, while Microsoft kills GamerScore cheaters, and 'Brain Training' stays on top with over 13,000 units sold this week.
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N+ creators Raigan Burns and Mare Sheppard in their response blog titled "In Defense of the Apparant Shitstorm" write:

"Well, apparently our Gamasutra interview is controversial. Probably we should do what all the professionals have advised us to do, and just stop reading comments - it is the internet after all. But let's instead take one last stab at dialogue.

We didn't intend to provoke outrage, we simply spoke candidly. Actually saying what you think rather than being fake in an interview situation is apparently just not done, but don't shoot the messenger - it's not our fault that the vast majority of XBLA games suck! Literally every single person we've ever spoken with is in agreement on this, and yet it's apparently shocking for gamers in general to hear (assuming that's who reads joystiq/kotaku)."
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'N+' finally gets toppled by surprising casual juggernaught 'Brain Challenge', debuting its first full week on the charts with 26,000 units - #3rd overall for best full weeks. FPS classic 'Doom' increases units sold strongly by 110%, and Assault Heroes does very similarly.
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Since the February release of N+ on Xbox Live Arcade, the developers at Metanet have apparently locked themselves away in a secret underground Toronto location, cranking out new levels like true design ninja.

N+ co-creator Mare Sheppard told IGN today that Metanet plans to release three downloadable expansion packs, each containing about 200 levels, in the months ahead. The first pack will likely contain some easier levels and some co-op multiplayer levels and could hit Xbox Live Marketplace as early as three weeks from now. The second and third packs would follow soon after.
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These lists are based on global unique users connected to Xbox Live or in the case of Arcade, full versions purchased this week. Here are the top 3 for each charts, see the source for the complete top 10 list.

Xbox 360 Top Live Titles
1. Call of Duty 4
2. Halo 3
3. Guitar Hero III

Top Arcade Titles
1. N+
2. Rocketmen: Axis of Evil
3. Triggerheart Exelica

Original Xbox Top Live Titles
1. Halo 2
2. Star Wars: Battlefront 2
3. Counter-Strike
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These lists are based on global unique users connected to Xbox Live or in the case of Arcade, full versions purchased this week. Here are the top 3 for each charts, see the source for the complete top 10 list.

Xbox 360 Top Live Titles:
1. Call of Duty 4
2. Halo 3
3. Guitar Hero III

Top Arcade Titles:
1. N+
2. Triggerheart Exelica
3. Worms

Original Xbox Top Live Titles:
1. Halo 2
2. Battlefield 2: Modern Combat
3. Counter-Strike
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At the 2008 Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, Mare Sheppard (Metanet Software Inc.) and Nick Waanders (Slick Entertainment Inc.) gave a presentation about the development of N+ for Xbox LIVE Arcade. These are the slides used for the presentation.
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VGChartz reports that this week, Triggerheart Excelica launched to decent numbers. Triggerheart Excelica is the 2nd ever Dreamcast game to come to the XBLA Service, with Rez HD being the first. Excelica beats previous $10 Schmup recordholder, Omega 5's debut of 6,000 units by a decent 20% increase.

However, like Omega 5, it was vastly frontloaded this week: it's debut sales on it's first day was almost 40% of the 3day week (which is rather high). Another major note: Japanese Xbox 360 users made up 40% of the entire Excelica userbase. In the case of Omega 5, it sold only to 14% Japanese users (which is well above the norm, as the JP userbase constitutes maybe 5% of the average XBLA purchase base).

Other notes:

-Sonic the Hedgehog reaches 250,000 Units
-N+ increased very well
-Rez HD finishes it's first month just shy of 100,000 units
-Chessmaster LIVE ends it's first month with almost 28,000 units.
-Poker Smash had a massive drop from last week: it shed 70% from last week. Fortunately, the game has still done very well with grossing $400,000 in 4 weeks.
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N+ always intended to let players upload custom levels for anyone to download, but Microsoft nixed the feature at the last second.

The decision was so last second, in fact, the version of N+ available on Partnernet, a test version of Xbox Live that publishers and select media can access, actually includes this feature. MTV Multiplayer wondered why a small studio like Metanet Software would bother investing in such an ambitious feature if they had any suspicions it wouldn't make the cut.
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PS3Fanboy reports that N+ creators Metanet confirmed a PSN version of N+ (recently released on Xbox 360) is definitely in the works. However, it will not appear on the service any time soon. "Yes, however due to an exclusivity clause in our XBLA contract, it may not be for a while."

A producer at Atari noted that they are excited to work on PSN in the future. He pointed out the freedom developers have to create games on the Network. "The PSN has fewer restrictions on their incoming content (likely because it's struggling to catch up to the well-established XBLA) but again, on the PSN right now the indie designer has far more freedom to create the game that they imagine, whatever the size and shape." This kind of flexibility, we hope, is what will draw new exclusive content to the Network.
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Kotaku writes:

"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."
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These lists are based on global unique users connected to Xbox Live or in the case of Arcade, full versions purchased this week. Here are the top 3 for each charts, see the source for the complete top 10 list.

Xbox 360 Top Live Titles:
1. Call of Duty 4
2. Halo 3
3. Guitar Hero III

Top Arcade Titles:
1. N+
2. UNO
3. Rez HD

Original Xbox Top Live Titles:
1. Halo 2
2. Star Wars: Battlefront 2
3. Counter-Strike
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