Definition
New Game Plus (often abbreviated NG+) is a gameplay mode in which a player who has completed a video game may restart the game from the beginning while retaining certain progress elements—such as character statistics, equipment, abilities, or other assets—acquired during the initial playthrough.
Overview
The New Game Plus mode is employed by developers to extend the longevity and replay value of a title. By preserving player‑earned upgrades, the mode offers a familiar narrative experience with heightened difficulty, altered enemy scaling, additional content, or alternative story branches. It typically becomes available immediately after the game's ending is reached, though some titles require the player to manually activate the mode from a menu. New Game Plus can be found across multiple genres, including role‑playing games (RPGs), action‑adventure titles, and shooters.
Etymology / Origin
The phrase “New Game Plus” derives from the combination of “new game,” indicating a fresh playthrough, and the plus sign (+), denoting the addition of retained progress. The concept traces its modern roots to the 1994 release of Chrono Trigger for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, which offered a post‑completion playthrough with all characters and items carried over. Subsequent titles such as Final Fantasy VII (1997) popularized the term, solidifying it within industry discourse.
Characteristics
- Retention of Assets: Player characters keep experience points, skill trees, equipment, currency, or other resources amassed in the first run.
- Increased Difficulty: Enemies may have higher health, damage output, or altered AI to compensate for the player's advantage.
- Additional Content: Some games unlock new quests, areas, dialogue, or endings exclusive to New Game Plus.
- Multiple Iterations: Certain titles allow successive New Game Plus cycles (e.g., NG+, NG++), each further preserving progress and often scaling difficulty.
- Optional Activation: The mode is typically optional, permitting players to continue a standard “New Game” if they prefer to start without retained benefits.
Related Topics
- New Game – The standard initial playthrough of a video game without retained progress.
- Replayability – Design elements that encourage players to experience a game multiple times.
- Hardcore Mode / Ironman Mode – Game settings that increase difficulty or impose stricter penalties, sometimes combined with New Game Plus.
- Save‑Game Transfer – Mechanisms allowing data continuity across platforms or sequels.
- Game Difficulty Scaling – Systems that adjust challenge based on player performance or progression.