Ascend

Ascend is a platform game where the objective is to reach the top floor of each stage by climbing ladders, while avoiding enemies.

The stage layouts get more complex as the game progresses. There is a time limit in each stage, and the faster the top is reached, the better the score. Figuring out the best ways to reach the top gives the game a puzzle aspect, similar to titles such as Lode Runner.

However, in Ascend the player doesn't have the ability to dig holes. Instead, the player character can jump against blocks so that they can act as barriers for enemies, who would otherwise pose a danger as touching them leads to a loss of the limited lives of the player. There is also an exclamation mark symbol appearing during stages which gives invincibility once collected.