Cooper: My database is set to compatibility of 90. To check this setting, right click on the database in Management Studio and choose Properties. Select the "Options" row from the list on the left. Then look at compatibility level on the right.

The 90 setting may or may not make a difference. I got the following syntax to work with the 90 setting:

. SELECT TOP (@N) * FROM table_name

I got an error when the parentheses were eliminated.