The 10 HARDEST Classic Platformers

The 10 Hardest Classic Platformers

Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we’re counting down our picks for the ten hardest classic platforming games, specifically focusing on 2D platformers here to keep things extra classic.

“Rayman” (1995)

Don’t let the sugar-coated, colorful graphics and whimsical art style fool you here; “Rayman” is a downright brutal 2D platformer. Precision is of the utmost importance as you navigate perilous platforming gauntlets, contending with wacky baddies, and hoovering up oodles of collectibles along the journey. As if the platforming itself wasn’t justifiable enough for a list like this, toss in plenty of instant-death traps and hazards, limited hits Rayman can takes, helpful abilities not readily available at first, hectic enemy placement, and some labyrinthian later levels; and it’s clear “Rayman” is here to both entertain and challenge you in equal measure.

“The Lion King” (1994)

Yes, yes, we know, there are plenty of gamers out there that have mastered this game, claiming it’s not actually that hard. But, I mean come on, for the majority of us mere mortals, “The Lion King” is a nightmare to beat, with levels like ‘Can’t Wait to be King,’ ‘Be Prepared,’ ‘The Stampede,’ and more ready to bring you to your knees. 90s gamers know very well that this game was crafted to be brutal so it couldn’t easily be wrapped up during a short game rental period. The game is definitely fun, don’t get us wrong. But, it’s a battle of attrition as each level shreds your nerves and your patience. Hakuna Matata, am I right? Hah…nope!

“Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse” (1989)

We thought about tossing the OG “Castlevania” on this list instead of “Dracula’s Curse,” but for our money, this third gothic outing just wins out in terms of sheer difficulty, overall. Two main facets make this game stand out here: rigid controls/movement and knockback. That gosh darn knocback…it’s brutal. Trevor’s slow movement speeds and lack of helpful jump trajectory make navigating each spooky environ a real challenge, again, made worse when you unfortunately get hit by a baddie and get set backwards to your grave. The multiple paths are certainly great for replayability and exploration but it can often be confusing as to what the optimal path is, especially when you are getting pummeled over and over again by the tricky enemy placement. Yes, we are very much looking at you Flea Men and Medusa Heads. Oh ya, and those bosses….well, good luck.

“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” (1989)

We’ve talked about the NES’ “TMNT” game loads of times here on MojoPlays, and for good reason. Spoiler alert: it’s super duper hard, and no not just the Dam level and the Technodrome level. Like, the whole freakin’ game is out to get you. The turtles’ movements are not easy to grasp, attacking groups of baddies takes pure precision, and the limited lives and continues don’t help. “TMNT” is basically a coin-munching arcade game that only values the truly skilled gamers. Oh, and that knockback we mentioned in the last entry, ya, it’s in full force here. We do enjoy this NES classic but it’s littered with ways to fail around every corner.

“Prince of Persia” (1989)

Jordan Mechner’s “Prince of Persia” is a stone-cold classic, altering the way we played and enjoyed platformers back in the very late 80s and early 90s. It’s a revolutionary title that remains fun to this day, but my goodness, did it really have to go that hard in terms of sheer difficulty? On top of a super strict 60-minute time limit, which immediately makes everything more pressure-filled and hectic, the prince has to deal with oodles upon oodles of deadly traps and obstacles, hyper-precise jumping and movement through a sort of grid-based design, all with little to no guidance. Trial-and-error is everything in this game and it will take loads of patience and skill to get through this well-crafted but brutal gauntlet.

“Mega Man & Bass” (1998)

I’ll be honest, when researching for this list, I would have thought one of the earlier “Mega Man” games would pop up as being one of the hardest in terms of being a classic platformer. However, it turns out that 1998’s “Mega Man & Bass,” known as “Rockman & Forte” in Japan is actually the toughest of the bunch, mostly because it requires you to fully understand all of the ins and outs of past “Mega Man” titles. This steep barrier to entry might already put off some players, especially those that didn’t dabble in the beloved franchise. The platforming is intense and tight, enemies just spam you constantly it seems, character balance is all over the place, bosses are notoriously punishing, and the game has loads of late-game difficulty spikes. “Mega Man & Bass” is truly only for those who consider themselves masters of the franchise.

“Battletoads” (1991)

Much like “TMNT” is a previous entry, we have also right discussed “Battletoads” plenty of times when it comes to super tough games. This game is infamously difficult, made especially so via Turbo Tunnels. But, even despite that insanely hard level, all in all, “Battletoads” is just a relentless gauntlet of beam ‘em up gameplay, uber-tight platforming, and little to no room for error. Each level throws some completely new your way that you need to master, and master quickly if you hope to inch forward. Each stage is an intricate labyrinth of death, only overcome by those who fully grasp the movement principles, attack patterns, level-specific gimmicks, and trial-and-error nature of each new section. If you happen to be one of those gamers that has completed this game, we tip our hat to you.

“Ninja Gaiden” (1988)

“Ninja Gaiden” might not be the first game you think of when your mind conjures classic platformers; however, make no mistake about it, this is a platformer through and through. Does it feature plenty of action combat and beat ‘em up gameplay? Yes, absolutely. But it also doles out platforming tests of skill just as often. Many 80s and 90s gamers out there know that “Ninja Gaiden” is synonymous with unforgiving design philosophy, something that is still often retained in newer entries in this long-running series. This 1988 catalyst of pain requires pin point precision for both combat and movement if you hope to step out as the ninja victor.

“Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels” (1986)

“The Lost Levels?” More like the-lost-my-mind-levels due to how frustrating this game can be, constantly forcing you to engage with pixel perfect platforming in order to just get to the end of the stage. Essentially, this game was put together to test only the most seasoned veteran “Mario” players and platforming pros out there. Seriously, some of these levels rival even the most dastardly gauntlets created by players’ twisted imaginations in something like “Mario Maker.” Platforms to land on are smaller, enemies are more resilient and more omni-present, it’s less obvious how to proceed through some levels, and it all just requires muscle memory and innate platforming skill.

“Ghosts ‘n Goblins” (1985)

The progenitor to many uber-challenging 2D platformers out there, and even the likes of the PS2’s often overlooked brutal 3D action-adventure platformer, “Maximo: Ghosts to Glory,” “Ghosts ‘n Goblins” is straight up pure arcade, coin-munching brutality. It’s like this game was designed specifically to just trip you up with every step you take. Death is imminent as you attempt to navigate the highly complex levels, each littered with quick kill traps, relentless baddies, and enough projectiles that this game could also be considered a bullet hell for some players out there. It’s all just so unforgiving and unnerving. Do we love the cartoony spooky, moody vibes? Heck yes! But, there’s no denying that it’s a game that will pummel you over and over again until you earn your reward.

So, do you agree with our picks for this list? There are so many challenging classic platforming games out there. Which do you find the most punishing? Let us know in the comments.