The 20 HARDEST Classic Sega Games

“Vectorman 2” (1996)

As far as graphics and sound go, the “Vectorman” games are some of the coolest SEGA classics you could ever jump into. “Vectorman 2”, however, might be a bit migraine-inducing for some players. Not only are there a lot of dark areas where you can’t really tell where you’re going, but the camera is zoomed in just a bit too much to where the screen feels a bit cramped. You kind of have to play this game a bit slower than you’d probably like. Some of the later levels will also require you to take leaps of faith a bit more and become a bit labyrinthian in their design. So, be patient and just enjoy the ride as long as you can.

“After Burner II” (1987)

If you;re the type to get easily disoriented, then you may want to stay away from flight simulation games, especially “After Burner II”. “After Burner II” is simple in design; just fly around, lock onto enemies, and fire away while taking care to not crash your plane. The problem is that the camera turns as you turn, and it turns as fast as your plane does. This can quickly become a bewildering experience for some players once you start flying past your target’s exploding remains. It’s a fun game, but “After Burner II” is definitely not for the faint of heart.

“ToeJam & Earl” (1991)

To get good at “Toejam & Earl” requires multiple playthroughs, and trust us, your first few may be troublesome, to put it gently. The game has long been known for its surreal visuals and design. It’s part of its charm! But those unfamiliar may struggle as some enemies aren’t the usual suspects you would see as enemies in other games. Whereas some will try to directly harm the duo, others will impede the duo’s navigation and can send them falling down to previously explored areas. Seriously, this is one of the few instances where you’ll want to avoid ice cream trucks.

“Streets of Rage 2” (1992)

Those who think every beat ‘em up plays the same as the rest have not played “Streets of Rage 2”. This title has been known to be among the hardest beat ‘em ups you can play, but mostly if you’re playing on the Mania difficulty. Under this mode, enemies get way faster and attack more aggressively. This combined with the fact that you can accidentally hurt other players can make the game way tougher than one would expect. That said, try to make sure you aren’t getting too caught up in the action.

“Space Harrier II” (1998)

As we’ve seen with the previous entries, many of these games are tough by design. “Space Harrier II”, on the other hand, may not have been difficult intentionally. At least we aren’t sure if it was. This game has not aged all that well as its performance tanks the second enemies start flying in from offscreen. The drop in framerate can make it really hard to be precise with your shots, which may lead you to constantly adjusting and readjusting your position. “Space Harrier II” is a fun game. Don’t get it twisted. But if it ran better, it’d be way more exhilarating.

“Sonic the Hedgehog” (1991)

It’s become a lot harder to justify playing the original “Sonic the Hedgehog” as time marches forward. Yes, the visuals are fantastic, the music slaps, and the environments are creatively vibrant. The problem is that this is a game that encourages you to get through every level as fast as possible while also throwing in cheap shots, pitfalls, and whatever else could rob you of rings and lives. It ultimately forces you to play the game at a significantly slower pace, and even then, “Sonic the Hedgehog” will try to throw some nonsense at you.

“Ristar” (1995)

Don’t let the cutesy appearance fool you. “Ristar” is indeed among the hardest games SEGA has ever put out into the world. The entire game revolves around grabbing. Grab poles to launch off of, grab enemies to body check them, grab trees to get over spikes – all of it requiring precise timing and reaction. Fail to grab something in time, and you’ll likely wind up losing a life. It is one of those games that will make or break you, but power through, and you’ll find that “Ristar” is one of the coolest gems in SEGA’s ancient catalog.

“Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg” (2003)

While we’re still talking about charming and cute games, we want to bring up good ol’ Billy Hatcher. This kid had one of the coolest GameCube games ever made for the platform. Admittedly though, it wasn’t the most well-polished. In addition to the expectedly abysmal camera controls most 3D platformers succumb to, the controls tied to rolling eggs around weren’t super responsive either. It isn’t oppressive by any means, but it definitely takes some time to get used to how each egg controls. So, try not to let a few falls discourage you from trying again.

“Kid Chameleon” (1992)

Look, if you don’t like games that go on for way too long, then “Kid Chameleon” isn’t for you. This game goes on for more than one hundred levels, and the difficulty fluctuates at an absurd rate. Some levels won’t be too bad, but others will make you want to tear your hair out. What’s worse is that you can’t just stop and come back to where you left off later. “Kid Chameleon” has no save system of any kind, not even a password system! So, you either beat it in a single sitting or find a port of the game that supports save states. Either way, good luck - your mental fortitude will be tested here.

“Golden Axe III” (1993)

Out of all of the “Golden Axe” games, “Golden Axe III” is the absolute best of the bunch with its gorgeous visuals and ways it adds to the previous games’ combat mechanics. It is also the hardest between all three of the original games. The main reason for this is because enemies can block whenever they damn well feel like it, and there’s not really much you can do to counter it. You basically have to go all out on an enemy before they can get up or know when it’s time to focus on another foe for a bit. Still, it’s a super fun game!

“Chakan: The Forever Man” (1992)

Much like “Kid Chameleon”, “Chakan: The Forever Man” has no means of saving your progress. But that isn’t enough to put you through the wringer! “Chakan” is one of those typical platformers that loves putting in jumps requiring perfect precision while bringing progress to a screeching halt with absurd enemy spawns. Eventually, it gets to a point where you sit and wonder why the game is trying to make the experience so miserable. God help you if you lose a life because chances are you’ll lose a ton of progress thanks to the awful checkpoint system.

“Burning Rangers” (1998)

“Burning Rangers” is one of those cult classics that’s in a similar situation as “Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg”. Some folks have nostalgia for it because of the visuals, sound, and general tone. But once you actually play it, your feelings may be unjustified. “Burning Rangers” is known to be difficult for its archaic camera controls. Some players may not be super keen on the game’s reliance on voice navigation. Because of your limited oxygen and lack of a minimap, you need to listen closely to figure out where you need to go next. This can also be difficult on account of fires exploding and spreading everywhere. Hope you aren’t hard of hearing!

“Shadow Dancer: The Secret of Shinobi” (1990)

Hey, it took us long enough to get a “Shinobi” game in here, right? Indeed, you can pick just about any “Shinobi” game, and it’d be worthy of being on this list. But “Shadow Dancer” stands out because of one thing and one thing only: the focus on insta-kills. Anything and everything you see in “Shadow Dancer” can kill you in a single blow, and enemies are placed in some really inconvenient spots from the moment you press start. So, if you think you can handle a game that demands total perfection, have at it.

“Altered Beast” (1988)

The funny thing about most of the games we’ve featured on this list is that most of them are excellent at best, solid at worst. “Altered Beast” is the runt of the litter because, let’s be honest, this game sucks. The stiff controls make it super awkward to move around and attack, and they do not accommodate the player in countering the much faster enemies. It’s a game built entirely around punishing the player in some truly absurd ways. Really, just go play any of the other games we’ve talked about. You’ll have a better time with those.

“Comix Zone” (1994)

If there is one word we could use to describe why “Comix Zone” is a difficult game, it’s “claustrophobic”. Yes, the use of different comic panels makes for a really cool aesthetic and can lead to some interesting level design. But it often feels like you have less room to anticipate enemies from charging in offscreen. If you’re someone who's played a bunch of beat ‘em ups and action platformers, you may not struggle as much as other players might.

“Super Monkey Ball” (2001)

On the surface, it seems like “Super Monkey Ball” would have you controlling AiAi just as most other video games would, right? Well, that’s where the unique gimmick comes in. You aren’t controlling the monkeys in the balls — you’re controlling the stage and which direction it tilts in! From there, “Super Monkey Ball” becomes a constant grapple with physics as your tilts will determine how fast AiAi goes. And yes, every stage gets worse in gimmicks, layout, and geometry. Remember the old phrase: “patience is a virtue”.

“Ecco the Dolphin” (1992)

SEGA are a bunch of deceitful jerkwads for putting out a game with a happy little dolphin on the cover! “Ecoo the Dolphin” is not as innocent as it may seem. This game can be one of the most aggravating gaming experiences in your life. Every level is designed in such a weird, maze-like way that it becomes incredibly easy to get lost. Not only that, but there are tons of enemies and obstacles that can kill you in a single hit. Of course, once you realize this game was made during the golden age of Blockbuster and Hollywood Video, then you understand why the game was made so obscenely difficult.

“Virtua Fighter 2” (1994)

Even if you have never played “Virtua Fighter 2”, trust us when we say that you have played “Virtua Fighter 2”. We’re not saying that because there isn’t anything special about the game, far from it. It’s just that the way the game makes fights hard is nothing different compared to any other fighting game we’ve played. It’s your classic case of B-S input reading and inhuman reaction to even the quickest attacks. It winds up making “Tekken’s” bosses seem way more fair at times, especially when you fight Dural.

“Alex Kidd in Miracle World” (1986)

Just as they did with “Ecco the Dolphin”, SEGA wants you to believe this is just a cute 2D platformer about a little boy setting out to save his kingdom from destruction. They even throw in rock-paper-scissors minigames! But once you’ve gone through the first level, “Alex Kidd in Miracle World” seems like it’s out to get you. Controlling Alex himself is infuriating with his slippery movement, floaty jumps, and pathetic punches. On top of that, you have all sorts of hazards being thrown at you from offscreen, beneath blocks, and everywhere. Do yourself a favor and just play the remake; it’s way more accessible.

“The Revenge of Shinobi” (1989)

Not super surprising ending the list with yet another “Shinobi” game, right? “The Revenge of Shinobi” has been known to be so difficult it has caused some fans to question whether they genuinely like the series or only one or two of the games specifically. Each difficulty cranks up the number of enemies more and more to where you’ll feel like you’re making very little progress if any at all. Couple that with the usual limited resources that allow you to execute more powerful moves, and you’ll be turning the game off within minutes.

What’s the toughest SEGA game you’ve ever played? Let us know down in the comments, and don’t forget to subscribe to MojoPlays.