Top 10 Hardest 2D Platformers of All Time
Jump, jump, FALL. These are the most difficult, maddening, insanely hard and stupidly stressful platforming games - you know, the ones that have you jumping between platforms. Welcome to http://WatchMojo.com and today we're counting down our picks for the Top 10 Hardest Platformers!
Special thanks to our user “Mdibble” for suggesting this topic using our interactive suggestion tool at http://WatchMojo.comsuggest
#10: “Castlevania” (1987)
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Whipping gamers of the NES age into shape with its staggering levels comprised of jumping across perilous terrain and battling terrifying enemies, ‘Castlevania’ was (and still is) one of the hardest action sidescrollers around. There are no shortage of tools and power-ups to aid the player along in their quest, but the game dishes out an equal amount of punishment to constantly keep the player on their toes. Enemies and bosses can very easily deplete your life bar, but even more irksome is how a projectile can completely ruin an otherwise well timed jump. ‘Castlevania’ will beat you down six ways to Sunday, but its worth it in the end. Stay strong.
#9: “Ninja Gaiden” (1989)
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We imagine it’d be tough to be as stealthy and tactical as a master ninja and somehow, even with the limited technology of the time, the original ‘Ninja Gaiden’ managed to simulate the action and acrobatics of a martial artist effortlessly. However, just because you can pull off dazzling jumps and flips doesn’t mean its an easy road to the finish line, as your timing needs to be absolutely spot on to safely land on surfaces and avoid various threats unscathed. The heavy emphasis on combat in the game also means you need to be able to gauge enemy attack patterns, requiring an offensive prowess to couple platforming skill. You’d have an easier time fighting an actual ninja.
#8: “Battle Kid: Fortress of Peril” (2010)
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We have games like ‘Castlevania’ and ‘Ninja Gaiden’ to thank for the inception of the cruel, harsh experience that is Battle Kid. To show an “appreciation” for the unforgiving titles of days gone by, this indie game aimed to recapture the intensity of old school gaming; but in a way, actually exceeds it. ‘Battle Kid’ is infamous for its inclusion of one-hit kills. Sure, there are infinite continues but when you’ve replayed the same sequence only to die dozens of times in a row, the repetition may spark some outbursts of unparalleled gamer rage. We wish you the best of luck in surviving its gauntlet.
#7: “Mega Man 9” (2008)
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Remember how hard the old NES ‘Mega Man’ games were? Capcom sure does. That’s why while producing another entry in the series, the devs decided to stick with tradition and make this ninth instalment mega-freaking hard. All of the usual suspects are here: hard to land jumping sections, unforgiving boss battles and deadly enemies scattered around every nook and cranny. Especially considering this was released in the modern gaming landscape, where we’ve become accustomed to games holding our hands, ‘Mega Man 9’ was a wake-up call and a serious challenge. It’s satisfying if you can actually beat it though…. big emphasis on the "if" part.
#6: “Super Mario Bros: The Lost Levels” (1986)
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The original ‘Super Mario Bros’ was a juggernaut and single handedly revitalized interest in the medium of gaming. While it was a hefty challenge, the once Japanese exclusive ‘Lost Levels’ follow-up must have had people tearing their hair out in aggravation by comparison. ‘Lost Levels’ difficulty level picks up right where the original game left off and only escalates from there. Alongside the more understandable obstacles like tough areas to navigate and tons of enemies, Nintendo felt compelled to throw in irritating roadblocks such as poison mushrooms, warp zones that send you backwards instead of forwards and wind gusts that affect the trajectory of jumps. Nintendo, you know, for kids!
#5: “Donkey Kong Country Returns” (2010)
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When Retro studios revealed that they were bringing back the side scrolling style of DK games, fans everywhere awaited eagerly with fierce anticipation. All of the DK trademarks were there: colorful visuals, fantastic music and of course, that strenuously hard difficulty. Whether it’s the boss battles, environmental hazards or one of those damn mine cart stages; ‘Returns’ is a consistently relentless throwback to a time when video games were all at once simple but incredibly demanding, requiring the player to ‘git gud’ in order to see an adventure through. There isn’t any monkey business in this one, folks.
#4: "Cuphead" (2017)
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What do you get when you match style with substance? Well, in this case, a friggin insanely difficult game! Cuphead is the newest entry on our list and is the brainchild of developers Chad & Jared Moldenhauer. A throwback to the 80s and 90s in terms of run & gun gameplay, and the 1930s in terms of art style, you’d be forgiven if you thought that all the fun to be had here was in the visuals alone. But alas, you’ll need those cheerful visuals to stop you from falling into a pit of despair, since the you’ll be dying over and over again trying to memorize the attack patterns of the various bosses – or just trying to get past the tutorial NOT NAMING ANY NAMES.
#3: “I Wanna Be The Guy: The Movie: The Game” (2007)
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Made by an indie developer out of his love for the old days of platformers, ‘I Wanna Be The Guy’ harkens back to old-school gameplay designs and concepts…which is just a fancy way of saying it's really, really hard. Inspired by previously mentioned games such as Mega Man and Mario Bros, this game actually decides to ramp up the difficulty on purpose, exaggerating the challenge to what can occasionally feel like a borderline impossible level. There are moments that are legitimately tough to complete, but then there are others that are intentionally made to mess with the player. Well, mission accomplished.
#2: “Super Meat Boy” (2010)
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This game will make mince-meat out of you, quite literally. As you control a wad of meat, jumping across various hazardous terrains to save your girlfriend, you’ll come to realize that just one ‘itty bitty’ bad move will result in an instant death. Considering that your character is made up of meat and nearly every obstacle in the environment is a sharp object, its almost as if the game is taunting you with the looming possibility that your doom could be coming at any moment. It can of course be done, but ‘Super Meat Boy’ is one of those trial-and-error experiences. So be ready to die over and over until you time that jump just right. Before we reveal our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions… “Shovel Knight: Spectre of Torment” (2017) “N+” (2008) “Angry Video Game Nerd Adventures” (2013)
#1: “Ghosts ‘n Goblins” (1985)
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If there’s any game that can cause breakdowns and posttraumatic stress: it’s definitely Ghosts ‘N’ Goblins. As we’ve mentioned a few times already, video games on the NES were balls to the wall levels of difficult, but this one kicks it up an insanely hard-core degree. With a ‘two hits’ and your dead philosophy, a ridiculous abundance of enemies on screen and some nearly impossible jumps to pull off, you’ll need the patience of a monk and reflexes of a ninja to make it out alive. Oh, and you need to do it all twice to see the real ending and "truly" beat the game. For additional masochistic fun, check out the sequel ‘Ghouls ‘N’ Ghosts’ – it’s just as brutal.
