Despite Nintendo's family-friendly image, anyone who's played much the company's output can tell you that, while Nintendo games might start out all fluffy and colourful and welcoming, you'll need all the hugs and fluff you can get as you enter the endgame, with the challenge ramping up considerably in the last quarter, especially if you're hunting down every last secret.
Obviously, this doesn't apply to everything, but for a company known for its multi-coloured hardware offerings and cutesy, cuddly character design, it certainly knows how to up the ante in the difficulty department when appropriate. Throw in a bunch of unforgiving classics from third parties and indies, and the Switch boasts some of gaming's toughest challenges, yours to conquer on the bus or the bog (or, you know, on the telly).
In the list below we've rounded up just some of the greatest challenges on the console — the most difficult Switch games available. Our only criteria beyond asking a lot from players was that the games must be good, nay, great. Anybody can make something difficult; it's getting you to return and try-try-try again which sets apart genius game design from trolling. All the games below are super challenging, but also fair. Persevere and your efforts will be rewarded!
So, let's have a look — in no particular order — at some of the hardest games on Switch...
Dark Souls: Remastered (Switch)
Let's get the most obvious entry out of the way first, shall we? Dark Souls: Remastered is a faithful remaster of a touchstone in video game design that improves overall performance of the original release while preserving all of the character traits that made it such a memorable experience. While it’s no less forgiving, and its menus are a little fiddly, this slick Nintendo Switch iteration offers an excellent way to experience Lordran’s ultra-challenging odyssey in true handheld form.
Challenging it may be, but Dark Souls is a very fair game. Learn its systems, scan its areas, and approach with caution, and you will ultimately triumph. However, blunder into enemy encounters on a wing and a prayer — even against low-level foes you've bested dozens of times before — and your very first mistake will be punished mercilessly.
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Cuphead (Switch eShop)
A run-and-gun boss battler dressed up like a 1930s Fleischer or Disney animated short, Cuphead is a visually jaw-dropping, aurally delightful, knuckle-whiteningly difficult game. Its focus on intense boss battles won’t be to everyone’s tastes, especially if you somehow come to the game expecting a bouncy, cartoony platformer, but as long as you know what you’re getting yourself into we can’t recommend it enough.
Spelunky (Switch eShop)
Many years after its debut, Spelunky still has all the fundamentals in place and remains a great entry in the roguelike genre. Solid gameplay, plenty of secrets, and an addictive gameplay loop make for an easy game to recommend, though be prepared to die a lot before you really ‘get it’. Whatever your tolerance for difficulty may be, this indie classic proved to be a great fit for the Switch, and its sequel is equally good — if not a little better. Feel free to skip straight to that one if you've only got room for one Spelunky in your life. You know, if you don't like a challenge and want to skip a classic and take the easy way out.*
*Jokes! Play games you like at the difficulty setting that makes you happy. They're just games. Thank you.
La-mulana 2 (Switch eShop)
The original La-Mulana was a masterpiece in its own right, but we’d contend that it’s been edged out by the sequel, an expertly-paced, crushingly difficult, and utterly mystifying adventure that constantly beckons you to explore deeper and acquaint yourself with its unique charms. La-Mulana 2 definitely isn’t for everybody – if you consider yourself an impatient or clumsy player, steer clear – but those who put in the time and effort to crack this nut will be deeply satisfied that they did so.
And if this isn't enough for you, you can always go back and polish off the original, too. Same for Spelunky.
Metroid Dread (Switch)
Metroid Dread was a triumphant return for both Samus Aran and developer MercurySteam, a super-slick, hugely entertaining, exquisitely designed entry in the Metroid franchise that plays better than anything we've seen from the series so far. It's also a tough cookie, with punishing bosses and cleverly circuitous level design that asks a lot of you, especially after the relative linearity of Metroid Fusion, the previous entry in the 2D Metroid series.
Hollow Knight (Switch eShop)
Hollow Knight's beautiful 2D world, tactile combat, and impressive bevy of secrets constantly drag you in for more and help you to persevere when the going gets tough, which it frequently will. On an eShop that's filled with top-quality indie games, Hollow Knight is one of the very best; a big, beautiful, foreboding Metroidvania that's absolutely thick with detail and difficulty. From its punchy combat system to its charming art and sound design, this remains one of the finest adventures you can have on Nintendo Switch.
Celeste (Switch eShop)
Celeste is an exemplary amalgamation of style, mechanics and character. A devilishly brilliant action platformer with enough skill required to excite genre purists and the speedrunning community, it also caters to audiences who aren't the hardest of core gamers. It presents a literal (well, digital at least) mountain for you to climb and conquer, with an art style and narrative that help you through the challenges the game presents.
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury (Switch)
Okay, okay, what's this doing here? Well, as an example of a Nintendo game that starts simple and ratchets things up in its closing section, look no further than Super Mario 3D World.
Specifically, we spent multiple nights attempting to clear the final level back on Wii U, so much so that it's burned into our memory as one of the biggest video gaming challenges we've overcome in the last decade. Perhaps we were just having an off day. Off week. Perhaps we're just scarred and emotionally drained and it's really not so bad. Watch the video below and tell us this isn't nightmarishly tough, though...
Dark Souls was nothing compared to that. Complaints to the usual address.
![Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury [Digital Code]](https://images.nintendolife.com/products/13286/100x100.jpg)
![Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury [Download Code - UK/EU]](https://images.nintendolife.com/products/18468/100x100.png)
Darkest Dungeon (Switch eShop)
With a title like that, you'd be disappointed if this dungeon turned out to be a walk in the park, wouldn't you? Darkest Dungeon has always been an RPG that finds ways to make life uncomfortable for the player, and this Switch version managed to add a couple of usability issues to that list. However, it's still a dauntingly deep, thoroughly absorbing dungeon crawler that will swallow you up for hours at a time.
Baba Is You (Switch eShop)
Baba Is You is like a compilation of gift shop brain teasers; they’re not for everyone, but some people just can’t get enough of them. One of the most unique puzzlers you can find on the Switch, you're encouraged to break its rules and create your own ones, making it a refreshing and unique experience, albeit a tough one if your brain isn't weird that way. Its sudden difficulty spike and lack of a hint system could easily discourage you, but if you enjoy a good brain-teasing, Baba’s puzzles are a joy to get lost in.
Comments 108
Going through this list, I am… 4-16… ^^;
Difficulty just isn't something I look for in my games. I usually drop the difficulty to the lowest setting before playing any game. I game for the artistry and to chill, not to be stressed. That said, I think R-Type Final 2 is tough even on kids mode, still love it though.
I've beaten Metroid Dread, SMT V, and Celeste.
Also DKC:TF, but no way I'm unlocking the secret stuff.
Dead Cells and Into the Breach should be on this list. Rogue likes are tough, Metroid Dread wasn't particularly
I love the reward of just standing here, learning, getting better, and the. Something that once seemed impossible, seems, possible, and then you do it, yourself, you did that, it’s an awesome feeling!
@Big_Fudge Dead Cells is the top entry on page two.
I did a few of these and I have to say finishing celeste side B is probably my biggest achievement in gaming. My hands hurt a lot by the end (almost 2000 death's alone in the last chapter of that).
Hollow knight is also very hard indeed. Games like DKTF, SM3D or Dread are challenging but not in the same level
P.s: I would add Hades to the list (it is not the hardest roguelite but still a good challenge)
My partner is working through Darkest Dungeon right now. It looks like an extremely well-made game, but the amount of crap it hurls at you is sadistic. I feel demoralized just watching her play.
Spelunky and Celeste....
then...
Dark Souls Remastered
Cuphead is hard...but not "this" hard...I have A+ ranked in all stages and boss, in 3 difficulty modes...simple, regular and expert. Use the "ghost air dash" movement or the invencible rolling (Mrs Chalice)!!! Play it calm..don´t make unnecessary moves and you´ll beat the most of boss "easily".
Darkest Dungeons is like Cuphead....hard but not "this" hard. Slay the Spire is harder than this game (specially the 20 ascencion - each character). Very good game!
Spelunky maybe the most difficult here. No tips here, this game is just insane...(very fun!!!)
Never played this "baba" game...
I feel like NecroDancer contains the hardest videogame challenge available on the Switch. Specifically Coda mode.
Double speed + missing a beat kills you + 1hp + dagger only + gold kills you. Utter insanity.
I'm not even good enough to unlock Coda mode, let alone playing it.
I wish u would do a list for “most approachable games”….I get that people want a challenge, but I just don’t ant to go for the ride and relax….
I disagree about Super Meat Boy. It's a terrible game.
Some of Hollow Knight was brutal, but I loved it. I eventually owned Nightmare Lord Grim. Celeste was fine. SMTV is only as hard as you want it to be - play it on normal, and it’s just a very good RPG.
I never beat Baba Is You, though - it beat me. Dang, that game gets hard. Brilliant experience, though.
I've actually beaten quite a few of these. Dark Souls, Hollow Knight, Metroid Dread, (which I didn't find particularly hard), Celeste, Ikaruga, Cyber Shadow, Tropical Freeze, and Ghost and Goblins Resurrection, (easy mode though). I've been stuck on the Dice King boss of Cuphead since the game came out.
Where is Guilty Gear and Guilty Gear XX ΛCore Plus R? First GG is just broken and cruel. Guilty Gear XX ΛCore Plus R difficulty level is between very hard and unforgiving!
@Cipher36 ah didn't see the 2nd page.
I've finished Mario Maker 2, Mario 3D World and Bowsers Fury, Celeste, Hollow Knight, Dead Cells, Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze, Super Meat boy, Metroid Dread. Aka the platformers.
Cybershadow is on my to-do list as I do like Yacht Club.
@LillianC14 Supermeat Boy is amazing!
I have Cuphead and Celeste but I couldn't finish either because I suck.
I haven’t properly completed any of these because I like myself.
@Vyacheslav333 Guilty Gear XX Accent Core plus + r is not "this" difficult.
My tip: to beat the difficult Survival Mode, Millionaire mode, etc.... = when you loose, seconds before you click on "start" (second controller)...so you can beat the "second player", and reset the fight on survival. You can beat this way. Don´t use "berserker" on suvival. In classic survival you can use Anji-Mito....every character loose to his destroyer (during a long jump)...Anji Mito is a "counter" character...it´s an advanced character, but you can train his moves on trainning mode.
I-no is a easy last boss...you can double jump in front of her when she makes her ultra special (that balls...)..and destroy her using a 10-15 hit combos (she will repeat the ultra special..and you repeat the combo after double jump in front of her). When you play using potenkin it´s very easy...double jump, so grab her (Potenkin Buster)...she will immediately repeat the special..so..double jump and grab......till the end (3 or 4 repeats)
You need to know 100% what you are doing in this game. I really love this game. Best Guilty Gear ever! I play so many tournaments online on Steam! (rollback!!)
Go to the pratice mode and train a 10-15 hit combo to each character) before fight I-no!
@EarthboundBenjy Well, Coda is just non-story character. And nobody forces you to beat the game playing as Coda. Also, there is even no in-game achievements in CotND...
I've only played Dead Cells and Mario Maker 2 out of this list myself but both are easily some of my favourite games on the system. Dead Cells feels so rewarding to constantly augment yourself with new weapons, mutations and whatnot and, despite never actually beating it (I've gotten as far as Conjunctivius myself), it's easily one of my favourite indie games. As for Mario Maker 2 then, whilst you do have to wade through a whole lotta nothing to get to the good bits, a well designed Mario Maker level is often better than anything you'll find in an actual main series game. I may not be masochistic enough for Kaizo personally but I'll gladly do any 'challenging but fair' level I come across on the popular tab!
I do really want to get Celeste at some point though since I've always thought of it as 'the hard Mario Maker levels but even better' so whenever it goes on sale again, I'll hopefully be able to grab it!
Unpopular opinion: Hollow Knight is unfair and frustrating. You're exploring, trying to survive with one or two "hearts" and then a B.S. mini-boss comes out of nowhere and crushes you, takes all your money, re-start at a very far place, and when you try to return to that place, you die again and you just lost all your money. It happened to me so many times I just quit that game. I don't understand its appeal.
I completed DKC Tropical Freeze 200%. got all the gold medals and it was a blast, my favorite 2D platformer in the Switch. Celeste is tough as nails, but you can retry from the same screen, except the dreaded Chap. 9.
I did not found Metroid Dread, Hollow Knight and Super Mario 3D World hard.
But... why this list is not full of Cave games?
@Vyacheslav333
Yes indeed, thankfully this is the case. If they had made Coda anything other than purely optional side content, then I would feel much worse about it being a part of the game.
@garzuit
DKC Tropical Breeze 200% - How long (how many hours) to do that??
I'd add the Megaman Zero/zx Collection to this list. And I'd take Mario 3D World off because... it just doesn't belong here. Sorry haha!
@Rykdrew
For 200% it took me about... 20 hours maybe? Hardest thing for me was getting all gold medals, specially with the bosses, since you can't miss there.
@garzuit Nice, thank you for the info! I´ll receive a game this month...and i´m thinking to choose a game i´d never buy by myself!
I ´m analysing the replay value between my options!
Shin Megami Tensei V isn't that hard if you put some strategy into it, taking advantage of the demons individual strengths and weaknesses. And there's always a possibility to grind.
I'm yet to finish some of the other games on that list though. I'm not good with games that demand a lot of my reflexes, so I've had some trouble with Hollow Knight, Celeste and Donkey Kong, but I'm getting there. In Metroid Dread, I'm stuck on the final boss.
Oh, and Dark Souls... Got to Blighttown, then I took a long break from the game and now when I return, I feel like a beginner again... Still proud that I beat some bosses, like the gargoyles. Eff those guys.
I own most of them and haven't completed a single one although I am very close with Hollow Knight and Dead Cells.
I prefer easier games in general but if it's really good like Hollow Knight I'll persevere .
@Krull I have completed 1001 Spikes, Dark Souls, Hollow Knight, Cyber Shadow, Celeste, and Cuphead multiple times. Got 200% on Tropical Freeze and 100% on Metroid Dread (those final shine spark puzzles were crazy). I even unlocked "The Kid" on Super Meat Boy.
But Baba is You... that game melted my brain. I started out feeling awesomely clever, but then it just went way beyond what I could handle. I deleted it with a vengeance
If you can beat Bowser's big bean burrito in Mario Maker 2, you can beat anything.
Super Mario 3D World is here but BotW isn’t?
@Vortexeo Good job getting 112%! I have beaten the game several times, including beating Nightmare King Grim. However, the furthest I've gotten is 110% because I have never beaten the 3rd and 4th pantheons. You have any tips?
@Big_Fudge Cyber Shadow gets pretty crazy hard, but it is a terrific game.
@Oppyz666 Did you fully complete Hollow Knight? IMO, it's not super hard until you get into the optional content of the game. For example, the dream fights, the Path of Pain, Nightmare King Grimm, Grey Prince Zote, and the Colosseum. And the pantheons, which I have only beaten two of.
@Inc @acgp Mario 3D World only belongs because of the final level, as the article says. Which I think is fair. I can beat some of the hardest Mario challenges, including Lost Levels and Grandmaster Galaxy, but I have never finished Champion Road.
It's a good idea to make such a list as nowadays most games are so easy that it's almost hard to find challenging stuff.
However, the short length of this list only proves in what a poor state modern hardcore gaming is.
Also, Tropical freeze does not belong on this list. The secret levels may be hard, and maybe the monkey boss, but the rest is at best moderate. I found the SNES Donkey Kongs harder.
@acgp BOTW actually belongs on the "easiest games on switch" list, you can literally beat any fight by just spamming heal items in the pause menu.
Because 3D World is on this list, I’m going to ask a question: how do people find Odyssey’s Darker Side so easy? In every list/ranking I’ve seen, people always say Champion’s Road is harder than Darker Side, but Champion’s Road took me only 8 hours (then only 2 on Switch), whereas I’ve played Darker Side for at least 10 hours, and haven’t even reached the halfway point. Am I just really bad at Odyssey, or really good at 3D World?
I do think I’ve mastered the controls of 3D World more than Odyssey though, I’ve beaten the main game multiple times.
Haven't played the Switch version, but 100 percented Super Mario 3D World on the Wii U, and that final level is one of the hardest levels I've ever completed.
Another hard game released today (the original TMNT, where I've only managed to finish the final level with the help of save states), and Zelda II: The Adventure of Link is available through NSO, without a doubt one of the hardest games I've ever beaten (though mostly because it's cryptic, it's probably not so hard if you have a guide).
Still haven’t beat that 3D World level. I get to the speed tile area with the keys and I always miss the warp box after getting the keys. Too much going on.
Hesitant to refer to any roguelike as truly difficult, as the difficulty is brought on largely due to their random nature.
Dark Souls is just hard. Metroid Dread is just hard. And yeah, that 3D World level was absurd.
Most roguelikes would be easy without the random factor.
@garzuit I dislike hollow knight’s runs to bosses after dying. At least in Souls games boss runs aren’t a grind.
Stopped playing HK because of that.
@BabyYoda71 It took me also a long time to beat Darker Side, but I'm not sure if I consider any part of it actually "hard". It's mostly just punishing, because it's long and you have to restart the entire level every time you die.
Haven't played 3D World yet, but I've given up on the Odyssey's Darker Side on the third day of trying. Made it to the flying thing, and I couldn't learn how to fly it properly.
It's not on the list but I'll be forever proud that I have finished Dragon Quest 2 and Phantasy Star 2 considering their reputations.
Mario 3D All Stars deserves a place. The Sand Bird and Stomp on the Thwomp left me wanting to pull my hair off.
@Slowdive I agree, I was actually surprised how many encounters in Dark Souls can be easily cheesed by just running past the enemies.
For me, most roguelikes go past difficult into just stupidly unfair, though I don't really like randomized elements in general. If I've played through your loop of the same five levels for dozens of hours, then let me just start with whatever build I want so I can actually get used to it enough to finish your stupid game.
I fully completed DKCR:TF. I almost 100%ed 3D World. I played Mario Maker 2 but mostly the player created levels. I'm nowhere close on Enter the Gungeon....still fun to pick-up and play. I own Celeste but never played it.
Metroid Dread and Hollow Knight are hard? What?
@Rykdrew Well...
I don't have second pair of Joy-Cons nor Pro Controller.
Well... It was kinda hard for me to use Anji Mito/EX Anji, though I've completed Arcade Mode playing as EX Anji. I've tried to spamming Fūjin every time... But that was not a good tactic. I've tried to play Survival Mode playing as EX Order-Sol and that was a surprisingly good and randomly run... I've chose skill upgrades randomly, due to the fact that I did not remember the names of the buttons.
«I-No is a easy last boss...»... lol. She's «SNK Boss Syndrome» final boss. How can you call her as a easy final boss?... That's kinda weird. Megalomania(you call it as «ultra special») is not a problem. Problem is her specials. Her "lighting" kick attack is the most annoying one. It is long-range and fast. I'm not a combo-maker, so... Make a 10 hit combo is almost impossible for me.
Yep, that's right - it is the best Guilty Gear game. Sad that the game sold less than 1 million copies. -Strive- is the 3rd worst mainline Guilty Gear game. Other two are 2 Overture and Vastedge XT. I'm hope that Asuka R. Kreutz(That Man) will finally become a playable character... And I'm hope for the return of Kurō "Crow" Kuruwaba and Fanny from Guilty Gear Petit dilogy...
@Sinton Zelda II is really fun once you figure out the mechanics, enemy patterns and where to go! And of course the music is outstanding.
I would replace Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury with Infernax.
I love 3D World on my Switch (and Wii U) to the bone as a huge Mario fan myself, but the "difficulty" was only hard for a modern Mario game.
@Vyacheslav333 I´m happy to talk about one of my all time favorite games here!! Thank you!!
I-no is not difficult if you perform instant block (you flash white color). The window to successfully IB is 8 frames. And you get 7 frames recovery. So...
STRATEGY ONE:
Instant Block.....so.....front + P, down (1,5 second) up + k (special so she will go to ultra special because the number of hits). Stay on defense to up your gauge level..and make it...the instant she makes megalomania, you double jump and repeat! (or..if you know to perform a 10-15 hits combo using Anji or other character - Chipp is the easiest character to do it -...forget the special movement and make the combo...if you make the combo..don´t you use special movements, cause she will perform megalomania before the special ends...and it will be a disaster!).
It works with all characters less Zappa. But Zappa you have other efficient strategy.
@Magician This is exactly why every game should have difficulty settings. Not everybody is looking for the same thing from games and that’s fine.
I will usually go for normal difficulty in games but in my time with Elden Ring for example the difficulty was a total turn off. I really wanted to explore that world and loved the art of it and everything so I gave it a shot to deal with the combat but it was just absolutely brutal and I ended up shelving it entirely. I get that they have an intended experience there but they can still offer that while giving other players an experience they would enjoy more. I’m sure the developers who worked on Xenoblade 3’s battle system want you to learn it and enjoy it the way they intended but that didn’t stop them including a casual mode for people like myself who don’t care for the battles. I wish every developer would treat games the same way
@Luigivaldo Absolutely, it's a good game. A bit too cryptic (perhaps because of translation) to be great, but agree on the mechanics and music.
Someone should make some sort of «hints but not quite game guide» guide for new players.
@StephenYap3 That final level is way harder than anything you'll find in the four first Mario games.
No Crash Bandicoot?
But yes to 3D world?
Imagine playing champion road, but not being allowed to die once while also needing to collect every collectible in one run… oooof
I've beaten 3D World's final level on Wii U but somehow still haven't managed to finish the equivalent level in 3D Land.
From this list I've also beaten Metroid Dread, Hollow Knight, Celeste (with all strawberries and B-sides, though I'm still working on the final C-side), Tropical Freeze (100%, though not 200%) and Thumper but, like @sketchturner, Baba Is You broke my brain before I could even get close to finishing it.
Did mario 3d world & bowsers fury on my switch & finished metroid dread on my pc through yuzu but had to use cheats for the final boss lol
I found Super Mario 3D World insultingly easy and then I got to Champions Road. Good grief that was hard. Took me lord knows how many attempts over two weeks and redeemed the game for me. I finished it once and am ashamed to say I've not dared do it again! I then saw someone do it with no power ups and Toad online - wow
I would include Tetris 99 on the list, simple to learn (who doesn’t know how to play Tetris) but getting my first win on 99 took months of regular play
The final level of Mario 3D World is such a feat. Finally clearing that beast is one of my proudest Mario moments for sure.
Surprised I'm not seeing N++ on here😳
I would add Thumper, Furi, and Vagante (the review on this site was awful. It looked like the reviewer barely got past the beginning and then wrote a salty review).
Dread, DKCTF, cyber shadow, and cuphead. Not too shabby I'd say.
@Oppyz666 @Vyacheslav333 I think genres like fighting games and top-down shooters don't need to appear on a "hard games list" for people to realize, yeah, this is probably going to be pretty hard. It's kind of in their DNA.
Gn'G Resurrection on its hardest difficulty mode definitely is the hardest game on the Switch, hands down! I would aslo add the Taiko no Tasujin games. Getting the gold on all songs, especially in extreme mode for 5* and higher songs is almost impossible, even with the Hori drum! This require endless attempts and also to perfectly remember each songs and notes as they go way too fast for any human eyes. Dark Souls is a real piece of cake compared to that!
No mention of Rain World?
Seriously though, whilst I really like its wasteland-looking environments and its inhabitants (with very realistic AI); as a vulnerable slugcat, you will most certainly die a lot, even on the easier Monk difficulty. And no, I haven't beaten the game yet.
Also, absolutely love Darkest Dungeon. Provided one is committed into learning all its mechanics and such; its lore, art style and of course the Ancestor (narrator) makes for one thrilling roguelike experience, hands down.
I've beaten Super Meat Boy (including hard content like the Dark Cotton Alley World), Cyber Shadow, Dead Cells, DKC Tropical Freeze, Hollow Knight, Cuphead, Mario 3D World (on Wii U) and Celeste on this list. I definitely know there are some other games which I found super hard, like Battle Chef Brigade, The Binding of Isaac, Hyperlight Drifter, The End is Nigh, Katana Zero and Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair.
I didn't think Metroid dread or Mario 3D world was hard (except for the Emmi encounters omg🤣). To me it's Hollow knight and Cuphead especially!
I’ve put in 80 hours or so into Tropical Freeze and I still haven’t beaten Hard Mode with DK whilst collecting the Blue KONG letters. World 6-6 atm. Enjoyed every second of it.
Nice list. I didn't play to everything but Metroid Dread isn't this difficult, imo. I've read here and here that the last boss is "pure hell" but I beat him on the 3rd ot 4th round.
Cyber Shadow is a gem, (really you should do it) but once again it isn't so difficult. It's a die & retry platformer so you die... and you retry. Once you see where to go and how to do it, it's easy really.
On the other hand, a big "congratulations" to those who have finished Baba Is You, this one is tough.
I totally agree: that last Mario 3D World level is one if the hardest things I've ever played. But oh well, I enjoyed it so much!
Cuphead is the only one here I played throughout and couldn't beat... Damn those final bosses!
Metroid Dread, Celeste, DK: TF and Hollow Knight are tough but fair. Very enjoyable games.
Still gotta play SMTV!
@Budokai I found Hollow Knight just as hard as Metroid, except for the DLCs. Not that hard if you have the right equipment!
I agree with Cuphead.
Okay, yeah, I'll vouch for Super Mario 3D World. I NEARLY 100%-ed that game... until I hit that last level. The game beat me. I realized after dying between 70–100 times that my hands did not have the speed and dexterity needed to beat that level. Maybe when I was younger, but I just couldn't do it.
@the_beaver good point, only thr full game of hollow knight with dlc included is HARD... Try and fight Nightmare king grimm and tell me what you think.😂
Too many plaformers on the list; personally I find every rhythm game ever made harder than many of these and a lot of rpgs are legitimately hard because they're so long and involved that you can't finish unless you have patience of steel and a really good memory for details. 3D World I essentially 100%-ed and I wouldn't say is super hard. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Breeze isn't too bad to beat but is very hard to 100%. Super Mario Maker 2 always gets added to lists like this because the millions of levels include insanely hard levels but the actual story mode is very easy; 100%-ing smm2 is literally impossible so really it's just a 'choose your own difficulty and objectives' game.
I have baba is you on mobile rather than Switch but I admit to still not beating it, the puzzles get pretty crazy.
@Magician indeed, and frustration, stress, punishment for failing an unfair challenge,... none of that sounds like a fun time to me. Hard is for repeated playthroughs when you mastered the mechanics and would get bored with NO resistance or challenge, or for sudoku's and picross and such. Many rpg's or tactics games don't become more fun by raising the challenge without the characters becoming overpowered first.
Cuphead really grinds my gears! I love it, but I have to be in a certain mindframe before I jump on; I try to stay cool. But I can only handle so much before I am catapulted off the couch with a moan of frustration and some choice phrases 😅. Well, I'd rather take my time with the game anyway.
I generally don't subject myself to brutally difficult games, but have beaten (and enjoyed) Metroid Dread a few times on Normal. May try Hard at some point.
A game not on the list that I found more difficult than MD is 3000th Duel. I enjoyed it for the most part since save points were generally provided right before the numerous boss battles, which were either won or lost pretty quickly. I think that I got to the final boss, but ultimately bailed. Good game though.
@the_beaver agreed, same sentiments toward Hollow Knight as Cuphead (my prior comment). I haven't beaten either yet.
Captain Toad Treasure Tracker is not a difficult game, except for the last level. Half my game play was probably trying to beat “Mummy-Me Maze Forever” (I finally did it after many attempts, but was just about to give up).
I've played a number of these. I got bored of Dark Souls and Cuphead early on because I don't have the patience to learn them properly. Celeste was good but I got bored and fell off halfway through. The final level in Mario 3D World isn't too hard to beat, though the speed increase in the Switch version makes it harder to control and adhere to the tight platforming needed. Donkey Kong is pretty easy... until you unlock hard mode, I didn't see that one through to the end!
No “Ninja Gaiden?” Really?
Super Mario 3D World? Really? I 100% completed the game and only the last level was challenging. C'mon you could even have put any Crash game instead.
Also, Metroid isn't that hard.
Anyways, CRYPT OF THE NECRODANCER deserved any of those spots way more , that game makes Dark souls looks like a game for little children. As a matter of fact, so does most of the roguelikes.(Also, Spelunky 2 is way harder than the first game)
@Krull Did you know about the option to banish the troupe or just beat him because you wanted to?
@sunny63 There’s an option to banish the troupe?! Nope, didn’t know that! I just banged my head against the wall until I learnt all the attack patterns. It took many, many deaths…
glad to see Ikaruga but this list could be entirely classic shmups. they're all harder than Dark Souls - Dodonpachi Resurrection, Mushihimesama, ESPgaluda 2, ESPrade, G-Darius, Progear... all absolute thumpers
I've beaten Metroid Dread and Mario 3D World from this list. The final unlockable level in 3D World, Champions Road, was indeed insanely hard and probably stands as my most difficult gaming achievement. It became all the more mind melting when I dove back in 3 more times to complete it with every character. 300+ deaths to complete the accomplishment, and it's moments like those that make me really wish Nintendo had achievements/trophies as it would have been nice to commemorate that moment with something more substantial than just my hazy, and rage fogged memories.
I tried Thumper a while back on Steam. Very cool game, but the difficulty was infuriating. It didn't take me long to give up on it, and I managed to get a refund for it.
Baba is You is the hardest game I’ve ever played. I recently went back to give it another try, took one look at the level I had gotten to, and gave up immediately. There were words and objects everywhere and I just didn’t have the motivation to try to sort them all out. The early levels are really fun though.
@GregamanX Hyper Light Drifter and Katana ZERO are super hard?... Well, Hyper Light Drifter is really tough, but not super hard. Especially if you're playing on Easy Mode. I've played it on Windows years ago on Easy Mode, but now playing it on Switch on Normal Mode, due in-game achievements. And Katana ZERO... In overall, it's even not a hard game, for example. DEADBOLT is a super hard game. There is one time-limited level, which is really hard to beat without (good) long-range weapon... Also, about Katana ZERO... If you're wanna to collect all swords, then that's gonna be really hard. But, nobody forces you to do that, though.
Form this list Ive played, beaten and enjoyed Hollow Knight, Mario 3D world, Metroid Dread….
But Cup Head, its so difficult it drains the fun from it. After a few levels (im stick at the dragon one) its really not fun playing it anymore.
I have a good bit of these, but there are quite a few I hadn’t even heard of. I haven’t bought Dark Souls, Dead Cells, or Cyber Shadow. Metroid Dread, Hollow Knight, Cuphead, and a lot of others like that are some of my favorites. I don’t really think Dread is that difficult though.
Surprised not to see the Ninja Gaiden Master Collection on this list, yet Dread is and that is not an easy game at all sure, but not something I'd put on a "hardest games" list o.O
All 3 NG games are exceedingly tough on higher difficulties, even on normal they can be a challenge for anyone that's not a genre veteran, with Razor's Edge in particular being just unbalanced in a lot of bad ways.
Slay the Spire sitting here like "...amateurs."
I'm missing The Binding of Isaac from this list. I have to agree that the last level of Super Mario 3D World is really hard. I recall just giving up altogether after some frustrating evenings, haha
I love a good challenge, but too many games are just hard for the sake of it. I agree with the people who say Hollow Knight is needlessly frustrating. It would be a great game with some more QOL.
That’s why I loved Celeste. It was brutal but every time you die, you’re at the same spot and can try again immediately. I don’t see how anyone could think that backtracking is a fun gameplay element.
I bought Book Quest. After a boring first 20 min you come to a dragon....who is brutally difficult. I mean no game should put a boss that difficult this early in a game. It's the first boss. I haven't touched it since I got Blossum Tales 2. Now that's a neat game
Metroid dread, i can't get by the black knight boss, halfway through the game, that jumps on the walls and spits the black goo at you..... gave up
You forgot 'ZOMBIES ATE MY NEIGHBORS'! Which I have Beaten on Super Nintendo, Nintendo Switch, And Xbox Series S.
Celeste has some tricky platforming, but it feels much more puzzle-based, and the immediate retry and lenient checkpointing makes it very compelling.
Cuphead put me off not so much because of its difficulty, it's just such a drawn out endurance test. The actual platforming/shooting I find surprisingly shallow and lacking in impact, and because you're forced to play 10-15 minutes each time, progress (or lack thereof) is soul-crushing. Like, you lose a couple of hitpoints early on and then have no desire to keep playing because you know you'll probably end up dead.
I've finished both Metroid Dread and Thumper 100%, and I've tried a few of the others, but after Thumper especially, I'm not looking to add anything to the "stressful" folder on my Switch any time soon.
I've managed to finish Celeste and SMT V on this list. Surprised Ender Lilies isn't mentioned. One of the bosses in that game nearly broke me.
@chapu2006 Now you've done it.......you mentioned the Sand Bird......I'll need a few weeks to repress that again.
I can barely get anywhere in Champion's Road......it's so chaotic....I can't imagine anyone doing it with Toad. Yikes.
5. Meowrio; Cuphead; Hollow Knight; Metroid Dread; DKC:TF.
@chipia
It's not like you had endless amounts of healing items in BotW by default. Getting them always require gathering, hunting and cooking which takes time.
When the game was released many said it was the toughest Zelda game, because you have bad gear and not many hearts for a long time, and many enemies can easily one shot you.
@Cia Yes, BOTW is difficult at the very beginning, when you haven't collected enough healing items yet. But after a few hours you have so many of them that you are almost invincible for the rest of the game. I rarely even cooked because the raw food already provided soo crazy much healing.
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