Hard Games

[ShadowBrain]

I, like many, sometimes feel that the overall challenge of many videogames (or at least those native to current-gen Nintendo systems) is significantly less than their predecessors. Still, I look back on some of those old games and realize that they normally weren't actually that tough. Not to bore you with all my psychological issues, but this whole thing is something I've been mulling over for a long time.

Basically, plain and simple, what are some games that you consider hard? Metroid Prime 2 (and maybe MP1) comes readily to mind.

[Chupperson Weird]

Alisia Dragoon for Sega Genesis, Silpheed for Sega CD, Gradius, Image Fight... those are ones I own that I find rather difficult.

I used to think Mega Man and Castlevania games were hard. But then I got good at games and realized they aren't. I think it's something that happens to most people.

[Vidgmchtr]

I, like many, sometimes feel that the overall challenge of many videogames (or at least those native to current-gen Nintendo systems) is significantly less than their predecessors. Still, I look back on some of those old games and realize that they normally weren't actually that tough. Not to bore you with all my psychological issues, but this whole thing is something I've been mulling over for a long time.

Basically, plain and simple, what are some games that you consider hard? Metroid Prime 2 (and maybe MP1) comes readily to mind.

I think that's a pretty bold assumption, saying many people love difficult games. I'm not one of your "many", and maybe I'm just in the minority, I dunno, but I do think there are lots of gamers who like "easy" games much better than the "hard" games. Challenging games are fun, yes, but I HATE it when games are near impossible to finish (save puzzle games that really do go on forever).

I found the first two Metroid Prime games to actually be pretty simple, and Metroid Prime 2 even simpler being more linear than the first, despite the fact that the very final boss was timed. A couple of tries with that, and I beat it easily.

I found Trauma Center: Under the Knife to be very difficult, and was sort of repulsed by a certain operation that really WAS almost impossible to complete. I was finally able to beat it (and subsequently, the entire game itself) after almost a month of attempts of that operation. Its Wii counterpart in Second Opinion is even harder, and I don't recall ever beating it.

[bobman37]

I could never beat Advance Wars. This is along the same lines of Chupperson's Game Skill Evolving theory (I can beat it now).

Also Geometry Wars is hard.

[Lizard Dude]

Vid is right: Trauma Center: Under the Knife is a beast. I never beat it, and I tried pretty hard.

I find basically all shmups very hard. Fighting games are hard too. I have not developed enough skill in these genres.

To add a Game Skill Evolving theory story like everyone else: I used to think Viewtiful Joe was hard but now I can beat it on Adult essentially without even losing any health ever.

Oh yeah, God Hand raped me.

[WarpRattler]

I love playing Star Trip mode on Meteos on Brutal difficulty. I usually get about halfway through before the computer completely rapes me.

Yeah, Gradius games are hard, but they're nothing compared to R-TYPE or Touhou.

Rogue and NetHack are ridiculously difficult.

I HATE XEPHER ON CHALLENGE...and on Heavy, for that matter.

The PC version of Silpheed is pretty tough as well.

[Mr. Wiggles]

God of War enjoys watching me clutch my controller in frustration.

Also, Yoshi's Island 2 and any Contra game are pretty much the games I can't complete.

[WarpRattler]

Oh yeah, I forgot about Contra. I still need to try to go through the first one without the code.

I'll bet that if I tried to go through Volfied/Qix Neo again, it would be another story for the GSET...but that would require either playing it on Taito Legends/MAME or putting the disc back in my PS2, and neither of those sound very fun when I can play the original Qix any time I want...in fact, I think I'll play the old Game Boy version right now.

[ShadowBrain]

Challenging games are fun, yes, but I HATE it when games are near impossible to finish

I suppose what I meant wasn't uber-hard games (Yoshi's Island 2 crossed that imaginary line and just became unfun), just a decent challenge--as in Twilight Princess and not Phantom Hourglass.

[Shyguy92]

Yoshi's Island 2

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Dude, I beat that in like, two days.


Anyway I find Phantom Hourglass really hard. I HATE that dungeon you have to keep doing (forgot the name) over, and over, and over, like, nine times. That's the very meaning of tedious. The rest is great, though. Perfect difficulty.

[silverstarman]

There are so many games I've played that are hard. Like...

Zombie Revenge (Dreamcast)

and...

Ikaruga (Dreamcast/Gamecube)

These are just SOME of the hardest games I've encountered. There are others, I just can't think of them.

[Robert]

I, personally, find that most of Nintendo's games today focus on pushing Gamer's logic and problem-solving skills rather then their reflexes or platforming skills. Basically, the challenge of Nintendo games comes from solving puzzles rather then reacting quickly to obstacles or fighting enemies (such as Zelda or Metroid).

The most challenging game I've ever played would have to be Contra 4 for the DS. And I'm only on the first level on easy. Then again, it's Contra, the series where bullets fly at you at every possible angle, so I guess I shouldn't have expected it to be a pushover...

[Glorb]

Trying to beat Contra without the Konami Code is like trying to set yourself on fire without getting gruesome burns. It's technically possible, but not really. See also: the bridge in Jordan.

[ShadowBrain]

Anyway I find Phantom Hourglass really hard. I HATE that dungeon you have to keep doing (forgot the name) over, and over, and over, like, nine times. That's the very meaning of tedious. The rest is great, though. Perfect difficulty.

I don't exactly equate tediousness with challenge, but... so you thought it was hard, huh? 'K, that's cool...

Also:

I HATE that dungeon you have to keep doing...over, and over, and over, like, nine times

forgot the name

"I drove cross-country with my friend... along the way, we only had one tape to listen to. I can't remember what it was..."

It's the Temple of the Ocean King.

[PaperLuigi]

The very first Megaman game is extremely difficult if you play it normally. There are several factors contributing to this. One is it lacks any sort of back-up, so you had to complete it in one sitting.  The other and most notable roadblock for most players, even experienced ones, is the Yellow Devil end boss. Without the use of the select/pause damage trick, he is very difficult to defeat. Another major contributing factor to MM1's difficulty is lack of Energy Tanks. MM1 is the only Megaman game that makes the player fight enemies after reaching the Robot Master's lair. The possibility of getting slaughtered before you even reach the boss is very possible, though I never really considered this a problem. The classic Megaman games force you to battle each master robot a second time on the last stage (Dr. Wily stage). MM1 is the only game that spreads these fights across two separate levels (Mega Man must fight Cut Man and Elec Man on Wily Stage 2, and then has to fight Bomb Man, Fire Man, Ice Man, and Guts Man on Wily Stage 4). MM1 is also one of the only two games in the Classic series that does not allow the player to select the order in which to fight the Robot Masters a second time. In Mega Man 2 through 6, after defeating each Robot Master the second time, a large energy pellet appears. In Mega Man, these do not appear, making the last stage considerably difficult.