Games with difficult first stages

[Orion Pimpdaddy]

I was struggling on the first stage of Rescue Rangers for the NES for a while last night, then I finally cleared it and proceeded to plow through most of the remaining stages.

It got me thinking. Do you know any classic games that had a Stage 1 that was much harder than most of the remaining stages?

Let's not include games where the character gains an advantage (new weapon, power-up, etc.) after the first stage.

[Ed Oscuro]

The designer of Bomberman said it was designed to make the first stage the hardest, in reverse of other games...a clever enough sentiment but it's obvious why it's not echoed much. Whether the game actually does get harder after the first level, I can't say - I always trap myself in a corner with bombs.

[jacrough]

Kid Icarus seemed guilty of this, not because the first levels were especially difficult, but because without upgrades the game is exponentially more difficult.

[Red Warrior]

It's not exactly a Stage 1, but the second stage in The Lion King (SNES, Genesis) gave me fits the first time I played it. I died and died and died on only the second level... and then proceeded to destroy the game after finally passing it. Always thought that was weird that the 2nd out of 10 levels was the hardest.

[Jehusephat]

I never had any problem with Rescue Rangers, but I think a lot of the Mega Man games have first stages that are harder than the rest. I don't know if they technically have a first stage, but I always find it hardest to beat the first boss I choose with my regular weapon in order to get the first weapon in the boss killing chain. After you get that one weapon, all of the other bosses are easier. I don't think I had that problem with Mega Man 2, but that's only because I've been playing it since I was nine.

[JSoup]

I've always had an impossibly hard time with GutsMan's stage in Mega Man.

For a real challenge right from the get go, play Ren & Stimpy: Space Cadet Adventures. I swear, I've seen the rest of the game past the first level, mostly due to nonexistent hit detection.

[Haoie]

Driver: First mission probably the hardest.

[alexkidd2000]

My Hero!!

[aclbandit]

Driver: First mission probably the hardest.

oh MAN did I have a hell of a time with that one!

Not the hardest -- I think the last mission in the game was harder than that one. But still, stupid-tough for someone who's never played the game. Mission 1 is supposed to be a tutorial (or something similar), not a test of extreme knowledge of the function of every available button on the controller.

[c2000]

Bart vs the Space Mutants is always the first to spring to mind. The first stage is just too random and strange. The other levels are not too bad.

[placebo]

c2000 beat me to it - Bart vs the Space Mutants.

[A Black Falcon]

oh MAN did I have a hell of a time with that one!

Not the hardest -- I think the last mission in the game was harder than that one. But still, stupid-tough for someone who's never played the game. Mission 1 is supposed to be a tutorial (or something similar), not a test of extreme knowledge of the function of every available button on the controller.

Yeah, I don't know if I'd put Driver here. I mean, I absolutely agree that the first mission is absolutely insanely hard and takes a huge amount of practice to get right... but the actual game also gets extremely hard by the middle of the game. I never finished it back when it came out (playing on PC) because of how hard it gets... never even reached the third city. Heck, just beating the first one was brutal!

So yeah, the first mission's really hard, harder than anything you'll do for hours afterwards. But eventually the main game meets and surpasses that level of difficulty.

[Sparkster]

Street Fighter 2010 (NES) was the first game that came to mind for me... not that the rest of it is easier (I've never bothered to find out), but beating that first guy gave me absolute fits.

Or Dragon's Lair (NES) - the bridge. At least in the rest of the game, you might be able to advance past one screen.

[Blitzwing256]

Demon Sword for nes had one of the most dififcult first stages, as one or two hit would kill you from anything till you picked up powerups, once you gained a few life meters and the longer sword the game became a cake walk.

the japanese version was even harder, till you got a certain enemy drop item you literally died in one hit from anything (had many differneces from the us version inclduing a ton more levels)

[Nirvana]

Driver: First mission probably the hardest.

Came in thinking this. God, it was hard as hell doing all that crap within the allotted time. Then you throw in the shotty controls and its just awful.

[JohnnyBlaze]

I saw the video today and it brought back some angry memories for me, so I'm glad this was brought up:

SUPER SHITFALL!

You die in the first 4.5 seconds of the level! You climb down a ladder and BOOM! I'm surprised that the Nerd actually beat it. I never even got past the FIRST stage!

[Kevincal]

Bubsy for the Jaguar, Nam-1975, Magician Lord.

[XYXZYZ]

I always found the first stage of Gleylancer (Megadrive) to be difficult because of all the meteors in the background, it's hard to make out enemy ships and bullets.

[Ruudos]

Double Dragon III comes to my mind.

[sleazeroxx86]

It's not exactly a Stage 1, but the second stage in The Lion King (SNES, Genesis) gave me fits the first time I played it. I died and died and died on only the second level... and then proceeded to destroy the game after finally passing it. Always thought that was weird that the 2nd out of 10 levels was the hardest.

lmao! was playing this Lion King not even 2 days ago for Genesis. My girlfriend and I could not pass the 2nd level at all. I gave up after game overing twice and she tried and didn't make it through either x_x

[kupomogli]

Contra Hard Corps... and the game only gets harder.

[SegaAges]

It's not exactly a Stage 1, but the second stage in The Lion King (SNES, Genesis) gave me fits the first time I played it. I died and died and died on only the second level... and then proceeded to destroy the game after finally passing it. Always thought that was weird that the 2nd out of 10 levels was the hardest.

Wow, my exact thoughts. Level 2 sucks asshole.

[Natty Bumppo]

Winning the first battle of Warsong (rather than wimping out and skedaddling)
has always seemed to be (for me anyway) the most challenging battle in that game.

[hush]

i had alot of trouble with battletoads but once i got past the first 2 levels i got through the rest pretty easily

[Haoie]

Actually the Hard Corps, Contra, is actually quite easy.

On the original JP version anyway, where you get 3 hits before you die.

[gdement]

I don't really think of playstation era games as "classic", but:

Driver: First mission probably the hardest.

Absolutely. I'm still amazed at the bad game design there.
I rented that game on playstation, and came very close to shutting it off and giving up on it. Somehow then I beat the mission, and from there on I began to really like the game. But that stupid forced tutorial keeps people from being able to play it.

[AB Positive]

Amiga/ST time kiddos (yes I'm obsessed...)



Jim Power in the Mutant Planet (do NOT play a console port) but wow. You will die a LOT on the first level, and in fact mastering the first level basically sets you up to be great for the rest of the game. Sort of like the Bomberman sentiment - the only reason I end up game over-ing in later levels is due to stupid mistakes. Or not seeing a zombie coming out of the groung (stupid zombies).

[delafro]

i had alot of trouble with battletoads but once i got past the first 2 levels i got through the rest pretty easily

Really? The hoverbike sections never gave you any problems?

About Contra Hard Corps... only getting one hit sure makes a big difference in a game like that! I don't remember the first level being particularly more difficult than others though...

[BetaWolf47]

It's not exactly a Stage 1, but the second stage in The Lion King (SNES, Genesis) gave me fits the first time I played it. I died and died and died on only the second level... and then proceeded to destroy the game after finally passing it. Always thought that was weird that the 2nd out of 10 levels was the hardest.
Crap, you mean "Can't Wait to be King"? I've honestly never beaten that level due to the ostrich part where you have to jump, duck, jump, then double jump. That sequence is Battletoads hoverbike hard!

[reidsara]

hi buddy
I also stuck with many games in first stage.
but among them I vote goes to Prince of Persia if you play this game in hard mode.
So whenever I got stuck I try to find break code for that .so my advice to you If you would be able to complete then go for the same solution.

[Gentlegamer]

When I first rented Shadowgate (NES) back in the day I couldn't get past the first room of the castle (second screen of the game). Does that count?