Top 5 Hardest Games of All Time

[ShinobiMan]

You know the ones. They like to creep up on you slowly with a nice and fun start... but little do you realize there is evil brewing within. An evil so damned it may cause you to yell, scream, even curse at the TV!Maybe it's the kind of game that tells your brain to throw that controller through that glass window... odds are, you've played one before. Now's the chance to warn you're fellow gamers about these beauties before they send another innocent to "Anger Management." List your top five hardest games now!

For me it's:

1. Contra: Hard Corps (Genesis)- I am convinced that this game is the culprit of many unexplained suicides.
2. The Adventures of Batman & Robin (Genesis)- Ugh, can we say Game Genie? I couldn't even pass the second level in this one.
3. Ninja Gaiden 3 (NES)- Why Ryu? Why do you fall backwards off a mountain every @#$%ing time a drop of water hits you?!?
4. Back to the Future (NES)- I'm sorry, but every time I get up to the pie throwing scene I just lose it.
5. My Hero (SMS)- Perhaps this one should be placed higher, for it surely has driven one to many a gamer to insanity. Gangsters riding pigs? What the hell?

Now think long and hard about this... and in case you start getting upset just thinking about these games, try thinking of a game like Duck Tales for the NES... you will definitely calm down.

[maxlords]

5. Contra: Hard Corps (Genesis)
4. Target Earth (Genesis)
3. Image Fight 2 (PCE) Nasty hard shooter...but one of my faves! :)
2. Rayxanber 3 (PCE) Insanely difficult, but possible
1. Rayxanber 2 (PCE) Hardest game EVER! I've never seen the level one boss.......

[Mayhem]

Super Ghouls' n Ghosts for SNES has to be in there somewheres...!

[Tetsu]

@Maxlords: If you like the difficulty of Target Earth for the Genesis, Check out the sequel for Sega Saturn, Assalt Suit Leynoss. The graphics received a HUGE overhaul (Looks like Cybernator on SNES, but with more on-screen sprites and scaling effects). The difficulty, if you can imagine, is even higher than Target Earth. I think I have made it to the fourth level so far. Next year I'll try for level 5!

[kainemaxwell]

Super Ghouls' n Ghosts for SNES has to be in there somewheres...!

Ghosts & Goblins for the NES should be up there if the SNES sequel is included.

[WiseSalesman]

The SNES one was harder though.

[rbudrick]

Contra Hard Corps wasn't that hard folks...I beat it the same day I rented it (no cheats).

Ahem, enough bragging, heh heh.

My vote is for Vampire Killer for MSX (AGGGGGHHHH!!!!!!)
Also, Holy Diver for famicom probably made the terrorists attack the US it's so frikkin hard.

But...I just kept coming back and coming back to em till I could win....both endings were so not worth it...even with save states these games are just SO damn hard (On Holy Diver I swear I didn't cheat until the 4th boss --on Vampire killer I didn't cheat until the ummm, 2nd level).

-Rbudrick

[Kid Ice]

Maybe it's just me, but I could never do anything in the Gradius games. I thought it was a miracle when I got to the vertical stage in Life Force (which I think is the 2nd level)

You're right about Contra HC. And I thought the SNES version was nasty...man!

the kid

[GENESISNES]

Some games are TRULY HARD, but other games can be insanley cheap. In these kinds of games, the people just keep atacking without giving you a single chance.

[Sothy]

Operation Flashpoint : Spec Ops Sabotage/demolitions mission.

Crawling through grass for 20 minutes, sitting for 15 minutes with a pair of infra red getting the sentry guards patrol patterns down.

Mad dash across the black top into the bushes right before the BMP with searchlights makes a pass, The breath so loud in your head you just know the Spetznaz shooting the shit at the campfire 20 meters away hear you.... I got an ulcer from that mission.

[omnedon]

Maybe it's just me but:

Out of This World for the Genesis

Great game. Wicked hard.

[NE146]

The SNES one was harder though.

What are you on crack? ;) The hardest of the series is *definitely* the original Ghosts and Goblins (arcade/NES).. matter of fact it's TOO hard imho. Ghouls and Ghosts and Super G&G are cake compared to the first one :)

[Jeff-20]

absoultely without a doubt... MARS MATRIX for Dreamcast.

Top down shooter, first 5 seconds.... and the screen fills with 500 independently moving deadly projectiles. There is absolutely NO way to dodge them.

>:( I heard this was supposed to be a cool game. Someone bragged it was one of the best shooters out.

Compare to Galactic Attack for the Saturn and Musha for the Genesis -- THOSE ARE REAL SHOOTERS! At least they are possible.

Can anyone defend that DC shooter?

[ShinobiMan]

It seems that the original intent of this thread has been lost, but I do realize how these things happen so let me just restate it.

List your top five hardest games. This is based entirely on your opinion. Have fun with it too... talk a litle bit aboutwhy these games are that way.

I like what I'm seeing so far though, Super Ghouls and Ghosts is indeed a hard game, especially when you have to play it over again once you get to the end... thats just sick.

[jaydubnb]

Without a doubt the hardest game that i've ever played is Super Ghouls n Ghosts. Nothing even comes close. Its so f'n frustrating i've never seen the end of level two.

@Maxlord: Ray III isnt really that difficult if you totally disregard every shmupping instinct in your body. That game required me to totally zoone out into a defensive mode and be super-patient....got to around level 5 before be driven insane. AWESOME bosses.

[Ascending Wordsmith]

The Adventures of Bayou Billy was Konami's way of forcing people to buy new NES controllers. We've got a Cajun hero who keeps his pants up with a piece of rope.

The opposition? Dozens of thugs and allligators. In addition to being vastly outnumbered, Billy must rely on enemies to drop pieces of meat when they get hit. The sad part is, they can pick the meat back up and eat it, giving them their stamina back! This usually happens as Billy is almost outnumbered 3 to 1 on every occasion.

[Dire 51]

Jeff-20: I can defend Mars Matrix. I thought the same as you about the number of bullets when I first played the game, but I've since gotten a lot better at it. I can usually get to Stage 2 before I lose my first ship, and stage 5 before I run out of continues. There are massive amounts of bullets, yes, but usually there's a pathway through them (it helps that the ship's collision hexagon is fairly small as well). Besides, that reflect barrier really comes in handy.

My top 5 hardest games?

Holy Diver (Famicom) - Good game, yes, but extremely hard. The furthest I've made it is stage 3.

Ghosts 'N Goblins (arcade/NES) - I love the game, but most of the time I can barely get to the end of Stage 2.

Metal Gear (NES) - For some reason I can't make any headway in MG at all. Even when using a stealth approach I get wasted constantly.

Assault Suit Leynos 2 (Saturn) - Good god, this one is near impossible. It took me forever to get past the first boss, and I've practically given up trying to get past Stage 2. At least I can get halfway through Target Earth without dying...

The Adventures Of Batman And Robin (Genesis) - Shinobiman said it best. What was Sega thinking when they put this together?

[hades]

Can't have a top 5 games list without tossing around Battletoads. I spent about 10 hours with my roomate in college trying to beat the game.... with game genie. We couldn't do it. And boy did our tempers flare up. :-)

[kainemaxwell]

Can't have a top 5 games list without tossing around Battletoads. I spent about 10 hours with my roomate in college trying to beat the game.... with game genie. We couldn't do it. And boy did our tempers flare up. :-)

Can't blame ya there, had to use the Game genie cause the speeder bikes level is so damn annoying.

[Retsudo]

Dont have a top5, but when I think of hard, I have to say Soviet Strike for the PS1, the guns never miss or let up. Another game that comes to mind is the last level in Gradius 3. Ohyeah and I cant forget Mortal Kombat trilogy when you get past the second fight. The single player will school you like your a bitch. They block and duck everything...Got an ulcer playing that game. >:( @_@ :D

[Tempest]

I'd have to second the Rayxanber series. Dear God those games are impossible (but good).

I always thought Radien and Batman Returns for the Lynx were freakin insane as well.

And I know everyone is going to laugh at me, but I have the most trouble with Space Channel 5. I just can't do that game.

Tempest

[Kroogah]

Tempest, I got your back as far as Space Channel 5 goes.

"Up Down Up Down Shoot Shoot Shoot!"
"Up Down BOING BOING BOING BOING BOING"

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!

When I think of insanely hard video games, I think of....um.....nearly every game made for the Neo-Geo, on MVS difficulty.

And KoF '95 for the Neo CD is rough. On the easiest difficulty, I can't get past the 3rd or 4th team with my ultra-cheap Kyo, Terry & Iori combo! And I routinely go straight through the later KoFs!!!!

[Arcade Antics]

MARS MATRIX = Tough but FAIR. My kind of game indeed, and definitely one of the top shoot em ups around.

I can usually get through the first two levels without losing a ship. You think the game is insane by level three? Wait until you see the final two levels. Now THERE'S some seriously challenging stuff! :D

And I agree with NE1, the original G&G game (arcade/NES) is way more difficult than the Genesis and SNES sequels. :)

[o2william]

I have to agree that Super GnG for SNES is FAR easier than the original GnG. That moment of invincibility when casting Gold Armor spells lets you survive the tough moments. No such luck in the first game.

Off the top of my head, my Top 5 (no particular order) are:

Gradius (Arcade/NES)

Ghosts 'n Goblins (Arcade/NES)

Arkanoid (Arcade/NES) Just TRY to get to the end without continuing. Can't be done!

Ikari Warriors II: Victory Road (NES) - Thank goodness for A, B, B, A!

And, let's see... how about Defender? Relentless challenge, but it's well balanced. With practice, you CAN get good at it.


I once would have included Section Z (NES) in this list, but now I can get through it reasonably well. I was also tempted to include Galaga, which I suck at no matter how much practice I put into it.

Is it just me, or do a lot of NES games seem unbalanced in terms of difficulty? I must have been more frustrated when playing NES games than with any other system.

[Arcade Antics]

Arkanoid (Arcade/NES) Just TRY to get to the end without continuing. Can't be done!

Sure it can. I've done it! :-D

[Tempest]

Arkanoid (Arcade/NES) Just TRY to get to the end without continuing. Can't be done

Bullcrap. I've done it numerous times on the NES and came damn close to doing it in the arcade. However I've seen people in the arcade do it a few times so I know it's possible there also.

Tempest

[Arcade Antics]

Since nobody's mentioned it, I think SINISTAR deserves its place on the list. Have you ever seen anybody get past level 3 without resorting to the 255 lives trick?

TOTAL CARNAGE is another worthy mention: to WIN the game, you have to prevent Ahkboob from escaping. I've never seen it done. I've asked around quite a bit and still haven't found anyone who has prevented his escape. (So if you've done it, please let us know!) And if Mark Turmell is reading, is it even POSSIBLE to prevent him from escaping? 8-)

[Tempest]

Wow I totally forgot about Sinistar and Total Carnage. Yes those are two extremly difficult games. And no I've never been able to prevent Ahkboob from escaping..

Tempest

[jaydubnb]

Arkanoid (Arcade/NES) Just TRY to get to the end without continuing. Can't be done

Bullcrap. I've done it numerous times on the NES and came damn close to doing it in the arcade. However I've seen people in the arcade do it a few times so I know it's possible there also.

Tempest

I know whatcha mean..i used to absolutely murder the NES Ghost n Goblins, but the SNES one is a different story. Maybe its because the original came out when i was about 12 with alotta time to play and master...?

[o2william]

@arcade antics and Tempest: I stand corrected. Let me amend my earlier statement to say that *I* can't play to the end of Arkanoid without continuing. To anyone who can, my hat's off to you (which would be more impressive if I actually wore a hat, but you get the idea.)

I have, however, managed to play all the way through NES Ghosts 'n Goblins and Gradius without continuing, so I guess I do have something to be proud of. :)

[ShinobiMan]

I'm changing the subject of this thread... it seems to be confusing people. This thread was in no way meant to show the definitive "TOP 5", just different people's top 5. This was not meant to be an argument thread... just a way to state some hard games out there. That said, here I go. :-D

[NE146]

Aww come on if we can't argue then what fun is it? :D

My top 5

1. Contra Hard Corp - Genesis (U.S. Version) U.S. Version was made real hard. 'Nuff said.

2. Ghosts and Goblins - Arcade/NES. You know what makes it hard? You can only shoot left/right. Genesis version you can shoot up/down of course. And in the SNES version, if you got the bow it's wide arc made it just as good. (powered up it was even nicer). Plus the double jump gives you a good options for evading shots. You can master all of them (as I have) but the original is the one that gave me the most grief.. I think it's the damn bosses.

3. Sinistar. Too hard. And unmasterable. Cool collectible game w/ awesome graphics and aura. But the gameplay.. although fun at first, turns cold on you fast.

4. Battletoads - NES. Put it this way, I've been playing it on NesterDC recently where you can easily use Save states at any point in the game thus allowing you to quickly play a section over and over until you get it right.. and I STILL could not pass the speeder bike stage. I could get pretty far, but after a while even with all the advantages it was STILL JUST TOO HARD. I friggin gave up :P

Now this is getting hard for me to think of another one...

<edit> ok Maxlords is right and gave me the idea for my 5th game. The award goes to Actraiser 2! What a friggin hard game.. has anyone even beat it?

[yiearkungfu]

Battletoads is impossible for me, but I beat gradius and gradius 3 without dying, those 2 arnt very hard :P

[maxlords]

Without a doubt the hardest game that i've ever played is Super Ghouls n Ghosts. Nothing even comes close. Its so f'n frustrating i've never seen the end of level two.

@Maxlord: Ray III isnt really that difficult if you totally disregard every shmupping instinct in your body. That game required me to totally zoone out into a defensive mode and be super-patient....got to around level 5 before be driven insane. AWESOME bosses.

I just can't do it! It's too hard to throw aside all instincts...and Ray 2 is even HARDER! :) As for everyone with Super Ghosts and Ghouls, I actually beat that one back in the day....personally thought Actraiser 2 was harder than SG&G. I stick to my list ;)

[Ruudos]

Som hard NES games:
Isolated Warrior, it's a very long time ago, but it sure is hard.

Burai Fighter, maybe I suck at this game but it's very hard and then I mean beating all difficulty levels to get the real ending (and the hardest difficulty level is a secret 4th one). I know cause my brother beat it. (he didn't beat IW)

Captain Planet, this is possibly the hardest game of all time, because I can't beat the first level! Oh and this game sucks.

I've heard many people sya on other boards Silver Surfer, I guess that's a very hard game to, that also sucks.

[Magus]

Contra:SS is no easy task to beat on 3 or less credits, but i have done it

[ShinobiMan]

@Magus: As we speak, I am trying to do exactly what you did with Contra: Shattered Soldier. I love this game... it's one of my favorites. I'll let the DP crew know when I've done it. Very hard indeed!

[biggamer]

PS2 contra,street fighter 2010(nes),zen intergalactic ninja(nes),battletoads&double dragon

[biggamer]

PS2 contra,street fighter 2010(nes),zen intergalactic ninja(nes),battletoads&double dragon,wolverine

[cheesystick]

Battletoads in battlemaniacs SNES. It was insanly hard. I hate games where the sceen is moving, and you have to just at 1 exact moment or you die. Only way to win is tedious memorization. blech.
Another one that drove me crazy, and none of you have ever heard of, was this PC game that was packaged with a Iron maiden double disk best of cd. It was called "ed hunter" with gouse of the dead style gameplay. I love iron maiden, but it would play the same song over and over in each level, could drive you nuts.
-crispy

[THXII38]

Jet-Pac for the ZX-Spectrum is one of the hardest games ever.

It sold hundreds of thousands of copies in the UK, after the success of Jet-Pac. I never met anyone that finished it.

try it for yourself;

www.worldofspectum.org

[THXII38]

ignore my previous message, the game is not in the archive it is 'denied distriubution' :-(


Sinistar is HARD! I can't even do the 255 trick.


I have it on the Megadrive in the Williams arcade hits, I really want the PS1 version again, as it has the interviews.

I am actually not very good at video games O_O I mostly suck at them. I am slowly getting the hang of Joust though.

[Bratwurst]

Sinistar for the T-16, right? Great Christ Almighty I thought the reviews for it were exaggerating. But, no. It just gets insane after about level 3- At the last boss I probably reloaded my save state about 30 times, just to claim I actually beat the game into submission.

Outside of an emulator, I can't beat the Stage 5 boss in Contra III on the hardest mode. Granted, I haven't tried in some time, but I could get to that point WITHOUT dying, and then consecutively run through my lives and continues like water at that mocking eyeball spinning the floor beneath me.

Not impossible, but I always felt the last boss in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 was very unfair and just about unavoidable.

I must reiterate the speeder bike sections in Battletoads, NES. This is a game?

Heart of the Alien / Out of this World series.. Unless you had the exact button combinations and timing for each scene hardwired into your brain prior to playing, you never stood a chance. I question the validity of these being games, too. Never found them fun at all.

[Bratwurst]

Hate to double post but seeing as how I can't edit in this particular forum..

By Sinistar I meant Turbo Grafx-16's /Sinistron/.

[Daniel Thomas]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't Impossible Mission be the hardest videogame by default? LOL

Hmm...as for games that were possible to win, how about the first NES Castlevania? The Grim Reaper and Dracula were the hardest bosses I ever beat. And Defender of the Crown was just impossibly brutal.

[diskoboy]

I've got one that tops every person that has posted....

TRON: MAZE-A-TRON. for the Intellivision. I've had that game since 1983 and I've never scored above 400 points in that game.

[Starcade]

Well, the hardest RECENTLY realesed game for me would also have to be Contra:SS, I can't believe you did that with 3 credits Magus!!

[Charlie]

My five.
1. Wonderboy 3: The Dragon's Curse (SMS). Man this game can overwelm you at times, make you think it's impossible, and it still keeps you coming back for more.
2. Solomon's Key (NES): Oh sure, you can just fly through the game, but to truly beat the game requires you to get all the hidden zodiac symbols and not warp levels. As anyone here actually done that?
3. Robotron 2084 (Arcade): Why do you think it's getting to be so hard to find these in good condition? Because of all the kicking and slaming this thing got back in it's hayday. Starts out reletively easy, and then just pours it on thick and quick.
4. Legendary Axe (TG16): Don't ask me why but this game always gave me nightmares. I bet I get slammed big time for including it.
5. Bishop of Battle (Arcade): That 13th level was a bitch.

[Moose]

I got five (no particular order):

Uninvited (NES) - I'm just plain stuck, so if anyone knows of a good guide, lemme know

Ghosts 'n' Goblins (NES) - Never could get very far.

Solomon's Key (NES) - I always get stuck on the same level.

Bayou Billy (NES) - I just get plain mad at this game.

Ghostbusters (NES) - I just don't know how to get up the Zuul building.

If ANYONE has a way to make any of these games easier for me, please, I beg, share your great wisdom.

[BenT]

Outside of an emulator, I can't beat the Stage 5 boss in Contra III on the hardest mode. Granted, I haven't tried in some time, but I could get to that point WITHOUT dying, and then consecutively run through my lives and continues like water at that mocking eyeball spinning the floor beneath me.You just need to know the trick. In Hard mode, it spins the floor faster than you can normally rotate. So, you need a way to rotate in the opposite direction faster than normal. The solution? Double-tap the rotation key, either L or R, before holding it down. You'll activate a "turbo-spin" that's faster than normal, and that is sufficient to keep the eyeball in your sights. It's easy from there.

So, five hard games. In no order...

Rayxanber 2 (PCE) - I don't play it much, but when I did I couldn't beat the 2nd level. That's pretty darn bad for a horizontal shooter. Haven't played its sequel yet, and can't say I'm looking forward to it. :)

Nexyr (PCE Super CD) - Vertical and almost as hard as the Rayzanber 2. I think I got stonewalled on stage 3.

Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! (NES) - I'm sorry, but I could rarely get to Tyson, and never did beat him. I lack the knack.

Hydro Thunder (DC) - An absolute bitch of a single player racing game. This game was pretty neat at the time because it was first-gen Dreamcast. However, its lack of options meant that all you could do was play the relentlessly hard single player over and over again. Painful in retrospect.

Battletoads (NES) - Though I did get past the speeder stage without too much frustration, the surfling level soon after did me in. Definitely an all-time difficulty king.

Honorable mention: William was right on with his Ikari Warrior II (NES) nomination. That game's both putrid and insanely difficult -- a lovely combination, to be sure.

Individual Company Achievement Award: Psikyo shooters make me want to cry. From Strikers to Gun Bird to Cannon Spike to Sengoku Ace, they simply kick my lame shmupping ass to the curb.

Game that's really not so hard IMO: Contra Hard Corps. Sorry, it's just memorization and pattern execution. :)

[DreamTR]

Have to post a little on this, I beat Ghosts N Goblins for NES, yo uactually have to finish it TWICE to get the real ending, and it is one of hardest games EVER made to date. Super G and G is a joke compared to this game.

Arkanoid for NEs and arcade is actually quite easy once you get the hang of it, I can score about a million each time I finish the game..

Metal Gear is hard, but not too bad...the hardest Contra game is the one for PS2, Shattered Soldier....that game is DEADLY.

Hardest games I have ever played in no particular order are:
Dragon Power for NES, Deadly Towers for NES, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde for NES, R-Type for arcade (it is beatable, but whoa it is hard for awhile) GARFIELD for Genesis. Please, someone try and beat Garfield for Genesis, it will make your hands bleed. Actually, R-type for Sega MAster System is pretty bad, Dr. Chaos for NES is pretty freaking hard as well...

[Arqueologia_Digital]

I think the most difficult games i have played are:
Lode runner (NES)
Adventures of Lolo (Game boy)
Shinobi (Game gear)
Metal gear (NES)
and i think some more but i don´t remember right now

[geelw]

i think there needs to be a simple distinction between hard games that have an ending (e.g. r-type, contra hard corps, super ghouls & ghosts, etc.) versus hard classic arcade games where you WILL die, no matter how good you get (defender, sinistar, et, al). i mean, you can always walk away from a game with an ending with a "damn, i FINALLY beat that mother!" smile and bleeding thumbs, but go back to that arcade and see someone else high score on "your" machine, and it's back to the old salt mines to dip your sore digits in. anyway, here's my list, and it's 10+, just because there are about 40 or 50 i can think of off the top of my head:

r-types/r-type 3 (ps one/super famicom)- a.r.g.h.
the adventures of batman and robin (genesis)- pure torture- i had to BORROW a game genie to finish it!
super ghouls & ghosts (snes)- NO diagonal shooting? gah.
acrobat mission (super famicom)- vertical shooter. really cheap enemy AI. CHEAP. CHEAP. CHEAP (and it's cheap, too).
battletoads (nes/genesis)- pure controller throwing bliss.
raiden (jaguar)- all who've played it know just why.
qix/qix 2000 (arcade/playstation)- alright, so i cheated by addind this one, but the ps version has an easier puzzle mode where you box out anime chicks, and the version has an ending. the arcade game included, however taunts me to this day...
contra: shattered soldier (ps2)- hard corps was bad enough- this is like suicide with a spork- really painful.
daggerfall (pc)- hell, any elder scrolls game is tough to complete- in this one death is literally behind every door from the moment you start the game.
cosmic chasm (vectrex/arcade)- easy for about 5 or 10 minutes, then...

[Mr-E_MaN]

Since I suck at most games mine would be the top 5 games that I suck at...
One that I thought was just too hard was My Hero for SMS. Where are all of these people coming from, and why are people dropping stuff on me?!? Maybe I should have read the manual... But I can't get beyond the first level...

:vamp:

[orrimarrko]

Have to go with Target Earth - I broke 3 controllers and threw a shoe out the window on that one!

[Alex Kidd]

I haven't played anywhere NEAR as many games as most pf you guys have, but I'll list the 5 "I" found most hard (as ShinobiMan is insisiting!) at least that I can think of right now...

In No particular order other then how they pop into my mind.

Thunder Force II (genesis)
Not too bad, untill that LAST 2 LEVELS, I have NEVER beaten the last level without a game genie, and have only actually seen it a few times without one.

Back To The Future Part III (genesis)
The only easy part is the shooting gallery

Street Fighter II' Special Champion Edition (genesis)
There's ONE point where if you have the difficulty too low you get NO ending, then a point where if you have it at a certain level you get a good ending, but not the best ending, and then the level where you get the BEST ending... damn near impossible... the enemy is so cheap I litteraly smashed the casing open on the cartridge after throwing at the wall after trying to beat it and having Sagat iger Uppercut me no matter WHAT I did... kick/ Tiger Uppercut; Jumping kick/Tiger Uppercut; projectile attack/tiger uppercut... one time he litterally slid RIGHT across the screen, thru my firball (that dhalsim spit) and uppercutted me. THAT was when I borke it. If you held it together and slid it into the mcahine it still worked by the way.

Ecco The Dolphin (genesis)
Not so much actual game difficulty, just trying to make some of those jumps... and the fact that death meant starting ALL over again at the start of the level.

Psycho Fox (master system)
Man... was he like Sonic (or rather Tails') Grandfather?
once again, actual game difficulty, not that bad, but controlling HIM was damn near impossible...
ANd am I the only one that's noticed that Decpattack and Psycho Fox have a LOT in common? I mean, DecapAttack was just recycled Psycho Fox!!!

Alex Kidd[/b]

[orrimarrko]

Also wanted to add the new PS2 Contra game (Shattered Soldier) to this list.

WTF is up with that game - are they trying to have people NOT want to play?! I couldn't make it past the first "robot" thing, and I have tried many times now.

It was so frustrating that I turned it off, and have had no desire to turn it back on.

[Xipe]

I must add Shadow of the Beast for genesis/amiga

Its probably the game i have put most time into ever to beat.

[ehall]

Let's see, top 5 hardest....

1) Festers Quest (NES) - Havn't played in a long while, but I remember having to shell out a couple of bucks after breaking the controller on thisa one.

2) Gumshoe (NES) - I'm just not that good at it.

3) BattleToads (NES) - Speeder Bikes. Ugh.

4) Paperboy (Arcade) - Again, just no good at it.

5) Karnov (NES) - I never made it ANYWHERE near the end.

>.<

[Eternal Champion]

I'd like to second Alex Kidd on Thunder Force II--That game is hard anyway, it gets BRUTAL in the last 4 levels. The only I saw the last, hell, 4, was the first time I ever played Genny--jeez, in 1990--you have to put in a different cart, leave the system on, put in TFII--something like that...and you can select the last 4 levels.
TFIII is damn brutal at the end, but at least POSSIBLE.
Contra Hard Corps is damn cheap, involves a lot of pattern memorization.
Here we go:

IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER:
-GOONIES II, NES--back in the day, whew!
-GAUNTLET, NES--the last few mazes of the last world were ridiculous
-Ghosts/Ghouls n' Goblins/Ghouls--ANY version, just WAAAAAYYY too CHEAP-ASS!!
-R-Type III, SNES--kick-ASS game, but KEEEEE-RIST!!
-ZANAC, NES--I think it's the hardest game I've ever played (besides games like G/G n' G/G--games that cheap I throw out the window after an hour--but a game I REALLY tried)--THANK YOU, SIR! MAY I HAVE ANOTHER!!! Just brutal. :beaten:

Honorable Mention: GAIARES, Genny--neat shooter, neat weapon system, but ONE HIT AND START AT THE BLOODY BEGINNING??? WHAT THE F@#$!!??? :grrr:

[Arqueologia_Digital]

Chessmaster (With hard level and vs. the chessmaster is impossible) :/
Gauntlet (Arcade, so much coins)

[Kairi]

Space Channel 5 isn't so hard if you have good rhythm. :D

[Needle]

Ghosts & Goblins - One of the first 5 NES games I ever owned. I think I made it to level 3 once... that was a shining moment. It's just not fair. Those red devils move too quickly and take too many hits. Any your character's mobility is very limiting. I'll never understand why people are calling the SNES version difficult. It can be frustrating, but I've beaten it legitimately (the double jump adds so much more versatility).

Battletoads (NES) - Very difficult, although I'm proud to say that I've actually beaten this game! Although I used one of the secret warps to bypass the snake lair. Other than that, it was completely legitimate :D A lot of highlights from this game come after the Turbo Tunnel, which is a really hard level to put so early in the game. The ice cave is fantastic, the elevator shaft is incredible! The Aquedects are probably the hardest part of the game. Anyone seen the map of this level in the old issue of Nintendo Power? Hard yes. Great, yes.

Gauntlet (NES) - I love Gauntlet. I suck at Gauntlet. I would love to play this game through once with someone who really knew what they were doing. Anyone want to get some emulators and play through with a NetPlay aoption? :)

Super R-Type (SNES) - The only way I could ever do anything meaningful with this shooter was to play on the easiest game mode. Even using cheats to get to the last level on the hardest difficulty with a fully-powered ship, I could not finish the stage.

3-D World Runner (NES) - The later levels require you to land on dime-sized jumping targets while running on full speed. Sometimes you had to guess which direction to move in. More than often, I guessed wrong.

[little arms]

space channel 5 was pretty hard--and so was ghosts and goblins and spy hunter(NES)

[hu6800]

If you play any of these games... you will agree.

Ive been playing for a very long time , and to this date id have to say
that these 5 games here were the biggest "Bitch" to beat.

DeathDuel for the sega genesis
Pugsleys Scavenger Hunt for the SNES.
BattleToads "Battlemaniacs" for the snes
"Viewpoint" for the sony psx
"Download 2" For the pcengine cdrom

(without cheating) those games are knuckle crackers
and the best reason in the world to always have fresh coffee going.

[hu6800]

space channel 5 was pretty hard--and so was ghosts and goblins and spy hunter(NES)

yeah dude, the Supergrafx Ghouls and Ghost was quite the little whore to beat.

[grayrobertos]

Super Mario the lost levels on the extra mode, its near to imposible. Turtles on the nes I never finished it. The swimmnig level after the damm used to crack me up, it was sooo hard and the music made it so tense.

At the moment im playing viewtiful joe on adult mode and thats a pretty hard task.

[Ruudos]

I've heard more people saying that the swimming level in TMNT is hard. Personally I don't have any problems with it (oen of my best video game accomplishments probably is to finish the level without getting hit). I'm still wondering if these people just take the wrong route or don't switch to another turtle in time.

Yes, and Street Fighter II' Special Championship on hardest mode is hard! I've beaten it once though with Ryu (after lots of continuse). Funny thing is that I don't have much trouble with Sagat (but, oh do I HATE Vega from Spain)

[Ed Oscuro]

Contra Hard Corps wasn't that hard folks...I beat it the same day I rented it (no cheats).

Ahem, enough bragging, heh heh.

My vote is for Vampire Killer for MSX (AGGGGGHHHH!!!!!!)

Well, my man Morgoth Galaxius has one-lifed it, or close. He hasn't managed to do that with the AWFUL Amiga port of Castlevania, and I think he's one-lifed Haunted Castle. I'd say both those games are harder than Vampire Killer, but I haven't played VK yet (holding out till my copy arrives :)

I'd say that the original Makaimura on NES/FC is hands down one of the toughest games I've ever played. I mean...my goodness...AGH.

Alien Storm isn't a walk in the park, either. That game is insanely hard, unless you just feed the damn machine quarter after quarter for half an hour.

[waxpoet]

Looking at this list I think most of these games just take practice...while others really are so so hard.

For example I used to think Metal Gear for NES was impossible. I used to play the first level and die over and over. You just need to play for about an hour or 2 and you will understand how the enemies work and such. Basically you just run from them to the next screen and they dont follow you. Once you get further into the game you start to be able to carry 6 or higher rations. Anyway if you are a metal gear fan then I suggest you put the time in and you will find its not that hard once you get better items. Actually you can easily beat it without dying once....the bosses are all so easy.

Also TMNT for NES....I thought that game was hard and cheap when I was younger but actually I beat that underwater level no problem when I was in 1st grade. You just need to know the level map by heart....believe me when you are young you figure it out quickly!!

I find almost any shooters difficult though. These days im going to try to complete Gradius 2 and Cosmic Force....again I think it just takes a lot of practice at the beginning then you will rapidly get better

peace

[grayrobertos]

TMNT was hard and cheap. Its not like I play it regular lol ;) But when I was young it was the first game I had probably, and I never got past the bit where your on a airbase or something. Me and a friend where playing it on nester DC and got to that robot turtle thing, before we gave up.

The worst thing about the game is, if u walk away from where an enemy appears then it comes back next time you go there. :(. I also found the bit before u go in the water on the dam level solid, there is a little jump. If you don't make it you have to walk all the way around. Drove me mad. But the water level where your diffusing bombs tought me the meaning of staying cool under presure. You really could bottle that level lol.

[Xskaterjake]

Dot Hack
Final Fantasy VII(Don't know where to go!!!)
Kingdom Hearts
Parappa the rapper
???? Cant think of one

[Microbe]

My list would probably be:

5. Phantasy Star II (Genesis) - I beat the game on a dare that I couldn't do it without using the guide book that came with it and it was an exercise in endurance and mapping. Some of those dungeons were brutal in combat encounters!

4. Battletoads (NES) - I quit on the cycle level too, it hurt your eyes after awhile...

3. Contra: Shattered Soldier (PS2) - Far and beyond "Difficult" it's way too hard

2. Adventure Island (NES) - Doesn't anybody else think this game was ridiculously hard? I left my NES on for two days straight because it had no password system and you even had to "cheat" to get unlimited continues but some of the jumps in this game were insane.

1. Ghosts and Goblins (NES) - I agree that the Snes versions were much easier compared to this capcom gem, you could only fire side to side and the worse part was having to complete it again to get the horribly botched translated ending. "You feel strongth welling up withing you.." or something or other. Too funny...

[Dr. Morbis]

2. Adventure Island (NES) - Doesn't anybody else think this game was ridiculously hard? I left my NES on for two days straight because it had no password system and you even had to "cheat" to get unlimited continues but some of the jumps in this game were insane.

That game is pretty smooth sailing until you hit the last world. But man, 8-2, 8-3, and 8-4 are insane. I can usually get to world 7 in one game, but once I hit 8-2, it becomes a continue-fest. Those last 3 levels are beatable though, it just takes many sacrificial higgins. I especially hate the insane jumps you have to make at the end of 8-3. Once you finally see solid ground at the end of the level, it is blocked by a rock. I don't know how many times I died trying to jump over that rock until one time I accidentally plowed into it and, low-and-behold, it was the bonus pot!

One thing I've noticed about this thread is that certain games are listed frequently which I can beat easily (such as Ghosts 'n' Goblins and TMNT). This leads me to believe that most games (that actually have an ending) are beatable with some practice. I put tons of practice into both of those games and have no problem with them at all now. Especially the water level in TMNT: how is that hard??? I don't think I've EVER died on that level. The bombs are pretty much linear, it's not like you can get lost. And you have 4 full turtle lives to work with. Somebody please explain to me how that level is supposed to be difficult.

But any NES player who wants to truely challenge himself should try to beat Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom WITHOUT using the walkthrough on gamefaqs. Even if you manage to complete the in-game map, level 10 is impossible without knowing how all the different rooms link together. As well, you can only look at the map before you begin, so you either have to draw it or memorize it. If you die, you lose the Shankara (spelling?) stones and have to find them again. And the kicker is that you CANNOT continue. You are placed back on level 9 which is insanely difficult if you haven't spent the whole game leading up to this level stocking up on items. Whoever wishes to undertake this challenge: good luck!

[Mr Mort]

My votes for toughest games of all time: (in no particular order)

-Battletoads: The speeder bike level never gave me any trouble. The level with all those snakes tho? Eesh. A friend and I tried out of contempt once to beat the game with the aid of a game genie, and after 2 hours we still could not beat the last boss! If you still can't beat a game with a cheat device, it earns the right to be on this list.

-Double Dragon III (Nes): Should be re-named: "The mugging simulator" You WILL get mugged, you WILL get pummeled, you WILL lose. Resistance is futile.

-The Adventures of Bayou Billy: I now know for a fact that Australia is populated by criminals after attempting to play this game.

-Final Fight CD: Can't beat the last boss on easy, even in 2 player. Deceptive, it starts out pretty fair it seems, then the game gets sadistic. 5 enemies at once, all throwing motolov cocktails at you while beating the piss out of you on a conveyor belt... Just the kind of experience I paid for.

-X-men: Children of the Atom (Saturn): Never has just one enemy character damned a whole game to be dubbed "YOU CHEAP F**KING PIECE OF SH!T!!!" You'd think on easy, you could beat the last boss. Magneto says "No.". Spent many frustrated, sleepless hours trying to defeat the master of magnetism to no avail. "Playtime has ended" he says. Indeed.



Difficult games I managed to beat only once:

-Castlevania (NES): Say what you will, but IMO, the original CV is one bastard of a game. I did manage to beat it once fair and square, but I can't honestly say I want to try it again. Death and Dracula are 2 mean bastards.

-Ninja Gaiden III: No questions, the hardest game in the trilogy. The first game is a walk in the park next to this monster. Only 5 continues, more horrendously enemy-filled jumps than you can shake a stick at. The infamous "jump" from the first game seems so easy in comparison, I could do that one with my eyes closed. This is the only game I recorded myslef beating with a vcr to prove it to my friends.

-Contra III: Beat it on hard, with no cheats in 2-player mode with a friend after playing it almost every day for 2 weeks. We had the patterns down for every step of every stage.


Games I never thought were too hard:

-TMNT (NES): I remeber playing this plenty of times in my early teens, and beating it on numerous occasions.

-Ninja Gaiden: I love it. Played it so much one summer, I actually beat the game without dying. No lie.

-Contra Hard Corps: My favorite Contra game, it's really not as impossible as it may seem. It's all about memorization. I've beaten all but 1 of the last bosses, and I'm confident I will eventually beat that one too.

-Punch-Out!!!: Again, Memorization is key.