The 10 HARDEST 2D Platformers
“I Wanna Be The Guy” (2007)
Top 10 Hardest 2D Platformers of All Time
Some games are designed to make us rage, and “I Wanna Be The Guy” is one of them. “I Wanna Be The Guy” is a game that will seem impossible and unfair at times. Levels will look bare, but one false move could lead to your demise. “I Wanna Be The Guy '' is from the era of “let's make a goofy, hard game and throw it up on the internet.” Even though the game seems impossible, you can get through it with trial and error… and there will be loads of errors. However the thing that kept me playing was all the fun inclusions of other video game assets. Playing through levels and seeing enemies from Ghosts and Goblins, spirits from Mega Man, and even going toe to toe with Iron Mike Tyson is a ton of fun.
“Braid” (2008)
When you think about hard platformers, you probably think of difficult jumps and avoiding baddies. “Braid” is difficult for its mind-bending time puzzles. At first glance, this may look like an “artsy fartsy” platformer, but as you progress, the puzzles start to really rattle your brain. Created by Jonathan Blow, “Braid” was one of the stepping stones for indie games becoming more mainstream. This was probably due to the game taking a genre most people know and adding the difficult yet thoughtful puzzles “Braid” is full of.
“Ninja Gaiden” (1989)
Origin Story: Ryu Hayabusa from Ninja Gaiden
NES games were hard and most were unfair or poorly designed. Ninja Gaiden was a hard game that was designed excellently, with the exception of the knockback when enemies hit you. While each entry in the original “Ninja Gaiden” trilogy is hard, most argue that Ninja Gaiden III was the hardest, but it’s safe to say that no matter which entry you play it’ll prove to be difficult. So what made Ninja Gaiden so tough? The platforming was excellent, but the enemies would be the thing that usually takes people out. Oh yeah, and that knockback.
“Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels” (1986)
The 10 Hardest 2D Mario Levels
Deemed too hard for North America, “Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels” is actually “Super Mario Bros. 2”. We first received Lost Levels with the spectacular compilation, “Super Mario All-Stars”. Lost Levels took everything we learned in “Super Mario Bros” and upped it. We got bigger gaps, harder enemies, smaller platforms, and the addition of wind. Lost Levels is hands down the hardest Mario game to this day thanks to those additions. Now, was it actually too hard for North American players? Hard to say, I mean how many of us can actually finish the game?
“Spelunky 2” (2020)
One thing that makes platformers easier is the ability to memorize the level. “Spelunky 2” takes that away from us with its procedurally generated levels. Sure, that alone is difficult, but the fact that the game is full of traps that are meant to kill you is what makes it really hard. Oh and you get one life. Now with that being said, you can master “Spelunky 2”. Learning what traps look like and just playing the game will give you reflexes and muscle memory that will help you progress. All the things that make “Spelunky 2” difficult are also what makes rogue-likes amazing.
“VVVVVV” (2010)
Quite possibly the most unique game on the list, “VVVVVV” (hopefully I got all the V’s) is a platformer where we don’t actually control the character’s jump, but control the gravity instead. “VVVVVV” is another game that players will learn by trial and error and it will test players’ patience when it comes to some of the challenges the game has to offer. The game is generous with its checkpoints, but this is somewhat of a facade as each room in “VVVVVV” will test your skills. There are also user created levels, which, if we know anything about user created levels, can be incredibly difficult.
“The End is Nigh” (2017)
Top 10 Hardest Platformer Video Games
Why don’t people talk about this game? “The End is Nigh” is one of the most difficult games I’ve ever played. Each area builds upon the last. At first you’ll have basic platforming, then the next area they’ll add hooks for you to grab onto, after that spikes, floating platforms, and enemies. The difficulty ramps up well here. However, later levels will have all that with pixel perfect platformer and timing. If you’re a completionist, that is where the true difficulty lies. Tumors and keys will unlock more areas and levels which will be quite difficult to complete with a set amount of lives.
“Cuphead” (2017)
WTF is Cuphead? Top 5 Things You Need To Know
Originally a game focused on difficult boss battles, during development run-and-gun levels were added to “Cuphead”. Now these levels aren’t actually that difficult, however a few will prove to be a challenge. The difficulty will be the bosses the game was originally built around. “Cuphead” has some of the most notorious bosses in games, and each one will feel completely different with their unique levels. Each level is full of great and exciting platforms that will take a bit of time to master, but with proper equipment and memorizing the bosses’ attack patterns, they can easily be taken down… well not easily, but you’ll get ‘em.
“Super Meat Boy” (2010)
The 10 HARDEST Super Mario Games
“Super Meat Boy” is another game like “I Wanna Be The Guy”. The original “Meat Boy” was released during the flash game craze that was full of games that were hard just to be hard. “Super Meat Boy” took the original game and polished it up and added smooth controls. “Super Meat Boy” is one of those games where pixel perfect and timed jumps are essential. You’ll be dying, a lot. So much so that when you finally finish a level you’ll see every run that you failed at and where you died. One of the things that makes “Super Meat Boy” hard, other than the game just being hard, is the grade rating. Each level has a set time in which the player should aim to complete the level by if you’re going for 100%. The unlockable characters add more fun and difficulty, with each being based on other indie hits and each character having their own unique skill sets.
“Celeste” (2018)
It’s not every day that a game can be frustratingly hard and still have an impactful story. “Celeste”, just like most games on the list, is another pixel perfect platformer that will reward you for your trial and error. Each level will test your skills and at times seem impossible. While the game is hard, the thing that sets “Celeste” apart from other entries is the story that goes along with our difficult journey. “Celeste” is a game that focuses on never giving up, finding self love, and even tackles anxiety and depression. It’s very rare that a game can tackle serious issues that we all deal with and wrap it up in a tight, difficult platformer.
