Many platformers are simple, but you won't find any of those here. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're looking at games that make running, jumping, and climbing from Point A to Point B a significant challenge. However, we won't be including any Metroidvanias.
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00:00 Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the top 10 hardest platformer
00:13 video games.
00:23 For this list, we'll be looking at games that make running, jumping, and climbing from
00:27 point A to point B a significant challenge.
00:31 We're excluding Metroidvanias, as they're too open-ended to be considered traditional
00:36 platformers.
00:37 Which of these games did you find to be the most difficult?
00:41 Is there a brutal experience we left off?
00:43 Share your thoughts in the comments.
00:47 Number 10.
00:48 Crash Bandicoot 4.
00:50 It's about time.
01:01 Most of the toughest platformers around are of the 2D variety, but Crash Bandicoot 4 stands
01:09 tall.
01:10 And by that, we mean it beats you into submission.
01:14 Developer Toys for Bob did a fantastic job at transitioning Crash's style into the modern
01:19 era.
01:20 The original games are already fairly challenging, but here, players have to factor in special
01:25 masks that change gameplay mechanics during certain sections of levels.
01:37 Many later stages have these abilities activate at the drop of a hat, sometimes in quick succession.
01:44 Along with purposely tricky level design, Crash 4 gives you a lot to juggle.
01:49 And godspeed to all players trying for 100%.
02:02 Number 9.
02:03 Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy.
02:15 This indie darling proves you don't need a lot of financial backing to make a great
02:20 platformer.
02:21 Or one that makes you want to put your fist through the wall.
02:26 Simplistic in its premise and enraging in its execution, Getting Over It with Bennett
02:30 Foddy tasks players with climbing a mountain with only a cauldron and a rock-climbing hammer.
02:41 The physics-based mechanics were rightfully praised, placing emphasis on your character's
02:51 positioning.
02:52 But that structure is partially why it's all so crushingly difficult.
02:57 One false move can send you carrying down the cliffside, destroying your patience since
03:02 there aren't any checkpoints.
03:05 With the possibility of losing huge chunks of progress, Getting Over It is easier said
03:10 than done.
03:18 Number 8.
03:19 Spelunky 2.
03:28 Although Spelunky 2 features different paths, levels aren't interconnected like Metroidvanias.
03:35 But there are certain elements that make it uniquely tough among other platformers.
03:41 Players delve into deadly caverns in search of their missing parents, with a lot of treasure,
03:46 traps, and enemies to find along the way.
03:49 However, what makes it hard is its procedural generation.
03:56 You'll never know what obstacles, foes, or rewards are lying in wait, or how frustratingly
04:04 placed they'll be.
04:06 This aspect of mystery is complemented by the fact that you only have one life.
04:11 Once it's gone, you'll either start from the very beginning or in a checkpoint tunnel.
04:16 It takes a lot of skill, and a bit of luck, to make it out the other side.
04:28 Number 7.
04:34 Ninja Gaiden.
04:37 The NES had a reputation for housing some of the toughest games ever created, many of
04:42 which are platformers.
04:45 Ninja Gaiden sets players out on a quest of vengeance for their late father, a goal that
04:50 is absurdly hard to reach.
04:53 Seasoned platformer players can get the hang of the first few levels okay, but it doesn't
04:57 stay that way for long.
05:05 Every stage is littered with enemies, with spawn points at the most inopportune moments.
05:11 Some wait by the platforms you jump to, while others dive-bomb you from off-screen as soon
05:17 as you get close to the edge.
05:19 As if that wasn't bad enough, enemies respawn if you move even a hair away from them.
05:25 It's an onslaught.
05:34 Number 6.
05:36 Super Meat Boy.
05:45 Super Meat Boy is one of the most successful indie games of all time, which tells us a
05:51 lot of you really love to be punished.
05:54 With his girlfriend kidnapped by a dastardly mad scientist, the aptly named hero throws
06:00 himself headfirst into some of the most dangerous levels in platforming history.
06:13 The focus on speed and precise timing will undeniably force your hand-eye coordination
06:18 to get better lest you die trying.
06:22 But you won't be doing plenty of that anyway.
06:25 With the likes of saw blades, laser beams, missiles, good old-fashioned pits and much
06:30 more, you'll go from meat cube to paste quickly and often.
06:40 Number 5.
06:41 Mega Man 9.
06:50 When Capcom brought Mainline Mega Man back after a long hiatus, the studio retained not
06:56 only the look and gameplay of the original series, but the immense challenge.
07:02 The formula is familiar to many.
07:04 Defeat each robot boss using each one's ability as a foil for the next.
07:09 However, reaching each of them is a masterclass in frustration.
07:20 Just like the old days, hordes of mechanical minions will spray damage every chance they
07:25 get.
07:26 They're naturally placed at just the right spots to drive you mad.
07:31 Navigating levels is no walk in the park either, having tough-to-land jumps peppered throughout.
07:37 Capcom wanted to bring the pain, and it very clearly did.
07:48 Number 4.
07:49 I Wanna Be The Guy.
07:57 For a brief time in the late 2000s, the internet saw several ridiculously challenging flash
08:03 platformers that drew the fascination of many.
08:06 I Wanna Be The Guy delights by featuring characters and elements from many classic games.
08:13 Or it would be delight if it wasn't too busy destroying its players.
08:26 The game punishes you just for playing.
08:28 Traps and hazards come from the most unexpected places, especially those where logic would
08:33 tell you you're safe.
08:35 That is precisely why so many sought it out.
08:39 Not only is it a test in platforming skill, but also in memorization of where its many,
08:45 many dangers lie.
08:47 And trust us, you will be tested.
08:57 Number 3.
09:03 Celeste.
09:07 With a focus on mental health, Madeline's climb up Celeste Mountain is one of the most
09:12 heartfelt experiences we've ever had with a video game.
09:16 But there's no denying it makes you work hard to earn it.
09:28 Designed around a signature dash mechanic with new gameplay features introduced each
09:33 level, players must make it through increasingly dangerous gauntlets.
09:38 Celeste features incredibly demanding obstacles in its base game, but there are also reimagined
09:44 versions of each level that are at least twice as hard.
09:48 Then there's Farewell, a free post-launch chapter that's one of the most unforgiving
09:53 levels ever crafted, in a platformer or otherwise.
09:57 The demanding design perfectly pairs with Madeline's struggles, making for quite the
10:02 stressful playthrough.
10:11 Number 2.
10:13 Super Mario Bros.
10:15 The Lost Levels.
10:23 The Lost Levels concerns one of the more famous bits of Mario's history.
10:28 Nintendo deemed the real Super Mario Bros. 2 too hard for Western players, and so re-skinned
10:34 a Japan-only title for something more manageable.
10:38 When the game was finally released as part of a collection on the SNES, we all learned
10:43 that Nintendo was absolutely right.
10:53 The Lost Levels resembles its predecessor, just with the difficulty amped way up.
10:59 Everything from platform and enemy placement to unexpected hazards will make you question
11:04 your skill.
11:05 One of the most annoying new features are gusts of winds that severely affect the Mario
11:10 Bros. jumping.
11:12 Many Mario games have tough levels, but this is in a completely different category.
11:25 Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
11:30 Rayman.
11:31 This deceptive platformer featured a major difficulty spike.
11:43 VVVVVVV.
11:46 Controlling the gravity with loads of traps around.
11:57 Donkey Kong Country Returns.
12:00 Gets DKC back in glorious, brutal fashion.
12:28 Number 1, Ghosts 'n Goblins.
12:39 Not counting this game's sequels, there is not a single platformer that makes you
12:44 work this hard to reach its ending.
12:47 Capcom's Ghosts 'n Goblins follows Arthur on his mission to rescue a princess from monstrous
12:53 forces.
12:54 The night goes down in two hits, which will undoubtedly happen many times due to how many
13:01 enemies this game throws at you.
13:10 Groups can spawn at a time, making it their life's purpose to put you in the ground.
13:16 Different versions offer different amount of lives, but none of them give you nearly
13:21 enough.
13:22 Chances are you'll be stuck redoing the first level over and over again.
13:26 Oh, and you have to beat the game twice to get the true ending.
13:31 Good luck with that.
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13:47 Thanks for watching.
13:55 (ding)