Lebedev "Mighty Semchan" Semyon
There was a time when platformers made up a large portion of all available video games, and almost every gaming console had its own titles that delighted players. Over the past few decades, the situation has changed dramatically, but developers continue to make efforts to revive the love for the genre. Especially for you, we’ve prepared a small selection of the most interesting and challenging representatives of the genre in last years.
Geometry Dash
Image: youtube.comGeometry Dash is a fantastic and interesting platformer that is sure to appeal to fans of Impossible Game. While playing Geometry Dash, you’ll experience that very feeling when, with every fiber of your gamer soul, you hate the game, want to break free from its grip... but can’t. You are powerless over yourself, repeatedly trying to conquer a level that has almost become a curse. Therefore, before trying Geometry Dash, make sure to prepare your psyche and strengthen your nerves.
No one knows how this game will affect you. However, it is excellently done and will leave no one indifferent. The graphics will especially attract seasoned gamers, and the increasing difficulty of the gameplay, mission after mission, will challenge you. Test your reaction skills and agility in Geometry Dash—you won't be bored!
Ori Series
Image: steamcommunity.comEntering the wonderful world of platformers is probably best done with the Ori series. A charming fairy tale adventure will enchant you with its visuals, but it will also make you sweat during the gameplay. The little spirit Ori is well acquainted with deadly dangers, and the many threats lurking in the forest will bring the little one to death repeatedly. Even if the game's difficulty doesn’t bring you to tears, its touching story will surely do so.
Nine Sols
Image: steamcommunuty.comWelcome to Sekiro of the action-platformer world. An enchanting Asian fantasy intertwined with cyberpunk will really test your nerves in boss fights. Without knowledge of timings, the ability to parry, and lightning-fast reactions, the local inhabitants will easily turn you into a punching bag. Fans of Hollow Knight should definitely check out this game while waiting for the nonexistent silk game.
The game works on the Sekiro principle—you need to play from parries if you don’t want to lose your life instantly. However, unlike Sekiro, enemies don’t have stamina, and they can’t be knocked out of balance. Bosses are immune to most control effects, and they can only be worn down with a bow. As a result, you’ll have to find opportunities to use explosive seals and basic attacks. There’s a system of internal damage. This is potential damage that can be effectively used with certain builds.
Noita
Image: steamcommunity.comHave you ever dreamed of creating your own spell? The pixel world of Noita will truly let your imagination run wild, but remember one thing—you will die. Any accident or even your own spell can send you back to the start of the run. Get ready for pain, suffering, and humiliation, leading to the thought that dying is actually quite fun.
Imagine the craziest spells you can think of. In Noita, everything is ten times crazier. Oceans of lava, nuclear bombs, blood clouds, chainsaws, earthquakes, and a huge number of absurd things. And it’s not just spells; there are modifiers too. Want your wand to cast two spells simultaneously? Done. Want it to cast ten? No problem.
Cuphead
Image: steamcommunity.comNo one could have imagined, but the deal with the devil turned out to be a rather bad idea. A unique visual style reminiscent of 1930s Disney cartoons, a catchy soundtrack, and genuinely terrifying difficulty will have you restarting the level over and over again just to face an even harder boss. This will make you hate and love this game simultaneously, and the coveted S rank on missions will become an unattainable dream.
This game teaches a philosophical attitude toward defeat, reconciling you with yourself. Because after you burn out completely, with nothing left of your former self, you will learn patience, experience Zen, and be reborn like the Phoenix. There are no wrong decisions or failures. Only your personal path of spiritual development towards improving your ability to process vast amounts of information in a short time and at high speeds.
Celeste
Image: steamcommunity.comDespite Celeste’s popularity among genre fans, one of the best games of 2018 has surprisingly been overlooked by a large portion of gamers. It might seem quite simple at first glance, but the designer’s intricate creations will surprise you with their complexity. However, once you get the hang of the gameplay mechanics, you’ll start clearing platform segments at the speed of an experienced speedrunner. Even players who are not fond of the genre may be interested in the story, and a simplified mode will allow them to fully enjoy it.
The punishment for failure isn’t as harsh as in other games. The game is also accessible to casual players. At the same time, if the difficulty doesn’t defeat you, it’s very likely that the emotionally heavy story will.
Super Meat Boy
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Super Meat Boy, although released back in 2010, quickly became a leader in the genre. This beloved indie game is often considered one of the most difficult platformers, capable of testing the resolve of even the most skilled players. The charming look of the characters makes each death painful, and you will die quite often, but don’t despair—sooner or later, you’ll make it!
The title has simple mechanics that players must master instantly and then work at an unrelenting pace. Quick reactions and precise timing are essential for victory. Super Meat Boy allows you to skip some of the more difficult levels, but you can only delay the inevitable for a short time.
VVVVVV
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VVVVVV is not just a standard platformer, but a unique puzzle where the unexpected absence of jumping adds a special twist to the process. The game offers hundreds of unique levels, each more challenging than the last. You’ll have to become a true master of gravity to reach the end, but no matter how well you do, it will never be easy.
I Wanna Be the Guy
Image: steamcommunity.com18 years later, I Wanna Be the Guy, which gave birth to many clones, continues to remain at the top of the most difficult games of its genre, and for good reason! Half-genius platformer, half creation of a cruel sadist, it will take away many hours of your life and nerve cells if you decide to complete it. Anyone who wants to dive into the world of suffering should know that you can trust not a single pixel here.
Anyone who wants to immerse themselves in the game should know that you can’t trust anything here. Everything in the game is designed to defeat you, and because of that, playing will be difficult no matter how skilled you are with platformers.
Donkey Kong Country Returns
Image: apkpure.com The Donkey Kong Country series for Super Nintendo are among the best platformers on this console, and they are still quite difficult. Donkey Kong Country Returns is a fantastic return to the mechanics of this platformer series, and Retro Studios didn’t try to cater to casual players.
The title offers the player a lot. The levels are incredibly diverse, so expect surprises. The final levels are a real challenge, and any player who wants to collect all items will have to work hard.
N++
Image: steamcommunity.comYou are a ninja. No, wait, you are a Cyber-ninja who lives for one and a half minutes, is so greedy for gold that it prolongs your life, incredibly agile, fast, and cool, and all of this happens in a test chamber for the player. The training (spiritual, moral, physical) aims to complete episodes consisting of 5 levels.
N++ features many levels, which can also be created by the player or played from other users. Additionally, the game places a large emphasis on inertia, so you must be careful because applying just a little more force than necessary can send you crashing, for example, into the ceiling.
Ghosts'n Goblins Resurrection
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Ghosts’n Goblins was considered difficult and even ranked second in the list of the hardest games at its time. However, Ghosts’n Goblins Resurrection seems to break all records, taking the concept of difficulty to a new level.
The difficulty of the levels is surprisingly high, even by the standards of the series — zombies endlessly spawn in groups of tens, plants actively shoot Arthur, and the notoriously difficult Red Arremer demon is now even harder to kill as it moves very sharply and, of course, dodges any weapon. The developers clearly aimed to make the game as frustrating as possible — for example, a log that turns at the wrong moment, causing a well-planned jump to send Arthur into a pit. There are many such unique pitfalls in the game, and the level design is very diverse.
The End is Nigh
Image: steamcommunity.comThis is the spiritual successor to Super Meat Boy, and also the most brutal platformer since Shovel Knight and I Wanna Be The Guy: Gaiden. A game that will be difficult and uncomfortable even for those with experience in SMB and other Edmund games. The rules have gotten even stricter.
The End is Nigh doesn’t even give you time to settle in, throwing the player into unimaginable conditions. Jumps here often require pixel-perfect precision: one pixel to the left or right and you start over. The levels themselves often contain hidden dangers. Upon entering a new room, you inspect it, roughly figuring out the correct route, only to have elements of the level start moving. The ground slips away, platforms shift, and you have to react to these changes as quickly as possible, literally making up the next move on the fly.
Ninja Gaiden
Image: youtube.comThe modern reboot of the Ninja Gaiden franchise by Tecmo features some of the most challenging hack-and-slash games in recent generations. The high difficulty level is meant to emphasize the fact that the original series from the late 80s and 90s was one of the most difficult of its time.
Ninja Gaiden for NES combines action and platforming in a confusing way. If you miss even the tiniest detail, you’ll see the "game over" screen. There’s little room for error. The levels are tough, and the bosses are a real challenge, breaking many devoted players.
Spelunky
Image: steamcommunity.comSpelunky has a charming retro aesthetic that appears in many of the games discussed here. But the game does everything possible to present the player with the toughest challenge. The reason Spelunky deserves the top spot is that, while other games might simplify through memorization, in Spelunky, each attempt at a level generates a new layout.
This means players must master the mechanics themselves rather than relying on memorization. Moreover, the fact that failure sends you all the way back to the beginning of the game is enough to keep some players from finishing.
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