Without putting too much emphasis on retro games, which are infamously notorious for the death of controllers everywhere, we're taking a nosedive into some of the hardest video games ever made. Some challenge the player with near-indestructible bosses, others with no continues or limited saves, and others with just hard-as-nails levels. No matter how it made this list, if it's on here, it's hard but also deserves a playthrough. The games on here won't cheat with cheap traps or glitches: they're just the best toughest games on the planet, period.
Honorable Mention: Super Mario Bros. (NES, Wii)
Everyone has played some Mario in their lifetime, but how many people do you know that have beaten it? As cute as it sounds, a game about two bouncy plumber brothers out to save Princess Peach is no walk in the park. Locate a way out through the warp tunnels and jump safely over the spikes, the pools of lavas, and the Goombas before the timer runs out, and you're good. Take it past all the levels, earning all the coins, and beating Bowser once and for all, and you're a god of gaming. You can't be a gaming pro without beating Super Mario at least once.
10) Marvel vs. Capcom 2
I personally regard fighting games as the hardest video game genre out there... just too many button combos to count. While I consider Street Fighter among the top tough fighters out there, nothing presents quite the same challenge as MvC2, which was so challenging yet so fun for gamers that a petition to make a third game survived for years until the game was finally made this year.
9) Ninja Gaiden Black (Xbox)
Despite not owning the original Microsoft Xbox console back in its heyday, I distinctly remember this game coming up in conversations. Not because it was a fan favorite, but because so many people I knew were playing it and having the hardest time beating it. Ninja Gaiden retains its infamous difficulty that started in the NES days with the old Ninja Gaiden trilogy. Ryu Hayabusa may be a highly-trained ninja, but can you fight off foes while mastering the nooks and crannies of each level?
8) Super Meat Boy (XBLA, PC) -
A platformer that grew from a simplistic Flash game to a smash-hit on Xbox's Live Arcade, Super Meat Boy is a champion of indie games and is especially victorious when it comes to enraging gamers everywhere. Appreciated for his unique levels and its homage to many games made before it, the game proved to be a bit too hard for some gamers, even with an average grade of 9/10 from many credible reviewers. Super sensitive controls and levels chock full of booby traps make Super Meat Boy a real teeth-grinder.
7) Ikaruga (SEGA, Atari, Gamecube, XBLA)
Another under-the-radar hit that will be remembered for its colorful difficulty, Ikaruga is a treasured prize of the old-school gamer and when remade into a best-selling Xbox Live Arcade download, was relived again in a new generation of gamers. A 2D side-scrolling space shooter, try Ikaruga on its hardest difficulty, and you'll be submitted to a barrage of enemy fire and dodging to every available safe spot. It takes the fastest reflexes and the best knowledge of the game. Beat it, and you'll have my respect.
6) Demon's Souls (PS3)
Impossible to not include on anyone's tough cookie list, the Playstation 3 exclusive became a sleeper hit, calling for another round of copies made when it broke gamer hearts everywhere with its steep difficulty and impossible bosses. If you haven't tried it, grab a few tissues and avoid using your favorite controller.
5) Battletoads (NES)
Who'd have thought three slimy frogs starring in a classic beat 'em up would make this list? It comes as no surprise for retro game lovers, many of which embrace this game despite its harrowing difficulty. Featuring absolutely no save mode, only the best and most patient gamers can beat the tough-as-nails bosses and make it pass levels full of booby traps to master this classic.
4) Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (PS3) - (Big Boss Emblem Run)
Hideo Kojima has yet to make a simplistic or easy game throughout his storied career, especially when considering the latest Metal Gear Solid game has been called "technically perfect" and is the hallmark game of the Playstation 3. Attempt the Big Boss Emblem Run, and you'll be in for one of the most intense times of your life. One of 40 attainable "achievements," the Big Boss Emblem allows the player to unlock a Big Boss mask, scaring all characters into hysterics. That said, it is only attainable to those who complete the game on Boss Extreme difficulty with 0 kills, health items, continues, alerts, and no special items in under 5 hours.
3) Devil May Cry 3 (PS2) - (Dante Must Die Difficulty)
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Fans of the original DMC and haters of its sequel celebrate Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening as one of the toughest games to ever grace the best-selling Playstation 2 console. Complete the demon-killing adventure on hard, and you'll unlock the impossibly tough Dante Must Die difficulty mode, which results in Dante being killed in one hit anywhere he goes. The most skilled players who beat this game continue on to unlock the Heaven or Hell setting, where everything is smited in one hit: an ultimate test of reflexes!
2) Castlevania II: Simon's Quest (NES) -
I can't think of many easy Castlevania games, and while there's room to argue which one is the hardest to play, Simon's Quest is easily one of the top choices. The follow-up game to the original Castlevania, also on the NES, Simon's Quest burns in infamy due to its lack of explanation as to where to direct the player in the game. The game was so hard to follow, it's been said one cannot complete this game without a walkthrough. Despite the puzzles within Simon's Quest being so incredulously vague, '80s gamers loved it anyway for its incredible presentation and aesthetic values.
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1) I Wanna Be The Guy (PC)
The hardest game on this list is not retro nor does it cost you anything to play. I Wanna Be The Guy is a free PC download, and if you dare, you can assume the role of "The Kid" who has the ultimate goal of becoming "The Guy." With the ability of only moving left or right, jumping, double-jumping, and shooting, you must make it through levels designed to kill you within seconds. When you're feeling brave or digitally suicidal try out Impossible Mode, which offers no save option.
