11 classic NES games that coined the term “Nintendo Hard”

From the dawn of video game consoles, gaming handhelds, and PCs, one of the fandom’s most hotly debated badges of honor has been completing notoriously difficult games. From Dark Souls to Cup Head, players get a sense of pride from finally toppling a terrible boss or reaching the end of a game on the highest difficulty level. While plenty of hard games exist today, any gaming veteran will agree that some of the most difficult titles reside on the NES.

During the NES’s heyday, arcade-era games took the console by storm, and no one was safe. The games were short, so companies had to make them worth the price, and if they were an arcade port, those games were designed to steal every last quarter out of your pocket. With those things in mind, developers came up with some of the most brutally difficult games that coined the phrase “Nintendo Hard,” which sticks even to this day. So, if you think you have what it takes, try some of these on for size.

11

Battle Toads

Pain in a video game cartridge

This beat’em up is notorious for being one of the most difficult games on the NES, often finding itself at the top of most roundups. Players choose one of the Battletoads, Rash, Zitz, or Pimple, and are off to take on the Dark Queen’s minions stage after soul-crushing stage. Like many beat’em ups, players have to punch their way through enemies and traverse obstacles that get in their way.

What makes this game so difficult, though, is the clunky controls, poor collision detection, and overall unbalanced mechanics. What that boils down to is that, while the game is fun and addicting, players will find themselves dying because of difficulty spikes, cheap environmental hazards, and unresponsive controls. If you think more players might make things easier, you’re kidding yourself. You’re more likely to accidentally kill your partner before they can actually help. You got to love Battletoads, but man — is it brutal.

10

Ninja Gaiden

They lure you in with ninjas and smack you down

Cool protagonist? Spies? Ninja battles? A killer soundtrack? Ninja Gaiden sounds like a recipe for success. Players take control of Ryu Hayabusa on his quest for revenge, which turns into saving the world. There’s a lot to like about this comic book-style action platformer. Everything except how ridiculously hard it is. You can definitely see the arcade influences here.

The difficulty lies in the respawning monsters, pinpoint jumping, and perfect timing. The enemies spawn in calculated spots, making it impossible to get anywhere without taking at least a little bit of damage. And let’s not forget the recoil your character experiences after you take a hit. Sometimes just taking damage is enough to send you into a pit. It’s easily one of the most rage-inducing titles on this list. In fact, any of the NES Ninja Gaiden titles are considered soul-crushing. But it is definitely one of the best.

9

Zelda 2: The Adventures of Link

The black sheep of the Zelda franchise

Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link is a pretty polarizing title, depending on which faction of the Zelda fandom you ask. It took the series from a top-view action-adventure game to a side-scroller hybrid, a big shift from the original. I never minded it, and the series has since continued experimenting with Zelda titles, even today. Unlike the first game, Zelda 2 has an experience point system, lives, and more extensive character interaction. Link is on a quest to wake a sleeping Zelda, and it’s off on a fun adventure.

You’d like to think that, wouldn’t you? Zelda 2 isn’t the most difficult game on this list, by far. However, once you get to Death Mountain, there is a brutal difficulty spike. What makes matters worse is that not all the puzzles are easy to solve or even intuitive. It’s what we used to call a “Nintendo Power” game. Players had to pick up the Nintendo Power magazine to get whatever hints Nintendo would give them just to get through the game. Regardless, Zelda 2 is still a fun game and worth giving a shot if you want to see what all the fuss is about.

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8

Ghosts & Goblins

A quarter thief

Get ready to be brutalized by some demons. Ghosts N’ Goblins was originally developed and launched for arcades but found its way to the NES. This platformer’s setup is simple: your girl gets taken, and you have to get her back from the Devil. So, players must take up a spear and battle through hordes of zombies, dragons, and other monsters.

Now for the difficult part: players can take a total of two hits before they die. Hit once? Lose your clothes. Hit twice? Lose your skin. And now imagine everything is trying to kill you. Oh, and they all respawn. If you lose your life, you have to restart a level. However, the game has checkpoints, so you don’t have to start at the beginning every time you die. The problem is making it to them first.

There are a few things you can pick up to make it closer and closer to the Devil, like new weapons or extra armor, but the enemies are so difficult it almost doesn’t matter. If you manage to beat the Devil, it’s no time to relax. You have to beat the whole game again, and it’s even more difficult the second time around. Did I mention there’s a level timer, too? I can feel my palms sweating.

7

Castlevania (I – III)

Three brutal games

Source: NintendoComplete / Konami

Another classic and well-loved action platformer? I think I’m sensing a pattern. In Castlevania, players control Simon Belmont, a vampire hunter, on his quest to kill Dracula. Sound awesome? That’s because it is. In fact, this series is half the reason Metroidvanias exist. (Get it?) The goal is to kill vampires using Simon’s trusty whip and complete each stage of the game before the timer runs out. This is the quintessential horror game; all the classic movie monsters are here. The problem is that it is devastating, to say the least. This applies to all the NES Castlevania games, though some are trickier than others.

Players are given a limited number of lives and a limited amount of time to complete the levels. Of course, it all comes down to limited resources, respawning monsters, and sometimes environmental and gaming-induced hazards. Simon’s whip has a slight delay; you can get stuck on staircases, but unlike some others on this list, the challenge is quite fair. That doesn’t make them any less difficult.

6

Dragon Warrior

Fight or flee?

Source: HCBailly / Square Enix

If you want to spend most of a game grinding for experience, Dragon Warrior, or the original Dragon Quest, is for you. It might not have been the most exciting game, but it started an incredible series we still know and love today. You’re the Dragon Warrior who must take out the Dragonlord, and the best way to do that is to kill a bunch of monsters, explore dungeons, save a prince, and get better equipment.

The problem with Dragon Warrior is that it can be both grueling and punishing. As you venture further on the map, the monsters will become more difficult. And I’m not talking about heading over a bridge to a new continent — though that is basically a death wish. Just heading to the hills or mountains outside the first castle could be deadly. Unlike other games in this era, you can save your progress without a passcode. Unfortunately, you have to go back to the first castle and talk to the king to do it. But don’t worry — you’ll be back there a lot to heal your wounds.

5

Contra

You’re going to need that Konami code

Source: NintendoComplete / Konami

Contra was one of my favorite games growing up. This run-and-gun game is super easy to pick up and play for hours alone or with a second player. Set in a distant future, players must destroy an evil alien organization plotting to wipe out humanity — you know, basic action movie fare. The goal is to make your way through each level, mowing down your enemies with an arsenal of weapons you pick up as you play. It doesn’t sound like the hardest game ever. Well, that’s thanks to the Konami code.

Whenever players enter the Konami code properly, they are gifted 30 extra lives. Considering one hit kills you, and you only have three lives to start with, 30 extra is a blessing. Since each level is crawling with enemy fire that is sometimes impossible to dodge, trying to beat Contra without the code is daunting. So, if you’re brave enough or just want to pull your hair out, give it a shot without cheating.

4

Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!

I’m sorry…I meant Mr. Dream

In the legendary boxing game, Punch-Out, Little Mac needs to fight his way to the top and eventually try to claim the championship title from Mike Tyson (later Mr. Dream). Players box different opponents, learn their movesets, and make their way to the Title Bout. The further you get in the league, the harder your opponent hits. It really is the title to beat as far as boxing games go. There are plenty of wacky characters, the controls are fluid, and the game is pretty well-balanced.

So, why does this game make the list? Mike Tyson himself. Once you claw your way to the top, you must face this notoriously aggressive boxer — and he’s playing for keeps. One punch is enough to knock your character out, and his move set is incredibly difficult to lock down. The worst part isn’t even losing your fight. It’s the fact that you have to start over from the beginning once you do. That’s right; losing to Mike Tyson is basically hitting the reset button. It’s more than a little frustrating, but if you want to give it a shot and own a Nintendo Switch, there are plenty of titles like Punch-Out on Nintendo Switch Online.

3

Mega Man (Any)

Killer soundtrack, punishing difficulty

Source: NintendoComplete / Capcom

Right out the gate, Mega Man is devilishly difficult. Robots are out of control in this classic side-scrolling action platformer, and Mega Man has to stop Dr. Wily to fix everything. If he can make it that far, of course. You can freely choose whatever level you want to start, and it doesn’t really matter — you’re going to have a tough time with any of them. Of course, if you beat the bosses in a certain order, you can use the skill set you get from them on other bosses.

Like other side-scrolling games of the era, players move across the level, defeating enemies, claiming power-ups, and eventually tackling a boss. Fast, fun, and infuriating, it is one of the most challenging games on the NES. It’s pretty short, too, so the pain won’t last that long if you manage to beat it.

2

Final Fantasy

An ax to grind

Source: HCBailly / Square Enix

Another RPG on this list, Final Fantasy is the start of a hit series (like many other classics on this list) that still captivates audiences today. Players can create a four-member party using six job classes: warrior, thief, black belt, white mage, black mage, and red mage. Make your band of Light Warriors and get started on a quest to save the world. Like most RPGs, Final Fantasy is about exploration, fighting battles to level up, and an epic story.

It seems pretty straightforward, so where does the difficulty come in? For starters, it’s very easy to get very lost if you don’t know where you’re going. If you recall from our Dragon Warrior entry, sometimes getting lost can get you killed. If you wander into the wrong forest, you can easily hit an overpowered enemy that could wipe out your entire party in one fell swoop. Without a guide, it can be difficult to move the story forward. (Better get the Power! Nintendo Power!)

While the battle system was innovative for the time, it was still pretty annoying, and if one of your party members does end up dying, you have to go all the way back to town to revive them. You have to be wise about which spells you buy, what abilities you choose, and keep an eye on your inventory. Also, take care to level up your party by fighting battles, and be mindful of running.

1

Ninja Turtles

Because you didn’t have enough anxiety

Source: NintendoComplete / Konami

Our final entry is definitely one of the most diabolical. Even if you love the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, you might have mixed feelings about this game. This single-player action platformer is why my palms sweat when I pick up a controller. The Turtles are on a mission to save April O’Neil and defeat the evil Shredder, and does he ever make it tough.

Players have to navigate obstacles, fight bad guys, and stay alive; it’s a very similar style to most of the games on this list. The controls aren’t smooth; the mechanics are messy, and it is very easy to die. And don’t get me started on that swimming level. Nothing is worse than a platformer with janky controls at a level that demands sharp and accurate movements. But it’s okay; this game can’t hurt me anymore…unless I want to play it on the Switch.

Look back fondly and forget the pain

If there were a trophy for completing some of the hardest games ever, those of us who lived through the NES era of Nintendo Hard titles would be proud champions. While they were engineered to make us suffer and make it worth buying the game, they did come up with some of the most unforgettable games that spawned a few of the best series of all time. There was a reason we kept going back for more; every little bit of progress was a victory. The games of yesterday trained us for the games of tomorrow. So, brace yourself and pull out your NES if you truly want to test your skills.