Hard
Video game concept
Extremely hard, requiring player to memorize levels, repeat the whole game over and over again (usually memorizing something new each time), throwing nigh impossible challenges at the player and so forth.
123
games
34platforms
Alternate name: Nintendo Hard
ELEC 1984
GB 1990-09
NES 2009-09
LIN 2015
IIE 1984-12
WIN 2005
DOS 1999
DC 2002-09-04
WIN 2017-02-03
WIN 2010-03
NES 1986-12-15
PCW 1987
Related:
* Instant death
* No saves or possibly save on exit
* Single difficulty level
* Permadeath
* Metagaming
Possibly Related:
* No Pause Function
* Impossible Tasks
* Map Deficient
* Mandatory Secrets
* Projectile Limit
Alternative:
* Impossible
* Instant death
* No saves or possibly save on exit
* Single difficulty level
* Permadeath
* Metagaming
Possibly Related:
* No Pause Function
* Impossible Tasks
* Map Deficient
* Mandatory Secrets
* Projectile Limit
Alternative:
* Impossible
In effect, most players just give up, or are warned beforehand to never even try these (because of the insane difficulty, not because they're bad per se).
Does not require any of the tags to be applicable that state unnecessary hardness like instant death or lack of any save/retry functionality, games can still be extremely hard to a point that people just don't want to play them again.
These also have a habit of having the first few levels as somewhat easy, but the difficulty tends to shoot up at some point and stay there.
Also if the player is required to utilize knowledge and/or skills (not provided in-game) far above common knowledge or ability. Such as advanced math or science, extremely complete knowledge of a subject, and/or rapid thought and/or control actions above human norms.
Limitations:
* If multiple difficulty levels exist and something easier is selectable which does not cut the experience short (yes, there are games that do not allow playing the game through on "too easy" difficulty), this tag does NOT count.
Players who pointedly play these kinds of games and try to beat them quite seriously are sometimes called masochistic players.
Does not require any of the tags to be applicable that state unnecessary hardness like instant death or lack of any save/retry functionality, games can still be extremely hard to a point that people just don't want to play them again.
These also have a habit of having the first few levels as somewhat easy, but the difficulty tends to shoot up at some point and stay there.
Also if the player is required to utilize knowledge and/or skills (not provided in-game) far above common knowledge or ability. Such as advanced math or science, extremely complete knowledge of a subject, and/or rapid thought and/or control actions above human norms.
Limitations:
* If multiple difficulty levels exist and something easier is selectable which does not cut the experience short (yes, there are games that do not allow playing the game through on "too easy" difficulty), this tag does NOT count.
Players who pointedly play these kinds of games and try to beat them quite seriously are sometimes called masochistic players.
Popular tags
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Games by year
The first Hard video game was released in 1979.
Retroguru, Alligata and The Learning Company published most of these games.