Most difficult games you've played that's not a shumps?

chtimi-CLA · Post by **chtimi-CLA** » Sun Aug 21, 2005 7:43 pm

i cced the 2 loops of ghost & goblins and ghouls'n ghosts. i had a much much harder time with the first one.
i find trojan even harder (arcade version), but maybe i was just stuck because i didn't know of some trick or safe spot. i think it was stage 5 or 6, when you had one big shield eenmy on each side.
the arcade version of monsterland is brutal too. wonderboy 1 is no joke either with 40 stages.
almost all single screen platformers are hard and long.

edit : POW is very hard to do on one credit too.

dave4shmups · Post by **dave4shmups** » Sun Aug 21, 2005 8:25 pm

Great topic! Let's see here...

-Revenge of Shinobi (stupid double jump!)
-Commando (any port)
-Gunsmoke (again, any port)
-Street Fighter 2010 (still my favorite Street Fighter game, though!

)
-Hudson's Adventure Island/Wonderboy
-Contra: Shattered Soldier
-Mega Man X7 (IMO, the all-time hardest non-shmup)
-all 3 games in the G+G series

dave4shmups · Post by **dave4shmups** » Sun Aug 21, 2005 8:26 pm

chtimi wrote:i cced the 2 loops of ghost & goblins and ghouls'n ghosts. i had a much much harder time with the first one.
i find trojan even harder (arcade version), but maybe i was just stuck because i didn't know of some trick or safe spot. i think it was stage 5 or 6, when you had one big shield eenmy on each side.
the arcade version of monsterland is brutal too. wonderboy 1 is no joke either with 40 stages.
almost all single screen platformers are hard and long.

edit : POW is very hard to do on one credit too.

Which version of POW are you referring to? I thought the NES port was pretty reasonable, and very fun!

GaijinPunch · Post by **GaijinPunch** » Sun Aug 21, 2005 10:47 pm

-Ikari (Warriors): even possible to 1CC?
-Karnov (ugggh... painful)
-Silk Worm

Icecap Veiwin · Post by **Icecap Veiwin** » Sun Aug 21, 2005 11:17 pm

Oh yeah, add F-Zero GX to my list too.

I beat Chapter 5 on Very Hard

It requires friggin PERFECT reflexes.

landshark · Post by **landshark** » Mon Aug 22, 2005 4:57 am

Karnov ... how did I forget this (thanks GaijinPunch).

I gave up on Super Ghouls & Ghosts (GBA). I got to level 7 and just couldnt' cut it. I actually threw my GBA

I found the first Double Dragon for NES pretty difficult too; though nowhere near Battletoads (NES) or Super Ghouls & Ghosts.

neorichieb1971 · Post by **neorichieb1971** » Mon Aug 22, 2005 5:42 am

Turok 2 on N64 had me pissed off so much. I got to like level 5 I think with the insects and no matter what weapon I had it did very little damage to any of the enemies.

Also the save points were about 3 hours apart in some parts of the game

. What were the devcos thinking?

howmuchkeefe · Post by **howmuchkeefe** » Mon Aug 22, 2005 7:10 am

Ghosts N' Goblins seemed easier to me than Super Ghouls N' Ghosts. I swear it was easier to bait the red devils into doing their self-destructive swoops in Ghosts N' Goblins than it was in SGnG, and you could herd the satans near the end of the loops so that you were essentially fighting one satan with twice as much life as normal. I remember getting mighty pissed at those damned blue demons, tho...

Hm. Maybe I just memorized the fucker better than I did SGnG, which honestly provided better opportunities to save yourself in the form of the double jump.

MOSQUITO FIGHTER · Post by **MOSQUITO FIGHTER** » Mon Aug 22, 2005 8:57 am

I'd like to add ActRaiser 2 on the list. Completly unfair,not fun and tries to redeem this with good graphics. The jump and glide mechanic is just weird and feels unpredictable. Think I managed to get to the ice level and quit.

But I did actually get through both loops of Ghouls N'Ghosts on the Genny this weekend. Didn't start credit feeding untill the slug on the second loop. It's tricky to hit with the goddess weapon. Loki wasn't too tough (Just hop on the knee and shoot quickly).Being able to shoot in four directions definitely makes this one the easiest of the three.

Zweihander · Post by **Zweihander** » Mon Aug 22, 2005 10:24 am

Devil May Cry 3........... >_<

the Contra series @_@
the original Castlevania
Bujingai on Extreme mode
Chaos Legion, BEFORE getting Thanatos and power-leveling him
some of Blood Will Tell's bosses
Viewtiful Joe
Fatal Frame, the first time through was hellish. (until i played through 2 or 3 Clear Games, got 99 of every item, got every camera ability, and essentially turned the game into Ghostbusters with a schoolgirl, with 30+ hours invested in the effort. ...oh, i also maxed out the score with all 9's, just for the hell of it.)

chtimi-CLA · Post by **chtimi-CLA** » Mon Aug 22, 2005 11:08 am

howmuchkeefe wrote:Ghosts N' Goblins seemed easier to me than Super Ghouls N' Ghosts. I swear it was easier to bait the red devils into doing their self-destructive swoops in Ghosts N' Goblins than it was in SGnG, and you could herd the satans near the end of the loops so that you were essentially fighting one satan with twice as much life as normal. I remember getting mighty pissed at those damned blue demons, tho...

Hm. Maybe I just memorized the fucker better than I did SGnG, which honestly provided better opportunities to save yourself in the form of the double jump.

you're right about the red arrimers, they were harder in SGG. what i did was use the arrows especially the homing ones, the 2nd loop weapon was good against them too. overall i think g&goblins was harder with the horrible stage 6 and trying to beat the 2 demons with the cross (shield).

SheSaidDutch · Post by **SheSaidDutch** » Mon Aug 22, 2005 4:10 pm

While we're on Ghouls and Ghosts, I've never been able to pass level 2 (genny version) those turtles are really unfair

Shadow of the Beast(genny) was hard back inthe day

Post by **BulletMagnet** » Mon Aug 22, 2005 5:37 pm

MOSQUITO FIGHTER wrote:I'd like to add ActRaiser 2 on the list. Completly unfair,not fun and tries to redeem this with good graphics. The jump and glide mechanic is just weird and feels unpredictable. Think I managed to get to the ice level and quit.

The bugger is tough, but it is beatable; I myself managed to finish Easy and Normal difficulties, and as I always say, if I can do it, so can anyone. Only got about halfway through Hard mode though, maybe someday I'll go back and try to finish that.

nsonthi77@hotmail.com · Mon Aug 22, 2005 6:21 pm

MOSQUITO FIGHTER wrote:I'd like to add ActRaiser 2 on the list. Completly unfair,not fun and tries to redeem this with good graphics. The jump and glide mechanic is just weird and feels unpredictable. Think I managed to get to the ice level and quit.

.

Man I was soo disappointed in Act2 hoping it would be at least a great action title like what EGM had proclaimed, but not only did the game loses the sims aspect but the action sucked too....damn you EGM! I wonder if Enix paid EGM to give the game all 9s? Anyway I still kept it b/c the graphics are beautifull to look at.

nsonthi77@hotmail.com · Mon Aug 22, 2005 6:27 pm

IlMrm wrote:TMNT - NES
Alien Hominid - GC
Alter(ed?) Beast - Arcade

TMNT was my favorite NES game of all time. The gameplay was deep and non linear, nothing like the arcade. Yea, that game was pretty hard to. Its funny b/c I actually beat it a couple time when I was only 11-12 yrs old but when I tried playing it today, I can't imagine how I could beat it.

Ramus · Post by **Ramus** » Mon Aug 22, 2005 6:39 pm

nsonthi77@hotmail.com wrote:
IlMrm wrote:TMNT - NES
Alien Hominid - GC
Alter(ed?) Beast - Arcade
TMNT was my favorite NES game of all time. The gameplay was deep and non linear, nothing like the arcade. Yea, that game was pretty hard to. Its funny b/c I actually beat it a couple time when I was only 11-12 yrs old but when I tried playing it today, I can't imagine how I could beat it.

We could beat those older games when we were kids because we had more patience with the games and we had nothing much to worry about except easy school work and wether we should play with Billy and/or Tommy that day. I find myself being raped by games that I could clear without dying (eg. Snake Rattle and Roll, Zelda, etc.), but now I can barely get the characters to go where I want with the controller. TMNT for SNES used to be so easy, now I die when I fight the Bebop everytime; and those steamrollers... WTF they kill me everytime.

Elixir · Post by **Elixir** » Mon Aug 22, 2005 6:48 pm

Oh man, I totally forgot about Alien Hominid. I'm pretty sure nobody's 1cc'd that yet.

captain ahar · Post by **captain ahar** » Mon Aug 22, 2005 6:51 pm

^ i wouldn't bet on that. while it can be mindlessly difficult due to plain difficulty, and bullet invisibility. they are quite generous in handing out 1ups. a 1LC on the other hand... never... ever.

MNK · Post by **MNK** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 9:13 am

GaijinPunch wrote:Shinobi and Kunoichi for the PS2 -- ridiculous. The last boss in Shinobi might be one of the toughest ever, and definitely the toughest in recent days.

Ever tried Red Ninja?

The 4th boss, Snake Lady, is easily the hardest I've come across in recent days..

snap monkey wrote:I still can't believe SNK didn't add in life extends. It kinda makes going for score pointless, as in shmups I usually concentrate on score in order to gather some extra lives. But then again, getting a high score is always cool so it's not really pointless. I just want some more lives as a reward.

Extra lives would be quite pointless if your going for score since dying means losing all the recapured prisoners for that stage. I personally wouldn't want them to change that.

ResOGlas · Post by **ResOGlas** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 9:37 am

I own a dedicated Ghosts N' Goblins cabinet, but I've never got past level 4 on Very Hard with 1 credit.

chtimi-CLA · Post by **chtimi-CLA** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 1:19 pm

ResOGlas wrote:I own a dedicated Ghosts N' Goblins cabinet, but I've never got past level 4 on Very Hard with 1 credit.

very hard is the difficulty on 3rd loop (it's +1 diff on eevry loop), and very hard/hard is a much bigger jump than hard/normal.
if you don't master the game in normal you have absolutely no chance in very hard (especially since you won't have the stage 5/6 practice).

FatCobra · Post by **FatCobra** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 5:05 pm

I guess Super Ghouls 'N' Ghosts gets the "Most hardest non-shmup game at Shmups.com" award. I do agree that game is pretty damn difficult. If I remembered correctly, the double jumping was wonkey and half of the weapons sucked goat balls (the scythe and axe being the worst offenders). Nothing sucks more than getting a crappy weapon.

Post by **Shatterhand** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 11:06 pm

Good someone remembered Dynamic games. Many spanish games from the 8 bits era were extremelly difficult. Camelot Warriors, Abu Simbel Profanation, Dustin, Army Moves, Navy Moves, Hundra, Game Over (Though I finished this one!

)...

I've finished Army Moves using a infinite lives cheat. Every time you die, you get back to a checkpoint, and if I could finish it using infinite lives, it's because it's POSSIBLE to even 1-life the game (Because of its checkpoint system).

Anyway, playing from beginning (The tank part) up until the end (When you get inside the enemiy's fort), it took me around SEVEN HOURS to finish the game. Level 3, when you ride the chopper is EXTREMELY, and I mean EXTREMELY frustrating.

Navy Moves, it took me too long to beat just the 1st stage. 2nd stage was even more frustrating. When you get to the 2nd part (inside the enemy base) things gets a little easier.

zaphod · Post by **zaphod** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 5:07 am

Altered beast (arcade) is nto hard. it's just quite the memorizer.
There are 2 secrets to beating Altered Beast

1) emorize the levels.

2) know proper boss strategy, which I will outline below. genesis version plays toally diferent, dont' even try anything that worked on geneiss in arcade!!

1) eaasy. use b button kick to dodge heads, and hit boss with fireballs.

2) get right in the face and b button forcefield it to death. takes very good timing unless you got a friend helping you but even if you mess up you sohudl only lose one of your two lives.

3) use bear breath to force the enemy back, and then use the spin jump to eat up the swirling flower liek projectiles, then retiurn to breathing. very easy once you get the timing down.

4)get behind him and use tiger bounce repeatedly on his rear edge. when he geets low, either duck his fireball (if he doesn't go all the way down) or jump it if he does, and don't forget to kill the little floating dragons he releases. easy.
5) wait for him to charge at you, then jump normally and at the height of yor jump, b-button kick. you will graze his head and cross to the other side. repeat until dead.

6) watch the ending.

TMNT for nes is not that bad either. the dam level is the first real challenge. once you ge tthat, yo uneed to bild up scrolls to te max fo rall turtles in the big city level. then use them to coast thru the rest of the game. you may lose on the technodrom elevel the first time, because it' sposition is random, but when yo continue, it won't be random anymore and you can build scrolls again and use them liberally.

Games that realy are hard.
Battletoads. need I say more?
Ghosts and goblins. those devils are real terrors!
Snake Rattle and Roll. it starts of fun, then becomes a NIGHTMARE near the end. The final boss is just evil.
Spelunker. Yes it was difficult, but insanely addictive. I played it on the c64. it's identical to the atari vesrion. I did eventually beat the thing.
Raind on Bungeling Bay. you control choppers and you have to bomb all the factories. many trips to repair and refuill the bombs are needed, and here's the kicker. aeach one you destroy, its' hitpoints get added onto the others. and they also regenerate with time. And as you destroy factories, the games diffiuclty ratchets up and up and up... quite the feat to beat it. (doesn't apply to NES version, which is butchered) One cool trick. maneuverin gyou falling chopper to crash land on a factory for major damage.

I also put in a vote for the eidolon. the final boss is INSANE. oh, and even though yo ucan continue if you die, you can ge tthe game into an unwinnable state where there aren't enouh gems to reach the boss.

ResOGlas · Post by **ResOGlas** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 5:16 am

chtimi wrote:
ResOGlas wrote:I own a dedicated Ghosts N' Goblins cabinet, but I've never got past level 4 on Very Hard with 1 credit.
very hard is the difficulty on 3rd loop (it's +1 diff on eevry loop), and very hard/hard is a much bigger jump than hard/normal.
if you don't master the game in normal you have absolutely no chance in very hard (especially since you won't have the stage 5/6 practice).

The dipswitches have settings for Easy, Normal, Hard, and Very Hard. I have mine set to Very Hard. Are you actually telling me that there will be a harder 2nd loop if I beat the game?? Yikes!

Bloodreign · Post by **Bloodreign** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 8:39 am

Yet another tough old school title, one from Irem, Ninja Spirit. It starts out easy enough but by stage 3, there's so much action coming from all sides, that you literally at times have to keep moving or the enemy will overcome you. To this day I've never beaten this game without cheating, although I once credit fed to stage 4 before giving up in frustration for the time being. Anyone ever beat this game in 1CC or at all without cheating?

I know the PC Engine version was made a little easier with a mode to take a few hits, but the arcade is one hit and done.

jindo · Post by **jindo** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 8:49 am

1. TMNT (NES)
2. Contra Shattered Soldier (PS2)

chtimi-CLA · Post by **chtimi-CLA** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 10:22 am

ResOGlas wrote: The dipswitches have settings for Easy, Normal, Hard, and Very Hard. I have mine set to Very Hard. Are you actually telling me that there will be a harder 2nd loop if I beat the game?? Yikes!

hm i don't think so, the 2nd loop should be the same difficulty. that said, i never went to the 2nd loop starting on very hard, and starting on normal i only went to the 3rd. you owe to yourself to at least clear the 1st loop if you have a dedicated cab, that's why i recommend you to start on normal (i guarantee you will never succeed otherwise).

Bloodreign wrote:Yet another tough old school title, one from Irem, Ninja Spirit. It starts out easy enough but by stage 3, there's so much action coming from all sides, that you literally at times have to keep moving or the enemy will overcome you. To this day I've never beaten this game without cheating, although I once credit fed to stage 4 before giving up in frustration for the time being. Anyone ever beat this game in 1CC or at all without cheating?

I know the PC Engine version was made a little easier with a mode to take a few hits, but the arcade is one hit and done.

ah yes ninja spirit. i have the PCB, and i never made it past stage 6 (the stage with flying ninjas a la shinobi 5-2 i think). i did 1credit to 6 many times but this stage is too brutal unless i'm missing something.

Bydobasher · Post by **Bydobasher** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 4:28 pm

I've beaten Ninja Spirit -- after changing the difficulty to Easy. It's still a monster though, particularly the final stage. Unlike in the PCE port, there's no safe spot that I know of, and it's immensely difficult to get down to the bottom. It took me a mountain of (virtual) credits to manage it.

PFG 9000 · Post by **PFG 9000** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 4:34 pm

jindo wrote:1. TMNT (NES)
2. Contra Shattered Soldier (PS2)

I didn't have too much trouble beating TMNT. Don't get me wrong, it's certainly a tough game, but it's very beatable if you stock up all your turtles with the "scroll" weapon in the third level. This takes a long time, but it's worth it when you get to the technodrome. It makes Shredder easy too (as long as you don't give him a chance to hit you with his one hit kill gun).

Shattered Soldier, on the other hand, kicks my rear every time. I have yet to get an S ranking on any of the levels.