Games That Feel Impossible At First

Games like the original Super Mario Bros. are simple to explain: you move from left to right, jump, and can even get power-ups to defeat enemies. While later Mario games can be more complicated, most of them are fairly straightforward at their core.

Some games are so intricate that a simple article or video can’t fully explain how they work. These games often have complicated tutorials or features that are difficult to understand at first. However, with enough time and effort, they can become easier to learn and even become some of your favorites.

Demon’s Souls

The Start Of Soulslikes

When Demon’s Souls was released in 2009, it essentially started a new type of game. It was an action role-playing game that stood out because it wasn’t difficult simply due to powerful enemies; it was challenging because of the enemies, tricky traps, and a generally unforgiving world.

The game was notoriously difficult, and losing progress upon dying felt strange for a role-playing game. But players who persevered discovered a truly exceptional experience, and that game ultimately paved the way for the now-popular ‘Souls-like’ genre.

Cuphead

Stylishly Challenging

Cuphead is a tough but visually unique game that requires a lot of patience. While boss battles weren’t new, Cuphead stood out for its particularly difficult and drawn-out fights. To succeed, players needed to learn enemy attack patterns, especially identifying special ‘pink’ attacks that allowed for a counterattack.

Despite the challenge of some bosses taking hours to learn, this game was absolutely worth playing thanks to its beautiful, hand-drawn art style – it was too visually stunning to put down.

Final Fantasy 2

An RPG Turn

Final Fantasy 2 stands out as a unique game in the series, particularly as the direct sequel to the original. Unlike most RPGs where defeating enemies helps characters gain experience and become stronger, this game focuses on improving specific skills through use. For instance, repeatedly casting a Fire spell could make that spell more powerful or boost a character’s magical ability overall.

The NES wasn’t known for being easily exploited, but over time, dedicated fans discovered clever ways to push its limits. This eventually led to the creation of the SaGa series, which built upon a similar system first seen in Final Fantasy 2.

Monster Hunter Wilds

Easiest Yet, And Still Hard To Start

Starting with the original Monster Hunter can be incredibly challenging, but even newer, more approachable games like Monster Hunter Wilds will still present a learning curve for players. While the core idea – hunting monsters and crafting gear from their parts – is appealing, there are a few things to keep in mind.

The game features fourteen different weapons, each with a bit of a learning curve. Enemies can take a lot of damage – there’s no health bar to show how much they have left – and the controls are quite complex. Players will likely need to learn through trial and error, or with help from a friend, especially during their first few hunts, to fully understand how everything works.

Sifu

Kick, Punch, It’s All In The Mind

Sifu is a challenging action game where you play as a martial arts student on a quest for revenge. The game is a ‘roguelike,’ meaning levels are filled with increasingly difficult enemies, and it’s much more than just a simple fighting game.

When players are defeated, they can revive, but each revival ages their character. They can continue playing as long as their character has time remaining, but eventually the cycle will reset with limited progress. Ultimately, success depends on players improving their skills and mastering the game.

Celeste

Platforming Perfection

At first glance, Celeste appears to be a charming and simple platformer reminiscent of classic NES games. However, don’t let the cute graphics fool you! The game is incredibly challenging, demanding more skillful platforming than even the notoriously difficult Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels as the main character, Madeline, attempts to climb a treacherous mountain.

This game demands precise timing and a lot of patience as you jump and dash your way upwards. It’s easy to get discouraged after many failed attempts, but just like the main character, you need to persevere and keep trying to succeed.

Resonance Of Fate

Mastering Gunkata

Resonance of Fate boasts a visually stunning combat system for a turn-based RPG, but it’s notoriously complex. Players manage a team of three gun-wielding mercenaries during battles.

Simply choosing an enemy doesn’t start a fight – how characters move is also important. Running into someone during an attack will cause problems, but a well-executed attack can be incredibly dynamic and action-packed, almost like something out of a John Woo movie.

The World Ends With You

Two Screens, One Player

The most captivating version of The World Ends With You is the original for the Nintendo DS. In this game, players control the character Neku using the bottom screen. As players collect badges, Neku learns new attacks – for example, a straight-line badge creates a slashing attack, and a scratching badge might create a wall of fire.

You control Neku’s partner – who changes throughout the game – using the D-Pad and buttons on the top screen. While the AI can manage them okay on its own, achieving powerful combos requires you to watch both screens and control both characters simultaneously, which is incredibly difficult.

Baba Is You

This Or That Attack

Baba Is You is a puzzle game where you navigate levels to reach a flag. The core mechanic involves changing the rules of the game itself using words placed within the level. For example, a rule might state ‘walls are impassable,’ but by rearranging those words, you can make walls passable and walk right through them.

In Baba Is You, players can surprisingly switch between playing as the character Baba and even a simple rock. The game is much more enjoyable to experience firsthand than to explain, as its rules are incredibly intricate and difficult to put into words.

Brothers: A Tale Of Two Sons

Two Characters, One Controller

Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons is a challenging and unique game, much like The World Ends With You. It tells the story of two brothers on a journey after a family tragedy. What makes it special is how you control them – each brother is moved with a different analog stick, so you’re managing two characters simultaneously, which is surprisingly difficult.

The game is easier to understand when the brothers are separated, for example, if one is turning a wheel while the other walks across a bridge. Trying to manage both brothers at once feels like a complicated task, similar to trying to do two things that require different kinds of focus at the same time.

2025-12-10 02:35