5 Hardest Platformers Ever Made, Ranked by Difficulty
News Source
β’Sat, 24 Oct 2026 16:01:20 GMT
π° What Happened
Polygon has ranked the five hardest platform games ever made. Platformers are usually seen as friendly and colourful, built on running and jumping over obstacles.
The hardest ones take those same moves and make them brutal, with levels full of hazards where one wrong step means starting over. Castlevania, the 1986 Konami game, takes the fifth spot.
π The Backstory
Platformers date back to the 1980s and games like Super Mario Bros., which made the genre a household name. Their simple controls made them easy to pick up.
A smaller group of games became famous for the opposite reason: their cruelty. Games like these built a fan base around beating levels that most players never finish.
π― Why It Matters
It is a reminder that hard games can be fun, and a good list for anyone looking for a challenge after finishing easier titles.
Polygon has ranked the five hardest platform games ever made. Platformers are usually seen as friendly and colourful, built on running and jumping over obstacles.
The hardest ones take those same moves and make them brutal, with levels full of hazards where one wrong step means starting over. Castlevania, the 1986 Konami game, takes the fifth spot.
Platformers date back to the 1980s and games like Super Mario Bros., which made the genre a household name. Their simple controls made them easy to pick up.
A smaller group of games became famous for the opposite reason: their cruelty. Games like these built a fan base around beating levels that most players never finish.
It is a reminder that hard games can be fun, and a good list for anyone looking for a challenge after finishing easier titles.