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Incline Your favourite "hardcore" platformers?

Coriolanus

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As in, ones that kick you in the balls whenever you make a mistake. Forcing you to learn patterns and mastering the game mechanics from the get-go. From consoles to PC, from originals to mods and romhacks - which "hardcore" platformers (or series) would you call your favourite?

I've discovered the Castlevanias recently, they are so much fun. Great music, good level and enemy design. Playing through Bloodlines (Sega Genesis) and Dracula X (SNES) at the same time, the music in Bloodlines is better but the level design in Dracula X seems more refined.
 

Unkillable Cat

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I played a few of those kind of games back in the day, but now I not only completely avoid them, I don't even recommend them to anyone.

I don't mind a platformer with a steep learning curve, but platformers that spring hidden traps on you that you could not foresee in any way? Or just being tough as nails from the first level? Fuck dat.
 

Hobo Elf

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Rondo of Blood is pretty much the best Castlevania out there. Then there is Shadow of the Beast 2 & 3. 1 is good too but has less platforming.
 

Damned Registrations

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I actually don't care for these too much generally. They tend to focus more on memorization than on reflexes or execution. Especially the old, slow paced ones like Castlevania. Castlevania 1 is pretty horrible; the bosses pretty much all lost to holy water stunlock, and the things that kill you tend to be shit jumping at you from the nearest screen edge you couldn't avoid without foreknowledge.

I did play all the way through IWBTG not too long ago (on hard I think?) and it wasn't awful, but it certainly didn't come close to being on a list of my favourite games.
 

DragoFireheart

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I actually don't care for these too much generally. They tend to focus more on memorization than on reflexes or execution. Especially the old, slow paced ones like Castlevania. Castlevania 1 is pretty horrible; the bosses pretty much all lost to holy water stunlock, and the things that kill you tend to be shit jumping at you from the nearest screen edge you couldn't avoid without foreknowledge.
.

This. It's because of the fact the games were so short and was done to increase the game's life span.
 

Coriolanus

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I played a few of those kind of games back in the day, but now I not only completely avoid them, I don't even recommend them to anyone.

I don't mind a platformer with a steep learning curve, but platformers that spring hidden traps on you that you could not foresee in any way? Or just being tough as nails from the first level? Fuck dat.


I find it somewhat soothing, doing the same level over and over until I get it right, the "heart and soul" of platforming for me. There's a nice satisfying feeling when I feel I've locked down that perfect (OK, well - good enough is good enough; I'm not a very good player) pattern in my mind to beat it. Especially when it's done in a stylish way with easy and predictable controls, like the Castlevania games.

It's not a truly autistic challenge - these games are hard but not *that* hard. I can't recall any hidden traps so far, either. Death is either the result of meeting a new hard enemy/boss, or plain carelessness and stupid decisions.
 

DragoFireheart

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I dare you, DARE you to download a NES emulator and try playing it on a gamepad. Prepare yourself to be humiliated beforehand though.


It's not a platformer. You don't jump over bottomless pits.

End of Rhine.
 

Gurkog

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The first game I ever bought was Ninja Gaiden with an NES. I never finished it, but loved the game anyway. My stupid brother sold it to a pawn shop or else I would still be playing it.
 

spekkio

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Platformers that spring hidden traps on you that you could not foresee in any way? Or just being tough as nails from the first level?
Rick Dangerous for C64/Amiga says hello.
I tried it on C64 emulator some time ago (after ~15 years-long break) and was able to clear 1/2 of the 1st area without dying. These movement patterns have printed into my brain forever...

:rage:
 

Unkillable Cat

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Rick Dangerous is indeed one of the games I was thinking of. I played it and the sequel on the Amstrad CPC. NEVER completed the first game, but I managed to memorize the second game long enough to get through it. (Go through all four worlds in a row to unlock the Fuck-Off-I'm-Gonna-Rape-You-Hard fifth world and then complete that.)

Ugh. Never again.
 

ghostdog

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First of all I hope you don't use save states, because if you do there is simply no reason to play a platformer, much less a "hardcore" one.



- What, no Super Mario Bros 3 ? Pleaz niggas. It's simply magnificent.

- Also when you try Castlevania you start from the start. Castlevania 1, probably the hardest of them all, immense satisfaction when you finish it.

- Contra is good BUT Super-C is even crazier !

- Then off you go to Ninja Gaiden I , II & III (for III it's the jap version, believe it or not I actually got the jap version when I was a kid and I was lucky because the Western one is dumbed down)

- Also don't forget Batman ! An underrated gem of a platformer.



A careful observer will see that all these titles I'm giving you are from the NES, and that's because that's where you should start ! A shitload of great platformers in the NES.
 

bonescraper

Guest
I don't really like most platformers, but...



This game i adore. Fast paced, bloody, challenging and random. And it's about ninjas.
 

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