Top 5 Hardest Mobile Games of 2019
2019 once again saw the debate around game difficulty raging. Slowly but surely, we're seeing more developers open their hard-as-nails titles up to a wider audience, which has left a number of grown men upset for some reason.
If you're the sort to have taken umbrage at, say, Celeste's customisable difficulty, just know there have been a number of games this year that may cause even you, the most impressive of specimens, to throw in the towel and quietly lower the difficulty. There's no shame in it.
Shooters are my nemesis. Puzzlers, too. Oh, and fighters. Scratch that, I'm definitely worst at platformers. What I'm saying is that you can 100% trust in my judgement throughout this list.
And so now we come to the ranking of the games. The top 5 hardest of 2019, to be exact. Let's go!
Spicy PiggyMitrome's Spicy Piggy, according to Ex-Ed Harry, will most appeal to "anyone who wants a game that's basically going to hit you in the face over and over again with a spade". Honestly, his review is full of great warnings, including "it punishes any attempt at frivolity with cruelty" and "Spicy Piggy isn't just content to let you fail, it wants you to suffer".
The result of all this nastiness is a game that makes you grateful for the slightest moments of success, which it then instantly follows up with a kick to the crotch. If you didn't know, it's a platformer that demands precise timings and expert use of the three powers at your disposal: jump, slide, and fireball.
The way it so smartly builds on its simple mechanics is what makes it a great game, but I'm not here to judge quality, I'm here to tell you how much it'll make you cuss in public.
Basically, Spicy Piggy is fast, stressful, aggressive, nasty, and incredibly punishing – but I wouldn't have it any other way.
P.3
P.3 is a stylish, fine-tuned, and brutal retro shooter. It's one of the standout indies of the year for me, which may suggest that I'm a bit of a masochist because it's also crushingly difficult.
Much like the other games on the list, it's able to ease you into the experience of being repeatedly shamed for your gross ineptitude. Before you know it, though, you'll find yourself weaving your way through spike-filled tunnels one moment before haphazardly attempting to escape a fungal-looking mass the next. It's great!
Dead Cells
The iOS version of Dead Cells is a stellar port of the 2018 PC and console hit. It's a lightning-fast roguelike that sees you exploring a vast castle, from the deepest dungeons to the ramparts above. Combat requires rapid reaction times and the ability to adapt to a number of different weapon types and gear.
Enemies hit hard, and bosses kick the difficulty up to a shocking extent. To add to the pain, dying casts you back to the first level, occasionally losing you hours of progress. Thankfully, it seldom feels like your time has been wasted, with new knowledge learned, different upgrades found, and secrets uncovered on almost every run.
Hyper Light Drifter
Heart Machine's Hyper Light Drifter is as gorgeous as it is hard. Much like Dead Cells, this one will push your reaction times to the absolute limit as you explore its interconnected world and fight the many grisly creatures who call it home.
The game can at times feel like a rhythm-action title as you hurriedly – and often unsuccessfully – attempt to dodge enemy attacks from all directions. It grows even more intense during the many boss fights, which can be spectacularly tricky.
DUNKYPUNG
DUNKYPUNG is the only game on this here list that I've not been able to finish yet, perhaps suggesting it's the hardest of the bunch. Boasting a striking aesthetic and an impressive simplicity of design, Meunier's game is also one of my favourites of the year.
All it requires you to do is tap the screen to gain air. Of course, you'll be using that straightforward input to dodge lasers, spinning blades, and spikes at almost all times. You're rarely given a moment to rest, with it constantly throwing you from one nightmare scenario to the next. Its "Death Hugs" mechanic is also great, forcing the inner gambler in me to take wild risks any chance I get.
