Aesthetic is a lost art in gaming. In a sea of dull, gray shooters, it's worth appreciating those titles that opt for a friendlier look. Sometimes, though, that's just a smokescreen. The cutest games on the market can simultaneously be the hardest.
Gaming is somewhat counterintuitive that way, but this does create a funny contrast. Players might think they can breeze through a relaxing title meant for kids. Imagine their surprise when they discover the sinister difficulty lurking beneath. However, that humiliation may motivate them to keep going. Plus, it's tough to say "No" to something this cuddly.
8 Rayman
This is among the brightest, most welcoming games you'll ever come across. Creator Michel Ancel's off-kilter sensibilities combine beautifully with the candy-esque color palette to create a world as bizarre as it is amusing. However, that's only a facade to hide the frustration.
After the first few levels, Rayman railroads players with difficulty every bit as insane as the designs. Danger soon fills every corner of the screen, and the helicopter-haired hero has little more than a microsecond to get to safety each time. He can't even fight back effectively due to questionable hit boxes on enemies. The best option is to run away, especially since floods and other timed hazards make standing in one spot a death sentence. Thankfully, the following entries ease up and let fans enjoy the world's inherent charm without the merciless pressure.
7 The Crash Bandicoot Series
Obvious from the "N. Sane" names, the Crash Bandicoot universe has a zany charm from the get-go. Mad science and otherworldly magic have made these critters equal parts cuddly and demented. The whole series is like one of those weird animated shows which '90s kids look back on fondly despite scarring them for life.
Crash achieves that same effect in spades through challenge. It gifts players with platforming every bit as crazy as the titular marsupial. Players must rely on precise jumps and perfect timing, and that's just to get through the level. Smashing all the crates and attaining any hidden goodies often means backtracking and doing the whole thing again.
That winning formula may have been diluted in the sequels since developer Naughty Dog departed, but Toys for Bob recently brought it back with a proper follow-up. Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time fine-tunes the original gameplay grind while spicing it up with intuitive new mechanics. That intuition is essential, as fans must seamlessly switch between all of these in the blink of an eye. Otherwise, they'll meet a quick death. Suffice it to say, they probably won't be playing in Classic Mode due to its limited lives.
6 Sonic The Hedgehog
"Rolling around at the speed of sound," Sonic is the fastest thing alive, and he lives up to that title with exhilarating results. It's undeniably fun to run through these environmental racetracks. The downside to such speed is that you can't react to what's coming. Sonic will often run right into enemies and obstacles, making it through levels with only a few rings to spare. Ironically, the series' main attraction winds up being its downfall.
This hasn't stopped Sonic from becoming one of gaming's greatest icons. His bravado, though cheesy, is infectious and really resonates with cheeky gamers. The hedgehog's edgy-yet-friendly look further cements that attitude, an attitude that's since extended to several other characters and gameplay styles. Many of these have become beloved staples of the franchise. While few titles reach the challenge of the originals, the Sonic games still maintain the momentum that fans fell in love with.
5 The Bubsy Series
Here's no one's favorite platforming mascot. At first glance, Bubsy has all the hallmarks of a genre classic. His titles have detailed sprites, vibrant colors, and an expressive character at the center. It's just a shame the games are infuriating to play.
Most of the difficulty comes from bad design. For all his big talk, Bubsy is a fragile feline, dying in one shot. That doesn't sound too bad, but the zoomed-in camera makes it borderline impossible to see what's coming. Even if players react fast enough, the slippery controls prevent them from doing anything about it. It's the same problem as Sonic, taken to a new level. This is probably one reason that the bobcat continues to live in infamy (that and his annoying voice).
4 Cuphead
This Kickstarter title became notorious upon release. It admittedly boasts more polish than most indie games, featuring beautifully hand-drawn animation and a style straight out of a '30s cartoon. That creativity permeates everything, from the world to the elaborate boss fights. It's a good thing, too, because gamers will replay those fights over and over again.
More than its aesthetic, the aspect of Cuphead that garnered the most attention was its punishing challenge. The run-and-gun gameplay really gets the adrenaline pumping. Enemies rarely leave an opening, so players must always be firing while avoiding colossal attacks. Such brutal multitasking is every bit as sadistic as the Devil who enslaves the cup-based hero.
3 MediEvil
Sir Daniel Fortesque's farcical adventure is a PlayStation cult classic, and it's easy to see why just by looking at it. Whether one plays the original or remake, MediEvil has a tongue-in-cheek style flowing from its design to its writing. It's like Looney Tunes meets gothic horror, with a sprinkle of Monty Python for good measure. It's no wonder the game has such appeal as a story.
Actually playing it is where that appeal ends. Combat is downright archaic. It mostly boils down to swinging at enemies and hoping they die before Dan does. When not fighting for what little life he has, he must overcome some painfully stiff platforming over instant death pits. These issues prevent MediEvil from ever finding its groove. It always feels awkward, meaning players will barely reach the end of a level with the protagonist (or their patience) intact.
2 Battletoads
Obvious off the bat, Battletoads is one of the many Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles copycats of the '90s. That said, it boasts much of the same quirky amusement. The amphibians' bodybuilder proportions are par for the course, and their exaggerated grins and accessories positively scream the personality of the era. Again, though, plenty of other animal fighting teams existed at the time.
What distinguishes Battletoads from the pack is the difficulty. All the annoying conventions players hate, this title has in droves. Enemies constantly lob projectiles; vehicle sections have a slew of obstacles too fast to avoid; platforming levels are filled to the brim with spikes and ice. For the final insult, the game takes the cooperation out of co-op. Those playing together can actually hurt each other. It's rare that a challenge is harder with help.
1 Celeste
Another indie darling, Celeste is a throwback to classic NES platformers. What's more is that it's among the most beautiful of the bunch. The blending of colors into crystaline environments makes it look like a pixelized painting. Like most snobby artists, though, the game insists that only the most devoted audience can see all that it has to offer.
Celeste also brings back the hair-raising precision necessary in those old NES titles. Players must make midair jumps through entire screens filled with spikes, constantly threading the needle. If they misjudge a dash by a pixel, Maria will be impaled, not that the game reprimands them for it. On the contrary, Celeste encourages death as a means of learning from mistakes. When a title puts that much emphasis on messing up, gamers can be sure it's no cakewalk. The journey up the mountain isn't easy, but you'll want to keep going, if only to help poor Maria find her purpose.