Games that are designed for kids are often thought of as "too easy" or "only for children" by those that don't know any better. Little do these people know, there are a lot of games that are designed for children, but are also incredibly challenging for all ages. Even the most hardcore and skilled gamers may have trouble completing everything these games have to offer.
A lot of popular games that are loved by children also provide fun challenges for everyone that plays them. These titles give players something to work towards and feel rewarded when beating the levels, bosses, and anything else that the game has to offer. Here are 10 incredibly challenging games that are designed for kids.
10 Crash Bandicoot N Sane Trilogy
When Crash Bandicoot players picked up the remasters of the first three titles in the series, they were surprised to see how challenging the games, especially the first two installments, were.
Even though fans played the original games countless times and knew exactly what they had to do, they found the games to be incredibly difficult. Players started calling it "the Dark Souls of platformers" due to how many times they heard "game over" from Uka Uka's deep and sneering voice. Vicarious Visions was even met with backlash by players who were frustrated by the difficulty.
9 Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix
Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix is a version of most fans' favorite game in the series that added a lot more challenging content. Critical Mode was a new addition that served as the highest difficulty, instead of Proud Mode. There were also a lot of incredibly challenging bosses to fight after completing the game, most of which were more powerful versions of bosses fought throughout the base game.
Many of these bosses are considered to be some of the best bosses in the entire series. While the game can still be easy if played on Beginner Mode, these new additions to Kingdom Hearts II made it one of the most challenging Square Enix games ever made.
8 Super Mario Maker 2
One of Nintendo's newest games is Super Mario Maker 2, which gives players a lot more tools to use in creating their own levels than the original game did. A lot of these levels, including the ones that Nintendo made, are as difficult as you'd expect from a Mario game.
However, there are also players that enjoy making insanely challenging levels that most players can't beat. People spend hours making and playing these difficult levels and feel more rewarded in beating them than an entire Mario game. Super Mario Maker 2 provides endless fun challenges that most players will never be able to beat and it quickly became one of the most beloved Mario games ever made.
7 Zelda II: The Adventure Of Link
Zelda II: The Adventure Of Link is very different than any other game in the franchise. Though there are other games that are unique, this underrated classic is one of the hardest games in the series. The Adventure Of Link is a side-scrolling RPG (in which Link can jump) that takes place six years after The Legend Of Zelda.
Upon discovering that Link now has the symbol of the Triforce on his hand, he embarks on another quest to gain the Triforce of Courage. Many fans consider this to be one of the most difficult games in the series, with very few actually beating it.
6 Cuphead
A game that was instantly beloved and thought by many to be one of the hardest games in recent years, Cuphead is a run and gun inspired by old cartoons. Cuphead and his brother, Mugman, have to defeat challenging bosses and give their souls to The Devil so he doesn't take their own.
The game requires a lot of attention and memorization to even get through the first few bosses, let alone the entire game. In order to help casuals, there is a Simple mode that removes aspects of the battles. However, only on Regular mode can players progress to the end of the game, since defeating bosses on Simple mode doesn't give Cuphead his opponents' souls.
5 Mega Man
Capcom's 1987 action platformer centers around a robot named Mega Man who has to defeat his creator's nemesis, Dr. Wily, and six other robots. In order to help Mega Man on his quest, players must choose one of six difficult levels that require a lot of memorization and attention to detail.
At the end of each level is one of the six robots, each being even more challenging than their respective levels. Upon defeating each boss, Mega Man gains a new power, which can be used in any of the other levels. After beating all six levels and bosses, a seventh unlocks in which players face against Dr. Wily and save the world.
4 Donkey Kong Country
Donkey Kong was the game where both the iconic ape that shares his game's name and Jumpman, better known as Mario, made their first appearances. While Mario went on to have many games and franchises, DK didn't have quite as much fame. However, he would go on to have his own platformer series for people that wanted more of a challenge than Mario offered.
Donkey Kong Country was the first game in this new series and it became a hit. Donkey Kong is joined by Diddy, as the two embark to get their bananas back from King K. Rool. On their quest, they faced challenging enemies and unique levels that made Donkey Kong a success once more.
3 Sonic Unleashed
Considered by many fans to be the hardest in the franchise, Sonic Unleashed is a game in which Sonic becomes a werehog (the hedgehog equivalent of a werewolf). Levels are split into regular platformers that Sonic fans are familiar with in daytime and beat 'em up levels that take place at night.
One level, Eggmanland, is known to be especially challenging for players and is considered one of the most difficult stages in Sonic history. Fans of beat 'em ups and platformers that want a good challenge, look no further than this bizarre installment of Sonic The Hedgehog.
2 Kingdom Hearts III
When it was first released, fans felt that Kingdom Hearts III was too easy. However, as time passed, Square Enix added more features and content to the game that arguably turned this title into the most difficult in the series. Critical Mode was added as a free update and the ReMind DLC introduced Premium Menu, which allows players to change aspects of the gameplay to make them even harder.
Like Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix, the DLC also introduced more challenging bosses that are the most difficult to face in the whole game. Kingdom Hearts III's added features after launch not only make the game harder, but also show just how far Square Enix will go to please their fans.
1 The Legend Of Zelda
It's dangerous to go alone, take a guide. In the first entry of the legendary franchise, players are put into a world with little knowledge on what to do. Finding out where to go, how to defeat enemies, and gain items are huge factors in what made The Legend Of Zelda so difficult, yet iconic.
Due to how challenging the game is, only the most dedicated players would dare go without any help on their first playthrough. This easily became one of the most important and influential games in history, shaping the action-adventure genre even to this day, and it is one of the most challenging children's games of all time.