10 Toughest Modern Games

Get ready for some hardcore action.

 There's nothing more rewarding than to beat a tough-as-nails game and feel great about it. Throughout the years we've seen a great deal of tough games. You've probably encountered some tough games at some point during your gaming career such as the likes of Ninja Gaiden, Galaga, and Gradius. This month's Top 10 will focus on the toughest modern video games released, mainly games released during the early 2000s and onward. 

Mega Man 9 (2008)

Old school is good school.

 A throwback to the classic NES games, Mega Man 9 was actually developed on the seventh generation consoles despite its 8-bit looks. We once again follow Mega Man as he attemps to thwarts Dr. Wily's evil schemes. He'll also battle various "Robot Masters", which serve as the game's bosses. Not only it looks and sounds like an old NES, it's difficulty is up there with its predecessors as well. Also, You'll have to watch out for your health meter as you take down enemies and navigate through the booby-trapped levels since you have set amount of lives.


Ikaruga (2001)

X-treme shooting skills.

 Legendary shoot 'em up developer Treasure's Ikaruga is one tough game. A vertical shooter that has you switching from two polirities, black and white to shoot down enemies. The game demands lighting fast reflexes and precision, especially when things get crowded. Add in tough and tricky boss fights and you'll have a tough but rewarding time with Ikaruga.


The Binding of Isaac (2011)

A twisted and interesting adventure.

 Developed by indie developer Edmund Mcmillen, The Binding of Isaac is loosly based on the religious story of the Binding of Isaac. You control Isaac as he navigates through his monster-filled basement of his home. While mainly a rougelike, the game borrows influences from The Legend of Zelda, though featuring randomly generated levels. Each levels is filled with quick enemies and has a tough boss fight at the end, so you'll have to be cautious when navigating them.


Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening (2005)

This party's getting crazy!

 By far the fastest and hardest entry in the faced-based, stylish Devil May Cry series. We follow a young Dante as he must stop a demon invasion led by his twin brother, Virgil. Devil May Cry 3 dismisses many aspect of its predecessor, Devil May Cry 2, such as slow gameplay and the easy difficulty. The gameplay has been revamped with the style system, which changes how the game is played. Over the course of the game's missions, you'll be slashing and shooting at tough enemies, especially the bosses which will put everything you've learned to the test.


Dark Souls (2011)

Prepare to die.

 An obvious entry, developer FromSoftware's acclaimed Dark Souls is tough all over. Taking place in the kingdom of Lordran, you play as an un-dead character who must explore the monster-filled kingdom. You start with the option of choosing and customizing your character. Nearly everything in the game will kill you from the environment to the brutal boss fights, making it one of the hardest games of recent years. That being said, being cautious and patient will help survive the 50 to 60 hour journey intact.


Furi (2016)

Furi-ous

 The super stylish Furi was recently released by French indie developer The Game Bakers. We follow an imprisoned samurai warrior, guided by a mysterious rabbit-masked man, as he makes his way out of a highly advanced prison. Furi consists entirely of boss fights. Much like it's name, you'll slashing, shooting, and dodging the game's intense and hard-as-nails bosses. 

Super Meat Boy (2010)

Red is a beautiful color.

 Another obvious entry, Super Meat Boy is an indie game by Team Meat. You play as Meat Boy as he attempts to rescue Bandage Girl, his girlfriend, from the evil Dr. Fetus... With over 300 levels full of sharp and deadly traps waiting to kill Meat Boy, it's a platformer with a which demands split-second timing and a high level of precision. 



 Ninja Gaiden (2004)

Ninja Reflexes.

 Developer Team Ninja's Ninja Gaiden was a reboot of the classic Ninja Gaiden series that debuted back on the NES in the 90's. Young ninja, Ryu Hayabusa, is out for revenge after an evil force known as Doku destroyed his village. Along the way, he'll meet new foes and allies. Throughout the game, Ryu will mercilessly decapitate monsters known as fiends and human enemies alike. Get ready to  quickly slash and dodge attacks as a real ninja would since the enemies in Ninja Gaiden are fast and brutal. That's exculding the game's tough bosses, which include the notorious Alma.


F-Zero GX (2003)

Keep your eyes on the road.

 A Nintendo game that's hard?! Yes, F-Zero GX was released way back in 2003 for the Nintendo GameCube. Continuing the success of the N64 classic, F-Zero X, F-Zero GX is faster, furious, and tough. The game packs a story mode in which you play as series veteran, Captain Falcon, as he races across nine chapters. The game's ultra faced-paced, running at a smooth 60 frames-per second, so it's no cake-walk since you're taking on 29 opponents. Track memorization and lighting reflexes are essential in order to be the top as the likelihood of you getting bumped and thrown out of course is pretty high.

Zone of the Enders 2: The Second Runner (2003)

High speed robot action.

 Zone of the Enders 2: The Second Runner is the sequel to the obscured gem, Zone of the Enders. We follow miner Dingo Egret he's finds himself swept into Jehuty, a highly advanced orbital frame. He must fight against the terrorist organization BAHRAM and uncover the ultimate purpose of Jehuty. The game's a fast hack-and-slasher that has you quickly fighting against deadly hordes of enemies. The game's bosses will put everything you've learned to the test as they are faster and fiercer than any enemy you've encountered, especially Jehuty's twin frame, Anubus. 

 That's a wrap for this month's top 10. There were some pretty sweet but tough games featured that I wish would get a remaster *cough* F-Zero GX *cough* I know there's a lot of tough games that I didn't get the chance to mention so feel free to comment below. Until next time!