The Nintendo Switch is usually seen as a rather casual console, so more hardcore gaming groups, looking for a challenge, will usually look elsewhere. However, more and more game developers have noticed the lust for difficulty among Switch players and have started targeting the Nintendo Switch along with other consoles.
There have never been moredifficult Switch gamesthan there are now. These games span across every genre, and many of them are either co-op or have co-op built into them. This is fantastic news for players looking to lose over and over again until they finally receive the satisfaction of a hard-fought win.
Monster Hunter Riseis basically “boss fighting, the game.“It’s one of the most fun co-op games on the market, which is no surprise when looking at its concept. Players need to work together to bring down giant monsters, either by slaying them or capturing them. Players can choose from many different weapons and craft new versions of their weapons and armor from the materials that they harvest from monsters, and bringing a balanced team to the fray is vital — especially once players start facing off against endgame monsters.
Players only get three lives during a mission inMonster Hunter Rise, and these lives are spread out among everyone on the mission. This makes the game even more difficult, because if one player is having a hard time with a specific boss, then both players will be punished and forced to restart the entire mission. Couple this with the fact that some monsters are just extremely hard and will require learning attack patterns and taking the right kind of gear, andMonster Hunter Riseis easily one of the hardest games on the Switch. This also meansit can be played for basically foreverwithout getting bored or feeling too easy.
Don’t Starve Togetheris technically a roguelike, which means its main goal is to eventually kill the players. However, the game leans much more heavily on survival mechanics; there just happens to be a lack of respawning. While many survival games make it difficult or tedious to get going,start building a base, and collect resources,Don’t Starve Togethertakes it to another level.
Players should expect to lose, almost immediately, in their first few runs ofDon’t Starve Together. While it sounds easy, on the surface, to ensure there’s enough food to go around, sometimes finding berry bushes at a critical time is impossible. Players are also on daily time limits, as they need to avoid being caught out in the dark without a campfire (and fuel for the fire).
For The Kingis a game where players need to think about every single move they make. The game places players on a hexagon board and has them move around to complete the story and side missions. They’ll also need to purchase weapons and defeat enemies in turn-based combat. Even the combat requires thoughtful planning each turn, since players will need to minimize the damage they take and the resources they spend.
For The Kingisone of the best co-op roguelikes on the Switchfor players who want to play something akin to classic RPGs. However, it’s one of the most difficult as well, since players are always fighting against the clock. This requires a lot of team work and communication to succeed, requiring players to split up, multitask, and even share resources like gold and gear. So, going rogue will result in failure every time.
Players looking for a more class roguelike co-op game where every run starts from scratch are going to loveRisk of Rain 2. During a run, players will basically have to defeat hordes of bosses and monsters while collecting random power-ups that may or may not synergize with the rest of their build.
There are many classes inRisk of Rain 2to choose from, so the difficulty in co-op starts when building a strong team composition. During a run, though, is when the difficulty really ramps up. Levels can be very chaotic — especially once all players have a ton of power-ups at their disposal and are trying to break the game!
There are very fewgreat 2D co-op gameswith the notoriety and infamy ofSpelunky 2and its predecessor. Players starting up a run ofSpelunky 2should be ready to die over and over again to a bunch of unfair and silly things, whether they be enemies, natural hazards, or random traps placed in a very devious way.
Even though it can be wildly difficult,Spelunky 2is still a ton of fun. It has randomly generated levels, and the platforming is sharp and engaging. Not to mention, there’s nothing more satisfying than finally completing a level with a friend after countless rage-inducing losses!
Very few games have names as perfect and descriptive asEnter the Gungeon.Enter the Gungeonis a fantastic roguelike game and is just even more chaotic and difficult in co-op as it is in single player. It’s the perfect game for Switch co-op as well,thanks to its pixel art graphicsand twin stick shooter gameplay.
Basically, players are going to be forced to dodge countless streams of bullets and projectiles throughout their entire run ofEnter the Gungeon. There’s barely any relief from the action, which is what makes the game so great.Enter the Gungeonisperfect for bullet hell fanslooking for a fun co-op experience.
