The hardest Pokémon game you’ve played

[Zexy]

I would say Platinum the first time I tried to just brute force through it with only my starter Empoleon... Gardenia was trouble, even Maylene was trouble since it was part Steel fully evolved already, and do not get me started on trying Route 210 north without Defog... Also Cynthia, yeah, although I had Giratina by then.

... You REALLY need to do all the optional stuff in Route 212 before daring to attempt 210 north, learnt that the hard way... And you also better do all the optional Surf stuff sometime before League too.

 

[FelipePR]

General difficulty? I think it's can be Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, or maybe Platinum, which are, actually, just well balanced games.

Highest difficulty spike? Most difficulty Battle? BDSP, this game's elite four is ridiculously tougher than any other, even considering that in the midst of battle you can be blessed with the infamous "friendship" power. Secondly, Arceus Legends, the final part of the game, especially the battle against Volo and Giratina, is tough.

 

[bugb0y]

seeing a lot of SM/USUM and i have to agree. i havent played USUM yet but i remember struggling often in moon. it was never so difficult that i had to attempt a battle more than once or twice, but i do remember having to strategize more on the fly, and occasionally having those strategies fail, especially against those crafty totem pokemon and their little helpers, and capturing ALL the ultra beasts was a unique challenge. it was fun d: felt immersive, as it was.

also seeing a lot of platinum, which im currently playing for the first time. i havent really struggled too badly yet, esp since my monferno (lazlo) is ripped, but i just got the badge from canalave, it seems like the story is starting to ramp up, and im already aware of how notorious cynthia has made herself wish me luck i suppose d:

as an aside, this is tangentially related, but i recently did a soul-link nuzlocke of crystal with a buddy. we werent able to complete it as life got in the way, but we did manage johto's elite four by a single (1) hp on my vaporeon, al (she had umbreon, ed). THAT was the hardest game of pokemon ive ever played in my fucking life.

 

[Daenerys]

The original RBY games were the hardest ones for me. In all my playthroughs I'm constantly under-leveled compared to the Elite Four the first time around.

I'm legitimately surprised that some folks said USUM. I played through Ultra Sun and only struggled against Totem Ribombee but even then it only took me two tries to beat it. Every other opponent was easy enough to beat thanks to the Exp. Share.