The Most Difficult Mobile Game, Ranked

Ranking factors for difficult mobile game

1. Learning curve
   The initial difficulty for new players to understand and adapt to the game mechanics, controls, and objectives. A steeper learning curve often indicates a more difficult game.
2. Complexity
   The amount of game mechanics, features, and strategies that players need to use or master to progress or compete effectively. More complex games often require better planning, multitasking, and decision-making from players.
3. Difficulty scaling
   How the game's difficulty level increases as the player makes progress. This includes factors such as enemy strength, level design, and availability of resources or power-ups.
4. Skill cap
   The upper limit of skill that a player can develop through practice and experience. Games with high skill caps typically have a significant gap between novice and expert players, with room for constant improvement and mastery.
5. Penalty for failure
   How severe the consequences are for failing to complete objectives, losing lives, or making mistakes. The more severe the penalty, the more likely players will need to develop high-level skills and strategies to avoid failure.
6. RNG (Randomness) factor
   The impact of random variables and unpredictability on gameplay difficulty. A high RNG factor can make the game more difficult by introducing unexpected challenges or obstacles that players cannot always account for.
7. Competition
   In multiplayer games, the difficulty can be determined by the skill level of other players in the game. Competitive games with ranking systems can match players against increasingly difficult opponents, making it harder to maintain a high rank or achieve victory.
8. Time limitations
   Time constraints, such as limited lives or countdown timers, can impose additional difficulty by requiring players to complete tasks or objectives within a certain timeframe.
9. Availability of external resources
   The ability for players to supplement their gameplay with external resources, such as guides, tutorials, or in-game purchases, can affect the perceived difficulty of a game. Limited access to these resources can make a game more challenging.
10. Customization and difficulty settings
    The availability and range of customizable difficulty options can impact how difficult a game is perceived to be. Games with broad difficulty settings can cater to various player skill levels, while those without may be seen as more universally challenging.