A comprehensive ranked exploration of the entire licensed North American Nintendo Entertainment System library organized by difficulty.

Nintendo Hard: The Nintendo Entertainment System’s Games Ranked by Difficulty examines 669 NES titles through detailed rankings, expert commentary, interviews, and statistical analysis. Written by Kelsy Polnik, who has personally beaten every licensed NES game, and 8-Bit Steve, a world record holder and competitive player, the book provides authoritative insight into what makes games challenging. Featuring contributions from more than 50 developers, publishers, journalists, and industry experts, the book goes beyond nostalgia to deliver a definitive breakdown of design, mechanics, and cultural context. Every title is ranked by difficulty, with key insights into mechanics, strategies, and how players ultimately overcome notorious challenges. From legendary franchises to obscure releases, the NES is presented in its entirety, giving readers both a nostalgic journey and a research-backed resource.

Key Features:

• Difficulty rankings for the complete licensed North American NES library.
• Firsthand analysis by Kelsy Polnik, who completed every NES title.
• Data-driven context and insights from 8-Bit Steve, NES world record holder.
• Contributions from over 50 collaborators across the video game industry.
• Interviews, articles, quotes, and difficulty-based top 10 lists.
• Unique win conditions for every game defined by a council of NES experts.

A must-have resource for retro gamers, collectors, and anyone seeking the definitive record of NES difficulty.