Metroid Dread: How to Unlock Hard Mode

Metroid Dread is a rather challenging game, featuring tons of different enemies and bosses that can be difficult to beat, but, for some players, the game will still feel like a walk in the park, especially if they played previous entries in the series.

For those players that want a real challenge in Metroid Dread, the game offers a Hard Mode that will put their skills to the test. Here’s how to unlock it and all the differences with Normal mode.

How to Unlock Hard Mode in Metroid Dread

Hard Mode is not available at the start of the game, and you will have to unlock it first. To do so, you will need to complete the game first before you can start a new game in the harder difficulty setting.

To do so, you will have to get back to the File Selection menu, pick a new save file and then choose the difficulty mode between Hard Mode and Normal Mode. The game does not feature an Easy Mode, sadly, so the challenge level only goes up when you complete the game at least once.

Metroid Dread Hard Mode Differences

Hard Mode in Metroid Dread only influences combat difficulty, as puzzles and traversal will stay the same as in Normal Mode.

In this unlockable difficulty mode, enemies will be much stronger, you will lose more Energy when attacked and it will take slightly more hits to defeat them. Hard Mode is meant to be the ultimate Metroid Dread challenge, so you’d better come prepared if you want to venture into Planet ZDR one more time.