RTFM

While most older titles required players to read the manual due to limited tutorialisation, these titles in particular seem to really befuddle modern players, their complaints easily remedied by reading the fucking manual.

Super Mario Galaxy
Super Mario Galaxy
The long jump is never explained in-game, but is in the manual.
Super Mario Galaxy 2
Super Mario Galaxy 2
The long jump is explained in-game and is now required for some levels but people ignore the tutorial.
The Legend of Zelda
The Legend of Zelda
Manual includes a partially complete map, guide on how to get to the first dungeon, and explains every enemy and item in the game.
Sonic Riders
Sonic Riders
World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft
No longer comes up due to quest objectives being clearly marked, but quests were pretty easy to figure out if you just read the text.
Super Smash Bros.
Super Smash Bros.
Website told players how to Z-Cancel.

Unrated

Armored Core
Armored Core

Unrated

Betrayal at Krondor
Betrayal at Krondor

Unrated

Buzz Aldrin's Race into Space
Buzz Aldrin's Race into Space

Unrated

Daffy Duck: The Marvin Missions
Daffy Duck: The Marvin Missions
Game Boy version's manual explains how to change Daffy's gun, which is required for the second level.

Unrated

Dynasty Warriors Online
Dynasty Warriors Online
Dynasty Warriors veterans frequently did not pay attention to the MMO's tutorials, and thus did not understand mechanics like stat upgrades.

Unrated

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

Unrated

Final Fantasy XII
Final Fantasy XII
Some in-game items permanently silence characters when equipped. This is apparent in the items' descriptions.

Unrated

God Hand
God Hand

Unrated

Haunted House
Haunted House

Unrated

Heracles no Eikou: Toujin Makyou-den
Heracles no Eikou: Toujin Makyou-den

Unrated

Jurassic Park
Jurassic Park
Master System version can only be cleared on a 1CC run, and this is explained in the manual.

Unrated

King of Dragon Pass
King of Dragon Pass

Unrated

Knuckles' Chaotix
Knuckles' Chaotix

Unrated

La-Mulana
La-Mulana
Mulana is an anagram of Manual.

Unrated

MechCommander
MechCommander
One page of the manual is the only indication that enemy weakspots can be targeted for more damage.

Unrated

Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake
Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake
Required for many puzzles.

Unrated

Might and Magic VI: The Mandate of Heaven
Might and Magic VI: The Mandate of Heaven
Game cannot be completed without reading the manual as it tells players where the Third Eye is located.

Unrated

Moon: Remix RPG Adventure
Moon: Remix RPG Adventure

Unrated

Ōkami
Ōkami
The manual mentions how to paint straight lines more easily for the Power Slash.

Unrated

Penn & Teller's Smoke and Mirrors
Penn & Teller's Smoke and Mirrors
Penn plainly tells players that the game's tutorials are not a substitute for reading the manual.

Unrated

Riddle of the Sphinx
Riddle of the Sphinx

Unrated

Shin Megami Tensei
Shin Megami Tensei
Manual explains how stats work and how to negotiate effectively.

Unrated

Star Trek: 25th Anniversary
Star Trek: 25th Anniversary
Manual states that doing well on missions increases your ship's performance in combat, meaning the end of the game can be monstrously difficult to the uninformed.

Unrated

StarTropics
StarTropics
Manual included a piece of paper that had to be dunked in water for a password.

Unrated

Street Fighter Alpha: Warriors' Dreams
Street Fighter Alpha: Warriors' Dreams
Stand in for every fighting game under the sun. Special moves would be either on the cabinet itself or in the manual.

Unrated

Super Princess Peach
Super Princess Peach
The manual explicitly states that the Toads must be rescued to finish the game.

Unrated

The Bard's Tale III: Thief of Fate
The Bard's Tale III: Thief of Fate
Manual explains how to recharge spell points without waiting.

Unrated

The Bard's Tale II: The Destiny Knight
The Bard's Tale II: The Destiny Knight
Manual explains the specifics of saving the game.

Unrated

The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall
The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall
Inversion: The manual is a hindrance as it was based off of an alpha version.

Unrated

TIS-100
TIS-100
Technically all Zachtronics coding games could fit here but TIS-100 and Shenzen I/O in particular require the manual due to their arbitrary languages.

Unrated

Touhou Eiyashou: Imperishable Night
Touhou Eiyashou: Imperishable Night
Obtuse mechanics are explained in included documentation.

Unrated

TransBot
TransBot

Unrated

Transformers: Devastation
Transformers: Devastation

Unrated

Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar
Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar

Unrated

Unlimited SaGa
Unlimited SaGa

Unrated

Xenoblade Chronicles X
Xenoblade Chronicles X

3 Comments


11 months ago

A lot of atari games fit this but the ones I see a lot of people struggle with without the manuals are Haunted House (1982), Riddle of the Sphinx (1982) and ET (1982)

11 months ago

oops didnt even ask if u wanted recommendations! hope its all ok!!

11 months ago

Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box has a puzzle that requires you to tear out and fold part of the manual for its solution.


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