Hard Mode

Hard Mode is a mode featured in the Mario series that increases the difficulty level of the game. When playing in this mode, certain elements of the game are changed to reflect the difficulty, such as the enemy's strength.

Super Mario Land
Hard Mode in Super Mario Land is unlocked after completing the main game, indicated by Mario's head replacing the Mushroom on the title screen. In this mode, more enemies appear in every level, and completing it unlocks a level select option.

Mario & Luigi: Dream Team
In Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, Hard Mode is unlocked when the player completes the game on a file at least once.

When unlocked, an orange button with "START OVER IN HARD MODE" is shown on the file select screen at the bottom of the touch screen, which allows the player to start a new game file on Hard Mode. When selected, the player is given an option to chose which file will be chosen for Hard Mode; once the player creates a file on Hard Mode, it cannot be changed back to a normal file unless the player erases the file. A Hard Mode file has an orange label with "HARD" displayed on it.

In Hard Mode, enemies inflict much more damage and receive less, the timing on basic Jump and Hammer attacks is stricter, and the maximum amount of items the Bros. can carry is ten (wearing the Bottomless Gloves lifts this restriction in battles). Like the previous Mario & Luigi games, should the Bros. lose in a battle in Hard Mode, rather than having the option to restart it, they will automatically be taken back to the last save point. Giant Bosses have different attack patterns than on a normal file, and the recommended levels for facing bosses in the Battle Ring have increased by five. Upon beating the final boss in Hard Mode, the player gets to view a two-screened image featuring all the main characters and main bosses in the game.

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
Hard Mode is unlocked in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze replacing Mirror Mode from the previous game after the player completes every single level in the game. When playing on Hard Mode, the player can select any of the four Kongs, but will only have one health, and cannot use any items in their inventory. Checkpoints will also not appear in the stage. Upon completing a stage in Hard Mode, it will be marked green on the world map.