Undertalecan be a challenging experience for many players. Especially when aiming for the True Pacifist ending, which involves not killing a single enemy throughout the entire run. But for those looking for a real challenge, there is a way to unlock a more difficult version ofUndertale.
Unlocking hard mode inUndertalerequires inputting a secret name during the beginning of the game. Doing so will make enemy encounters tougher, and make the world in general slightly less pleasant. However, if players are expecting to embark upon a truly hardcore run of the entire game, then there may be some disappointment.
How To Unlock Hard Mode
WhenUndertalebegins, the player will be asked to name the fallen human. While this may not be an important moment in most games, this is where hard mode can be found. There are secret names that can be entered on this screen that can affectUndertalein unique ways.
By typing in the name Frisk, the player will then be told that using this name will make their life hell. By proceeding with Frisk as the chosen name of the fallen human, hard mode will officially be activated, and the player will enter a world of pain.
What Happens In Undertale’s Hard Mode?
The big difference between normal and hard difficulty inUndertaleis that the player will face off against harder variations of enemy monsters in random encounters during the first area of the game, The Ruins. This means that enemies who would normally be fought much later inUndertale, like Final Froggits, Whimsalots, and Astigmatisms, will be seen much earlier. There will also be special enemies exclusive to hard mode, like Moldessas and Migospels.
In addition to combat, there will be minor changes to other aspects of The Ruins. Characters will have slightly different dialogue, Toriel will no longer give the player solutions to some of the tutorial puzzles, and there will be a more intense battle theme. When taking candy from the candy bowl after Toriel leaves, the player will only be able to take three pieces instead of the normal four. Upon reaching Toriel’s house, she’ll prepare a less appetizing snail pie instead of the traditional butterscotch-cinnamon pie.
Perhaps the biggest change of all comes near the end of The Ruins when the player must face Toriel in a boss battle. Upon defeating Toriel in any manner, the game will not progress past this part like it normally does. Instead, the small white dog that is seen throughout the entire game appears to inform the player thatUndertale’shard mode is now over.
That’s right, hard mode only lasts until the end of The Ruins. There will then be some unique, humorous dialogue between Toriel and the dog, before the screen will abruptly cut to theUndertalelogo along with the words “Hard Mode. Coming….Maybe. Eh, don’t count on it.” There will then be one additional scene with Flowey, before the screen fades out and returns the player back to the menu where they can begin a new game.
