Super Life of Pixel (2014 / 2018). "Hardcore" mode. Part 1.
2Notes.
1. Originally this title been called "Life of a Pixel", but later on more content been added, levels altered, so on, name been changed.
2. While several sections just appear by further progress, some of them require specific conditions to be completed first:
2.1. Apple II - complete all 8-bit machines that stays before Apple II.
2.2. Master System - collect all special gems, which is not that easy as it sounds, but I've managed to do it and can say that it's that hard as well, if compare it to some other, both modern indie and old titles. Fruit section, in opposite, is harder one.
2.3. Mega Drive - all fruits. Harder one. There are 56 fruits in the game and it's not easy to deal with it if "hardcore" mode is on. On top of that there is no any marks in which levels they are available and in which are they are not, if not count some hints, that local professor gives time to time, or just the only relevant guide in Steam, which got outdated in places after update in December 2018. Still, if you will look close enough and combine two manuals together on top of, in case of the missed items, it's possible to handle.
2.4. "Special Collection". Looks like it's require to collect 6 platform items, later on marked as "SC" on the level selection screen. Unless at least one is missing it will be locked. Collecting of all items, same as completing all "regular" levels, or finishing off things in "hardcore" mode probably is not required, but I've collected all, so not sure about that. On top of that can say that those special levels, at least some of them, are much harder in compare to "regular" onces. So. In this case it will better to deal with all "regular" activities first anyway. You can find platform items on:
2.4.1. ZX Spectrum - level 2.
2.4.2. Amstard CPC464 - level 3.
2.4.3. Commodore 64 - level 7.
2.4.4. Game Boy - level 8.
2.4.5. NES - level 2.
2.4.6. SNES - level 1.
3. "Hardcore" mode require to collect all things, regular gems, special gems, fruits, in one run. It means that you cannot, for example, collect only the fruit and exit the level right after. It's ether required, for some achievements, to collect all of them in this mode or forget about getting some of the specific achievements.
I've decided to collect as much things as I can in this mode and then switch it off for a while, collect the missing items to unlock the "Mega Drive" section and then switch it back in attempt to collect what have been missed previously. Spoiler - at the end point originally I've missed 11 fruits (and candies) from 56, 45/56, collection of which is shown in the parts 9 and 10. This also leads to a fact that two hardcore related achievements been off for while in my case.
"Classic Hardcore" and "Classic Mega Hardcore" are stick to original game, without "Super" tag. If you are looking to take those two you need to switch the game to original version in "Beta" tag. Basically it will require to complete everything from scratch. I've the first one, but second, "Classic Super Hardcore", stuck on 20/40 levels.