Platformers, almost by definition, are a frustrating form of gaming. Yet even after falling to your demise for the hundredth time, there’s something exhilarating about the sense of exploration found in each stage and inching further and further toward your goal with every life. While there may be hundreds of mascot-laden platforming fodder out there, few titles stand out as titles worthy of being called “hardcore.” That honor is bestowed upon games like Mega Man, Contra, and Ghosts and Goblins – the very titles that test your gaming mettle for all its worth.

As a self-described “Ultimate Hardcore Action Game,” Prinny: Can I Really Be The Hero? (henceforth referred to as Prinny) is one of those titles that teeters back and forth between being PSP-crushingly difficult, and being one of the most enjoyable games to hit the system in a good, long while.

Prinny is not your typical NIS America game, and by that I mean it’s not filled with hundreds of hours of epic, tactical-RPG gameplay. Instead, it’s a one-off tale about a very special Prinny, named Prinny, who must retrieve a handful of ingredients to replace the evil overlord Etna’s “Ultra Dessert” that has just recently gone missing. Such a nonsensical story is par for the course in the Disgaea universe, but Prinny’s strengths lie in its gameplay – not the story itself. Even though there’s little substance to be found in the plot, it’s still an expectedly sarcastic, light-hearted, and well told that easily entertains you across its eight+ levels filled with baddies, bombs, and much, much more.

As a traditional platformer, Prinny only has a handful of attacks at his disposal. A “ground pound,” an aerial combo, and your trusty knife are the only things keeping Prinny intact, and much of the game’s larger challenge lies in figuring out how to best utilize these few attacks to your advantage. Even though the actual challenge lies in what time of day you enter the stage (as the game gets progressively difficult as the day wanes on) Prinny features absolutely no character growth or secret weapons to tip the scales in your favor. Instead, you must increasingly get better at the game, making for some extremely tough battles as you skills are tested towards the game's conclusion.