Microsoft surprise-released a remaster of Quake last week to kick off QuakeCon 2021. Including a range of awesome updates, the least of which is 4K resolution output on supported devices, it also brings the game back into the modern gaming sphere for a whole new generation of players to discover.
As with other modern ports, new achievements and trophies are included in this re-release (yes, even on Switch through Bethesda.net). A number of them require players to beat each of Quake's main episodes and all of the official expansions on Nightmare difficulty. Thing is, accessing Nightmare isn't as simple as selecting it from the menu.
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Back in 1996, developer id Software understood that not everyone had experience with 3D spaces. As such, Quake did something unique with its difficulty selection screen by making it an interactive map. You had paths leading to Easy, Normal, and Hard with Hard forcing you to jump a pit of lava to prove your worth. The other expansions would follow suit with their own takes on this cool idea.
So, if you're brand new to Quake and are looking for how to access Nightmare difficulty, this guide is for you. Here is how you can access Nightmare in Quake, Scourge of Armagon, Dissolution of Eternity, Dimension of the Past, and Dimension of the Machine.
Quake
As mentioned above, the original Quake kicks things off by putting players into a small room with three portals for Easy, Normal, and Hard. Where is Nightmare, you ask? Well, you have to find it, silly!
Enter any of the three portals and you'll be teleported to a room with four walkways to each of Quake's four episodes. Head toward the fourth hallway for "The Elder World" and you'll see a small pool of water. Entering episode four requires you to fall down, but while falling, you'll notice a wooden beam that you can land on.
It may take a few tries, but if you walk across the beam, you'll find an alcove that leads you to the portal for Nightmare difficulty. As with the other expansions, selecting Nightmare once is all you have to do. Subsequent episodes will then be on Nightmare. If you return to the main difficulty selection hallway, you will need to re-enter the Nightmare portal, however. Once you complete episode four, Nightmare will no longer be selectable, so keep that in mind.
Scourge of Armagon
This first official expansion for Quake mixes things up a little by starting off in a more military/industrial styled setting. You'll find three hallways spaced out a bit with Easy, Normal, and Hard written above them. To access Nightmare, you'll need to walk down the Normal hallway until you see the portal. From there, take the hallway to the left until you reach a stack of crates.
Searching around the crates will see you finding an arrow that leads to an elevator. Take the elevator up and you'll have easy access to the Nightmare portal. Scourge of Armagon doesn't let you pick which episode you tackle first and you'll need to play them back-to-back, so there is no fear of unselecting Nightmare here.
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Dissolution of Eternity
For Quake's second official expansion, things got a bit more complicated when it comes to finding Nightmare. Starting off more like the original, you'll be in a room with Easy, Normal, and Hard portals but you can safely enter whichever one you want. Considering Normal has an acid pit and Hard puts you on a tightrope over lava, just pick Easy.
Once jumping through, you'll be in a room with two hallways for each of Dissolution of Eternity's episodes. If you turn around from those two doors, you'll find switches on the ceiling you need to shoot. They are glowing red and high up, so if you don't immediately spot them, you may not be aiming high enough.
Once you shoot those two switches, go back to the portal that returns you to the difficulty selector hallway. Instead of jumping in, shoot it in the middle and you'll see some text saying "Sequence Complete" show up on the screen. Jump back to the difficulty room, re-enter Easy, then lookup. You'll see two pillars raise up toward the lava put above you. Stand on one of those to enter the portal and you'll be teleported to the Nightmare difficulty room. Now simply enter it and you're good to go.
Dimension of the Past
For MachineGames' first expansion to Quake, the developer kept things simple when it came to accessing Nightmare. Just as with the other expansions, you'll start in front of a castle-like structure with clear paths to Easy, Normal, and Hard. Enter whichever one you like and you'll find yourself in front of the portal to the first level.
Instead of walking straight in, go to the left of the portal to find a small pool of water. Jump in and swim to the back and you'll be in front of the Nightmare difficulty portal. Now just enter the main portal to start Dimension of the Past on Nightmare.
Dimension of the Machine
Once again, MachineGames has kept things rather simple when it comes to finding Nightmare difficulty. This brand-new expansion starts in a much more elaborate gothic room that is floating over a pit of lava. Again, there are three paths for Easy, Normal, and Hard. Turn toward Hard and run down the hallway, stopping short of entering the portal.
Take a look to the right and you'll see a hole in the wall. Jump in there and you'll find the hallway for Nightmare difficulty. You'll need to get a running start, but jump across the two pits of lava in front of you and you'll be off to the races on this rather expansive expansion.
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