Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced/Death Map List

I thought it would be good if there was a convenient list of the difficulties of all of the maps, so I made this list for myself and decided to share it.

This thread can be used to discuss if you want to add a map, or believe a map should be placed in a different category. If you think a map(s) should be moved, please name the map(s) and then give your reasoning - if it is good, then I will move it.

There are four broad grades: beginner, intermediate, advanced, and death, with nearly all maps belonging to the first three. Contained within the first three broad grades are three levels each. The beginner categories are maps that new players should be able to complete with checkpoints and even beat on occasion. The intermediate level maps are maps that require some experience and perseverance, either with cps or without cps, to beat. In this category and above, no map is truly "easy" to no-check as they all require time and concentration. Advanced maps are maps that require years of playing to even attempt to no-check, but are within the realm of beatable for your average veteran (with practice). Intermediate players can access these maps with CPs. Death maps are insanely hard maps that are so extreme they stand out even in the world of extreme maps. Even very experienced veterans may have trouble finishing these maps - with CPs! These maps are reserved for the best of the best and no-checking one is a feat worthy of song and legend. I will not speak on further categories.

Please note:

Obviously difficulty is to some degree subjective. This list is meant to be a guide, not a 100 percent accurate and objective evaluation, and should be used as such. Complete objectivity is likely impossible at any case, with so many factors that affect map difficulty. Nevertheless, there are things that are objective, such as: the distance between blocks, the existence of safe spots or the presence of a harsh penalty for falling.

To give you an idea of my perspective, I am a pretty experienced player, having actively played since 2008. I have played CS overall for almost 14 years (since June 1999). I will go into the USA Phoogi servers (KZ / Bhop) a few times a week to try and beat maps, or from time to time I might load up a map on my listen server. I have recorded demos for KZ-NA and am currently recording some world records for XJ and Cosy which are in progress. My LJ record is a 253 LJ block, and I've no-checked all of the easy maps, almost all intermediate maps, and several advanced maps on this list.

Guideline #1: These rankings reflect primarily the perspective of someone joining a pub server and either hasn't played the map or has maybe played it a handful of times, and is now trying to no-check it. I will try to take using CPs into account somewhat, but I am using this "pub server" reference point because this list is primarily a reference for someone who doesn't know the map well, or is looking for a map of a similar level to play/nominate.

Guideline #2: The objective point of reference for this list is zero skill. If you are learning to play piano and you want to know how hard a song is, you aren't interested in knowing what a virtuoso pianist who has been playing for 30 years thinks relative to HIS level. If you asked him he would give you an answer for your level, or relative to zero skill. The same logic applies here - the rankings should not reflect the opinion of someone like koukouz, who probably finds all but 5 maps in the game easy.

Guideline #3: For a map to be put in the category it has to agree with the XJ designation, with very few exceptions. For example, an XJ map labeled as "average" would fall somewhere in the intermediate levels. The exceptions are:

i) When XJ gives no designation (which it often doesn't). In this case I investigate the map and give my best estimate of its difficulty. Discussions in this thread can improve these cases.

ii) When a newer map is inappropriately labeled. In this case I will change it, usually bumping up the difficulty ranking. I don't want these rankings to reflect the fact that the competitive community on XJ has gotten about one rank better overall in the past 5 years - see guideline #2. This won't help the people who would use this reference.

iii) When a map has average-ish jumps but is either very long, or has very harsh penalties for falling, or both. In this case I bump up the difficulty ranking, and I do this mainly because of guideline #1. These factors greatly affect the number of people that complete the map, and it matters a lot to people when choosing a map, so I make this exception to help those who would benefit the most from this reference.

And now, the list:

-------Bhop-------

Beginner

Level 1:

bkz_goldbhop
bkz_wildbhop
bkz_junglebhop
cg_coldbhop
cg_coldbhop_v2
clintmo_bhopbarrels
kzblt_zigzaghop
kzlv_vaz_juo_e
kz_kzlt_femtobhop
kz_shrubhop_ez

Level 2:

fof_32
kzarg_bhopcircuit
kzarg_lostrome
kzie_bunnyheaven
kzlv_vaz_juo_h
kz_a2_bhop_corruo_ez
kz_creek
kz_exodus_ez
kz_hopez
kz_kzse_marsh
kz_megabhop

Level 3:

bkz_volcanobhop
cg_arizonabhop
cg_wildwestbhop
cg_cbblebhop
kzm_cityhops
kzru_sun5hine
kzsca_watertemple2
kzse_ancienthopez
kz_bkz_deathjourney
kz_cg_venice
kz_desolate3
kz_megabhop_hard

Intermediate

Level 4

kzarg_catacombsbhop
kz_bkz_egyptbhop
kz_bkz_tropicbhop
kz_kzfr_rabbithighwayez
kz_kzdk_delianshop
kz_kzdk_droughthop
kz_kzsca_bhopindustry
kz_pacman
kz_kzse_dustbhop
kz_hop
risk_bhop_bunny
risk_sector

Level 5

8b1_hellinashop
kzls_bhop_china
kzlt_arabhop
kzse_bhopblock
kz_kzdk_covebhop
kz_kzdk_templebhop
kz_kzfr_rabbithighway
kz_kzsca_sewerbhop
kz_kzse_dustbhop_h

Level 6

sak_railroad
kzarg_infinitefall
kzru_pharonrun
kz_j2s_4tunnels
kz_kzhu_jail
kz_shrubhop_h
kz_synergy

Advanced

Level 7

bn_tombbhop
kzru_spacehop
kz_a2_bhop_corruo_h
mto_greencave

Level 8

kzray_rocky-bhop
kz_kzdk_templebhop_h
kz_exodus_hard

Level 9

kzsca_burrow
prochallenge_bhop
kz_kzlv_wanderer

Death

Level 10

kz_synergy_x
kz_synergy_x2

--------KZ-------

Beginner

Level 1:

av_degyptianez
bk_icerock
fof_utopia
kt_blockrace
kz_6fd_volcano
kz_bye_erarock
kz_cliffez
kz_cg_pianoclimb
kz_darkmine
kz_deanhawkins_b01
kz_ezalpin
kz_luonto
kz_sola
kz_space
kz_space2
skitz_bean_valley
slD_bside_winter
sn_ezycliff
sn_ezycity
sn_noobbean
sn_noobbean_2

Level 2:

8b1_brickngrass
bkz_forestrace
daza_militarybase
dg_winterclimb
j2s_westbl0ck
kt_aztecclimb
kzarg_lostrome
kzcn_shanghai_museum
kzls_kodash
kzlt_village
kzse_valleycliff
kz_cargo
kz_cfl_jost_ez
kz_cg_wigbl0ck
kz_deathvalley
kz_ea_beneath
kz_ea_oldgraveyard
kz_ep_gigablock_b01
kz_ezboulder_b01
kz_exn_ezjungle
kz_goldenbean_200401
kz_j2s_icevalley
kz_j2s_summercliff_ez
kz_j2s_nightcanyon
kz_kzarg_undergroundjourney
kz_kzse_toonworld
kz_wsp_valleyclimb
kz_xj_caseblock_e
kz_xj_ezbrickjump
kz_xj_mountez
mto_desolate2
risk_simpsons
kz_cg_lavacliff
kz_dalai_rats
kz_j2s_summercliff_e
kz_m3_xmas_b00
kz_nix

Level 3:

clintmo_falling
daza_cobkz_inducility
kz_cellblock
kz_cg_holodeck
kz_cg_rats
kz_chinabl0ck_ez
kz_ea_canals
kz_ea_caveclimb_e
kz_ea_waterfall
kz_facility
kz_kzse_marsh
kz_kzse_toonworld
kz_ghat
kz_j2s_icevalley
kz_lostworld
kz_man_australia
kz_man_dragon
kz_persia
kz_starwars_deeja
kz_streetbl0ck
kz_stoneblock_ez
kz_stongehenge
kz_toon_underground
kz_watertemple2
kz_xj_ezbrickjump
kz_xj_caseblock_e
kz_underblock_ez

Intermediate

Level 4:

cg_nowhere
dark_ages
kzsca_bunratty
kz_bkz_shipka
kz_cg_coldblock
kz_ew_forsakenmines
kz_ea_harbor
kz_kzfr_notredame
kz_kzfr_kubz
kz_man_congo_b01
kz_azclimb
kz_kzus_mountaincrest
kz_man_dinocanyon
kz_peak_b01
kz_peak_b02
kz_redbrickworld
kz_tomorrow
kz_kzsca_toonworld2
kz_sandblock_ez
kz_sandblock2_ez
kz_stoneblock
kz_man_halloween2004
kz_man_owtcity
kz_faw_cathedral_e
kz_memphisblock
kzus_desertblock_ez
rd_riverpeak

Level 5:

bkz_dusttemple
bkz_cityblock
cg_hitnrun
fl_secret_temple
kzra_crystal_palace
kzro_darkfury
kzro_smalltemple
kz_aztecblock_b02
kz_boulder_b01
kz_bkz_communityblock
kz_chinabl0ck
kz_cg_xtremedesert
kz_climbers_b03[easy]
kz_darkness
kz_dirtblock
kz_ea_beneath
kz_ea_parkblock
kz_exn_ezjungle
kz_explorer
kz_halicarnassus
kz_ins_ancientgardens
kz_j2s_windsor
kz_kzdk_docks
kz_kzdk_stones
kz_kzdk_tropic island
kz_kzsca_egyptmemories
kz_kzsca_escape
kz_kzsca_mineblock_ez
kz_man_cameron
kz_man_castle
kz_man_neighbourhood
kz_man_redrock
kz_phoogi
kz_waterplant
kz_wsp_arpino
kz_5trees
mto_lightblock
risk_factory
risk_ministry
risk_stargate
sn_xmas_tree
uq_suncliff

Level 6

ak_rh_warehouse_ns
cl_nuke
communityblock_outtakes
cosy_temple
sak_railroad
kz_alpin
kz_adv_quadrablock
kz_climbers_b01
kz_climbers_b03[hard]
kz_cmp_collage_v2
kz_construction
kz_dojo
kz_ea_highblock
kz_heat
kz_kzro_communityblock
kz_kzsca_research
kz_kzsca_mountainvillage
kz_kzsk_desperados
kz_kzno_travel
kz_man_terablock
kz_man_trippin
kz_man_ultrablock
kz_man_urbanjump
kz_tropiclimb_b01
vee_phgi_headquarters
cg_d2block_ez
dr0_cliffside
dr0_surfari
clintmo_dday

Advanced

Level 7:

ex_deathdrop
kzcn_mahjong
kzno_xtremeblock
kzsca_bastion
kzsk_communityblock
kz_abstract_plane
kz_adv_underground
kz_bridge
kz_cellblock_hard
kz_christmas
kz_cruiser
kz_cxg_sequoia
kz_dirtblock_hard
kz_ea_caveclimb_h
kz_emblem
kz_faw_cathedral_h
kz_dm_dedication911_e
kz_excavation
kz_exn_jungle
kz_giantbean_b15
kz_highblock_xp
kz_j2s_summercliff_h
kz_junglezone
kz_kzdk_bridge2
kz_kzdk_junglezone2
kz_kzdk_kosovo
kz_kzdk_megablock
kz_kzsk_forsaken
kz_kzfr_alexandrie
kz_kzfr_escape
kz_kzfr_ShAktIblock
kz_kzfr_statueofliberty
kz_kzfr_tibet
kz_kzro_alienruins
kz_kzro_deathtales
kz_kzsca_ancientblock
kz_kzsca_fjellheimen
kz_kzus_secretbase
kz_lighthouse
kz_mages_courtyardez
kz_man_beanstalk_b02
kz_man_bighardclimb
kz_man_chessclimb
kz_man_climbers
kz_man_climbersxp
kz_man_dreaming
kz_man_forest
kznl_factory
kz_sideways
kz_winterdust
kz_world
kz_wsp_1337block
kz_xj_mounthard
kz_xj_rockblock
risk_lego_firehouse
rr_dangerblock

Level 8:

bkz_aztecblock
bkm_problock
cg_gridblock
fmc_torres
j2s_autumn
kz_aggressive
kz_bkz_rockblock
kz_brickfacility
kz_dm_dedication911_h
kz_ea_beneath_h
kz_kzfr_darktree
kz_kzfr_duke
kz_kzfr_haunted
kz_kzfr_mariocastle
kz_kzfr_militarycamp
kz_kzlt_dementia
kz_kzsca_mineblock
kz_mages_courtyard
kz_mathland
kz_sandblock
kz_tropiclimb_xp
kz_xj_brickjump
kz_xj_caseblock_h
kz_xj_communityblock
mto_desolate_h
prochallenge_precision

Level 9:

risk_xtrm_weaponsfactory
cg_d2block_h
kkz_texture
kzm_fineblock
kzro_dahnajourney
kzsca_broken
kzsca_crazyblock
kz_cg_extreme
kz_dimblock
kz_sandblock2

Death

Level 10

kzua_zp_godroom_h
qsk_azure
kz_dare
kz_synergy_x
kz_synery_x2

Level ??? (WTF)

fu_extreme

edit: Updated! 02/19/2013. I first created this thread almost two years ago - wow how time flies!

Remember: There is no doubt I've made an error somewhere, which is what this thread is for! Please correct me if I'm wrong somewhere (but provide good reasoning).

abstract_plane is far from being an extreme map

You have got some names wrong.
Most of the maps are not in the right category.
Actually I don't see the point of this list (good job for effort though), as maps have their difficulty written at downloads page.

imo, is impossible to create a thread where its base is the subjectivity..

Originally posted by Pieshels

Actually I don't see the point of this list (good job for effort though)

Originally posted by pLaguE^

abstract_plane is far from being an extreme map

Originally posted by fizik

I guess it's alot about personal preference,because for me kkz_texture is rather a medium-hard map and wanderer is surely not an extreme map...but keep it up!

u deserve a big bang.... i mean, big ban, 5ple poster!!

its not subjetive at all to say if goldbhop is easy or hard, if dimblock is easy or hard, but if u are cataloging every map in easy, average, hard, or extreme, then subjetivity appears 100%.. thats why xj sometimes describes the maps like this: "easy-average", or "hard-extreme", cuz its possible that for almost every single user, that description is true.. but if u are making differences between easy and average maps, or hard with extreme maps, then its subjetive... im sure every map i consider "extreme", is "hard" for players that use to play those kind of maps, like kkz, deus, akkord, adantoud, zhady, etc, so your list is kinda useless

Originally posted by kyser

u deserve a big bang.... i mean, big ban, 5ple poster!!

Originally posted by kyser

so your list is kinda useless

Originally posted by CaBeZa

mineblock_ez, darkness, gridblock, risk factory,5trees,dusttemple, etc are easy/average

Very Hard:
kz_mathland
kz_kzlt_dementia.

Extreme:
kzno_xtremeblock.

Hmmmm.

Also: nice idea, but need fix some maps. cuz rating not actually today.

Good job! This list helped me discover dahnajourney. But I wouldnt call sandblock, dimblock, broken, cg_extreme, cruiser or extremeblock extreme maps..Any way I guess the map difficulty depends on the player playing it