Plague Inc Difficulties Explained

Updated: 12 Jun 2020 7:49 pm
Plague Inc Difficulties
Plague Inc. has difficulties for every gamer no matter their skill!
MLee277's picture BY: Megan Lee


Whether you're a noob or a pro, Plague Inc. has a difficulty perfect for you.

Plague Inc. offers a few different difficulties so that players who have passed one level can continue challenging themselves. The difficulties are casual, normal, brutal, and mega brutal. Although there may only be four tiers, each tier is unique, and this guide will explain how.

1. Casual

Casual imageCasual is the first difficutly you must defeat in order to prove your worth.

Casual is the first difficulty you must pass in order to advance. Although beating Casual won’t let you move on to the next plague, it will allow you to unlock genes that can be used in future plays

How Casual Works:

  • People don’t wash hands
  • Doctors are slackers
  • Sick people give hugs

Casual Details:

  • Can be replayed to unlock different genes
  • Easiest difficulty
  • Finishes relatively quickly

2. Normal

Normal imageNormal is a great level for players looking for a light challenge.

After you have proved your worth and beat Casual into the dust, then the next difficulty that awaits is Normal. To unlock a plague you must first beat the previous one on Normal.

How Normal Works:

  • About ⅔ of people wash their wands
  • Doctors work 3 days per week
  • The sick are ignored

Normal Details:

  • Must be beaten to unlock next plague
  • Standard difficulty
  • Decently challenging

3. Brutal

Brutal imageSometimes to win Brutal you'll need a little bit of luck.

Before Mega Brutal came along to take the title, brutal was the hardest difficulty of Plague Inc. Don’t underestimate Brutal though, for it is still a challenge even for experienced gamers.

How Brutal Works:

  • People wash their hands compulsively
  • Doctors work 24/7
  • Sick people are imprisoned

Brutal Details:

  • If you beat all standard plagues on brutal you can unlock a special plague
  • Beating a plague on brutal will also unlock the next standard plague (if it hasn’t been unlocked already)
  • Extremely difficult 

4. Mega Brutal

Mega Brutal imageEven pros have to play Mega Brutal levels multiple times in order to win.

Mega Brutal is the most challenging of them all and is the cause of many a strategy guide made by expert Plague Inc. strategists to help out their fellow gamer. Plague Inc. goes as far as to describe Mega Brutal as, “For players who thought Brutal was Casual.”

How Mega Brutal Works:

  • Evolution impacted by genetic drift (the more who are infected, the more symptoms cost)
  • Doctors invest in research
  • Citizens receive random medical checks 
  • Plague is automatically discovered once a country has been completely infected

Mega Brutal Details:

  • Diseases can be discovered even if they have no symptoms
  • Cure progress is extremely fast
  • The hardest difficulty

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Megan Lee
Megan is a cave dweller always on the hunt for tasty morsels whether they be morsels of food or information. Her years of lurking have honed her skills as an experienced binge wat
Gamer Since: 2010
Favorite Genre: RTS
Currently Playing: The Creeps
Top 3 Favorite Games:Rainbow Six Siege, Plague Inc: Evolved, Undertale


Image Gallery

Although it is difficult, a Mega Brutal victory is possible.Normal is the minimum difficulty you must beat in order to move on.There are some Plague Inc. pros who have not only beaten Mega Brutal, but have also earned five biohazards.There are four difficulties to choose from for every plague.Casual, Normal, and Brutal are the difficulties available to regular players.You can also play scenarios at different difficulties.In Casual and Normal, it is easier for plagues to remain hidden for longer periods of time.In order to play Mega Brutal, you must have the full version of Plague Inc.If you can pass Casual Bacteria, no matter the score, you can move onto Normal Bacteria.Special plagues can be unlocked if all the previous plagues were beaten at Brutal.

Mega Brutal

Although it is difficult, a Mega Brutal victory is possible.