How to unlock Hard Mode
- Finish Story Mode on any difficulty (Easy, Normal or Story Assist) at least once. A clean Easy clear is enough — no S-rank required.
- Return to the main menu. The Hard slot appears alongside Normal on the chapter select screen.
- Your cosmetics, memorabilia and Encore upgrades carry over. Story progress restarts at Chapter 1.
- Equip Tempo Window (Hemlock drop) for any post-Chapter 3 fight on Hard.
Looking for the full Hard Mode breakdown? See how to unlock Hard Mode & all levels.
All level / chapter / mode unlocks
| Stage / Mode | How to unlock |
|---|---|
| Chapter 1 — Arora | Unlocked at new game. |
| Chapter 2 — Hemlock | Beat Arora. |
| Chapter 3 — Dex / Prophet (non-linear) | Beat Hemlock; pick either Idol first. |
| Chapter 4 — Dancer | Clear two Ch.3 Idols. |
| Chapter 5 — Blood | Clear Dancer. |
| Chapter 6 — Strings | Clear Blood. |
| Chapter 7 — Harmony Corp Tower | Clear Strings + 8 memorabilia. |
| The Encore (final fight) | Auto-unlocks after Ch.7 completion. |
| Hard Mode (all chapters) | Finish Story Mode on any difficulty once. See section below. |
| Infinite Disco mode | Beat any Ch.3 Idol (Hemlock or Dex or Prophet). |
| Free Play mode | Clear Chapter 2. |
| My Music mode | Defeat Arora (Ch.1). |
All skill, accessory, outfit & skin unlocks
| What | How to unlock |
|---|---|
| Tempo Window (accessory) | Defeat Hemlock on any difficulty. |
| Parry+ (accessory) | Reach 50% Perfect rate in any 3 Free Play songs. |
| Special Charge | Defeat Arora. |
| Visual Beat Pulse | Settings → Accessibility (always available). |
| Auto-Combo | Settings → Accessibility (always available). |
| Crowd Sweep | Hemlock S-rank on Normal. |
| Off-Beat Bonus | Prophet S-rank on any difficulty. |
| Charlie’s drumkit outfit | Collect 12 memorabilia in The Encore. |
| Hemlock’s leather jacket | Defeat Hemlock on Hard. |
| Arora chrome accessory | Arora S-rank Infinite Disco. |
| Free Play — Custom Waves | Story Chapter 2 complete. |
| My Music | Story Chapter 1 complete (Arora defeated). |
| Infinite Disco | Story Chapter 3 complete. |
| Hard Difficulty | Any first Story clear. |
| Encore Hub upgrades | Collected memorabilia (passive). |
FAQ
How do I unlock Hard Mode in Dead as Disco?
Finish Story Mode on any difficulty (Easy, Normal or Story Assist) at least once. The Hard slot then appears on the chapter select screen. Cosmetics and Encore upgrades carry over; story progress restarts at Chapter 1. See the dedicated /how-to-unlock-hard-mode/ page for the full breakdown.
How do I unlock all levels in Dead as Disco?
Levels open chapter by chapter — Ch.1 from new game, Ch.2 after Arora, then a non-linear Dex / Prophet branch in Ch.3. Full table above. There are no hidden stages locked behind collectibles in the EA build.
How do I unlock all bosses / Idols?
Seven main Idols unlock linearly with one branch (Dex or Prophet first after Hemlock). The final Encore fight auto-unlocks after Strings + 8 memorabilia.
Will my unlocks carry forward to 1.0?
Yes. Brain Jar has confirmed cosmetics, Idol clears, accessory drops and Encore upgrades all persist into 1.0. Some accessory balance values may change.
More: how to unlock Hard Mode · cosmetics & skins · challenges & 5-star · tier list.