- 7 weeks ago
From poison swamps to punishing platforming, we're counting down the levels that made us rage! Join us as we explore the most infuriating video game stages ever designed. Whether it's due to ridiculous difficulty spikes, unfair mechanics, or just plain poor design, these levels pushed players to their breaking point.
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00:00Welcome to WatchMojo and today we're counting down our picks for the most
00:09frustrating levels in video game history, whether it's due to huge difficulty
00:13spikes, annoying design, or both. However, we're only including one level per
00:17franchise and we aren't including any levels that only consist of a boss fight.
00:30Number 50, Chemical Chaos, Spider-Man, I need to get me new shoes.
00:40Stealth missions have come a long way in games, but there was a time where they
00:45ground the momentum to a screeching halt. In the game adaptation of Spidey's first
00:49live-action film, the hero will eventually need to sneak around Oscorp Labs. This is
00:53made frequently annoying by the multitude of cameras and lasers which will cause
00:57alarms to blare should they spot you. There are also guards and robot spiders
01:01patrolling every hallway, which will fill Spider-Man with bullets in mere moments.
01:05Worse, if you die or mess up the mission, you have to start from the beginning,
01:09trapping you in this nightmare of a level.
01:17Number 49, Temple of Styx, Hades.
01:27Hades features its fair share of annoying enemies, but it can be satisfying to grow
01:32stronger and overpower them in subsequent runs. However, nothing will ever ease the
01:37frustration of poison which several enemies in the Temple of Styx can dish out.
01:41While the gigantic rats can back you into a corner, the satyrs leap around firing poison
01:45darts. Poison darts constantly deal damage unless you cleanse yourself at a curing pool
01:50located in each room. Better do it quick though because it can drain your health alarmingly fast.
01:55You have to do so while dealing with traps and enemies, and a green tint forming on the
01:58screen that obscures your vision. Needless to say, it's easy for the panic to set in.
02:03No, no.
02:12Number 48, Proving Grounds, Bioshock.
02:15Even more annoying than the stealth missions is the escort ones, and you'll find a few
02:27of them on our list. Toward the end of Bioshock, you'll be tasked with protecting a little
02:31sister as she guides you to the final boss. Unfortunately, she also periodically stops to
02:37siphon Adam from bodies along the path, causing hordes of enemies to descend upon you. That's
02:41not to mention several turrets just waiting to add to the damage. It's understandably
02:45tense to watch the little sister's health bar empty as you try to progress. If she dies,
02:50you have to backtrack to a previous checkpoint, but she is replaced. Still, it only serves
02:55to stress you out.
02:56Better for the girls to be with you. Better with you than alone. Alone in the crawling
03:01darkness.
03:02Number 47, Galen's Escape, World of Warcraft.
03:06What can I do for you? See you later.
03:12There are plenty of tough demons and powerful encounters throughout the history of World
03:15of Warcraft. Yet, one of the most frustrating things in the game will always be escorting
03:19this idiot of an NPC. Galen can be found in the Swamp of Sorrows, imprisoned by a group
03:24of monsters wishing to eat him. After setting him free, players then had to guide him to
03:28his camp. While he asked for safety, his AI seemed to want anything but that. Galen was
03:33programmed to constantly run toward any sign of danger. It didn't matter how safe the path
03:38you were trying to walk down was. If Galen spotted enemies, he'd make sure they spotted
03:42him as well, all the while screaming for help.
03:51Number 46, Assault, Hotline Miami.
04:03In this top-down shooter, you die in one hit, which means it gets pretty tough. This reaches
04:07peak breaker control of frustration in the 13th chapter, named Assault. Players must navigate
04:12three floors of a police precinct, absolutely swarming with officers with near-perfect aim.
04:17Here, the reason the level is irritating is simple. There are just so many enemies packed
04:22into every room, that the only way you can make it out alive is through trial and error,
04:27and with supreme patience. Of course, when you die, which is bound to happen a lot, you start
04:31a floor over. That can only happen so many times before you need to take a break to lower
04:36your blood pressure.
04:43Number 45, Mr. Dark Stare, Rayman.
04:52Although the original Rayman has a cute cartoony appearance, this is one tough platformer.
04:57And while the confrontation with the villain is disappointing, the level leading to him
05:01is an absolute chore. After a slippery ride, you have to deal with a doppelganger that follows
05:06your every move. If it touches you a single time, you instantly die and have to start over.
05:10This is made harder by the level's layout, which features backtracking directly into
05:14the evil Rayman's path. Then there's the following section, with dozens of tiny platforms
05:19you're forced to navigate with inverted controls. The game was hard enough without new, obnoxious
05:23obstacles to contend with.
05:33Number 44, The Fade, Dragon Age Origins.
05:44There's a lot of elements to love in Dragon Age Origins, but The Fade isn't one of them.
05:49In this realm, players must search for the ability to turn into other forms to get past certain
05:53obstacles, which admittedly is a cool hook. The problem lies in its layout, which prioritizes
05:59an absurd amount of backtracking. Its design gets very repetitive, with secret doors even
06:03going back to places you've already been. And all the recycled enemies don't help.
06:08Plus, you lose access to certain mechanics of your class, with the ranger getting the shortest
06:12end of the stick since they can't summon animals. A skip the fade mod even became popular among
06:16PC players so they wouldn't have to deal with the tedium.
06:20I can't believe it. How did I not see this earlier?
06:24Number 43, Augusta Tower, Final Fantasy XIII-2.
06:37From one tedious section of a fantasy RPG to another, Augusta Tower from Final Fantasy XIII-2
06:41is a huge pain to navigate. It isn't just that it has way too many floors, packed with
06:46way too many enemies, although that definitely is a part of the problem. It's also a maze
06:51that you're likely to get turned around in. And for some reason, Square Enix cranked the
06:54enemy respawn rate way up. So, when you retread areas, you'll be confronted by enemies you've
06:59already defeated. It's likely you'll get trapped in a loop of fighting and wandering aimlessly.
07:04To say that it's annoying would be an understatement, and you'll probably be driven mad from boredom.
07:08Number 42, The Pagoda Realm, Black Myth Wukong.
07:15This area from Black Myth Wukong comes with a timed curse. Every three minutes, you'll hear strange chanting that lasts for a minute and a half.
07:23When this happens, your total health automatically lowers to half its total. While it is given back to you during the break, it's understandably frustrating trying to survive with less health, especially since new, powerful enemies appear during the chanting period.
07:30There's also the fact that both you and all enemies receive a damage buff, so we hope you're as comfortable as possible in combat.
07:37It's not as if this is a small area, either. You've got a lot ofotments like a really bad thing.
07:44You've got Fugling.
07:47enemies appear during the chanting period. There's also the fact that both you
07:51and all enemies receive a damage buff, so we hope you're as comfortable as
07:54possible in combat.
08:04It's not as if this is a small area either. You've got a lot of navigating
08:08and likely more than a few deaths until you can finally be free.
08:12Number 41. Mile High Club Call of Duty 4 Modern Warfare
08:17For some, the Mile High Club is an incredible challenge to test
08:27yourself against, but for most it'll only make you see red. In this bonus mission
08:31you must battle your way through an airplane full of enemies in search of a
08:34hostage. The time you have to accomplish this depends on the difficulty you choose.
08:38You have three minutes on recruit, two on regular, a minute and 45 seconds on
08:42hardened, and one minute on veteran. Although it's a pretty sizable plane, beating
08:46this on recruit isn't too bad. But everything else, good luck. The mission on
08:50veteran is now infamous among players due to the pain and countless failures they
08:55endured.
08:57This secret level is the most irritating level in an already tough game. Here, players navigate
09:18obstacles and enemies as five different animal companions. While Rambi the Rhino and Angar the
09:22Swordfish don't have it too rough, Squidder the Spider gets a huge difficulty spike. You
09:27must make your own platforms, avoiding spikes and wasps in precarious locations.
09:31Squawks the Parrot has it the worst. Flying through a path surrounded by thorn vines and
09:36filled with enemies, with the ever-changing wind trying to blow you into certain doom,
09:40will forever be rage-inducing. Finally, Ratley the Rattlesnake must hop through spikes
09:45and enemies. And God help you should your timing be off. Needless to say, Animal Antics was
09:50a prime stage to get stuck on.
10:00Number 39. Rug Ride
10:02Disney's Aladdin
10:10The Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis adaptations of Aladdin were made by different studios.
10:14But both versions feature a section where you escape the Cave of Wonders on the magic carpet.
10:19And both were incredibly annoying, famous for racking up player deaths and earning these
10:23games a reputation. In the SNES version, you're chased by waves of magma while boulders
10:27fall from above. The waves force you all the way to the right, giving you little room to
10:32maneuver in. Sega's version moves at lightning speed, having you dodge upcoming rocks. While
10:36you're given hints at where they'll be, they eventually come out so fast that you've
10:40got almost no time to react. Truly, we don't know which version is worse.
10:44Number 38. Level 5. Castlevania
10:54We're not saying anything new by calling the original Castlevania hard, but good lord level
11:075 is a different breed of difficult, and something that not even the rest of the game could prepare
11:12you for. It doesn't help that enemies get a damage boost at this point, but they also
11:16each have their own annoying qualities. White skeletons toss multiple bones at you from above,
11:21and red ones get back up just a moment after you put them down. The final stretch features
11:25Medusa heads flying at you from both sides, in a pathline that makes them difficult to
11:29both hit and dodge. When you finally make it through this onslaught, you're confronted
11:33by death, one of the hardest bosses in the game.
11:40Number 37. Cathedral of the Sacred Blood Code Vein
11:43Code Vein is a Souls-like, meaning it gets pretty hard. But the Cathedral of Blood is the just-plain-un-fun
11:47kind of hard. To start, the area's layout is labyrinthine, causing you to wander around lost and confused. That may not have been such an issue if the design wasn't so repetitive, but most sections look exactly the same. This is definitely its biggest sin.
11:54But then there are the enemies to consider, some of which can teleport to catch you off guard. So annoying enemies, surrounded by a dull design and inside a layout that forces you to get lost? Yeah, it's no wonder much more.
12:01It's not a scary. It's a scary, but it's a scary, scary, scary. But the cathedral of blood is the just-plain-un-fun kind of hard.
12:10To start, the area's layout is labyrinthine, causing you to wander around lost and confused. That may not have been such an issue if the design wasn't so repetitive, but most sections look exactly the same. This is definitely its biggest sin.
12:17But then there are the enemies to consider, some of which can teleport to catch you off guard. So annoying enemies, surrounded by a dull design, and inside a layout that forces you to get lost? Yeah, it's no wonder much better.
12:24most players found the cathedral so maddening.
12:35Number 36 Water Slums
12:37Jak 2
12:46There was a major difficulty spike between the first Jak and Daxter and its sequel.
12:50There are a lot of levels and missions that frustrated players, but for us, the peak was
12:54having to escape the water slums after falling into a trap.
12:57There is an absurd amount of firepower you have to avoid should you wish to make it out
13:00alive.
13:01Unless you're constantly moving, you're going to get shot.
13:04While there are multiple methods and strategies, they each have drawbacks.
13:07And it's such an overwhelming force of enemies that most people are bound to slip up.
13:11Even worse, once you die, you start the whole thing over.
13:14But you don't get your ammo back, likely making your next attempt even harder.
13:24Number 35 Atlantica Kingdom Hearts
13:37Atlantica is often considered one of the worst worlds in the Kingdom Hearts series, and for
13:40good reason.
13:41In the first game, it has a confusing map that's pulled even further into the depths by horrendous
13:45swimming controls.
13:46Add on to the fact that your combat tactics are reduced due to being underwater, and there
13:50really isn't a single fun thing about it.
13:52Things could have improved in Kingdom Hearts 2.
13:54Instead, it was stripped down to be a series of singing mini-games and a rehash of the
13:59story in The Little Mermaid, making it a different type of frustrating.
14:02In a series known for letting us play through our favorite Disney adventures, Atlantica stands
14:06out as a definite low.
14:08I had all that time and I didn't work on my swimming.
14:13Number 34 Stage 7 Super Ghouls and Ghosts
14:16What a shock!
14:24A series known for its high difficulty can be frustrating, but really, Stage 7 of Super
14:29Ghouls and Ghosts must be experienced to be believed.
14:32Most of it is a vertical climb, with enemies placed in just the right spots for them to
14:35be in your way and able to easily hit you.
14:38And you only get two hits before you lose a life.
14:41Of course, it ends with a pretty tough boss fight as well, and the whole time limit doesn't
14:45exactly help you keep your cool.
14:46Neither does the fact that this series has a tendency to make you beat a game twice before
14:50facing the final boss, a disheartening fact you learn after completing this level.
14:55Number 33 King Stage 2 Mega Man and Base
15:16Another infuriating creation from Capcom, Mega Man and Base puts your action platforming
15:20skills to the test.
15:21Towards the end of the game, you venture into the Castle of King, the primary villain.
15:25While the first stage is hard, the second is on a whole other level.
15:29First, the sections with regular enemies pack them into tight spaces, making it easy to take
15:33damage from them.
15:34Hopefully, they don't hurt you too much because there are also four, yes, FOUR boss fights
15:39on this level.
15:40And since this stage is at the climax, they're naturally pretty tough.
15:44Making it through this level takes a lot of skill, not to mention patience and acceptance
15:48of death.
15:51Number 32 Escorting Emma Metal Gear Solid 2 Sons of Liberty
16:00By far one of the most annoying escort missions in any video game and one of the worst parts
16:17of Metal Gear Solid 2 is the moment where players are made to escort Emma.
16:20There are a lot of things working against you having fun.
16:23The level is partially submerged in water, and you have to carry Emma on your back since
16:27she can't swim.
16:28You also have to hold her hand and walk slowly in other sections, yet she'll still freak
16:32out at the smallest hint of danger or just some bugs.
16:35Unsurprisingly, her life in oxygen bars are much shorter than yours.
16:39But the real kicker is that after making it through this incredibly tedious section, she ends up
16:43getting killed moments later.
16:45Number 31 Death Star Escape Super Star Wars Return of the Jedi
17:05Props to you if you even made it far enough into this game to experience the final level.
17:09Return of the Jedi on Super Nintendo is an infamously challenging game, just like its predecessors.
17:14But they really save the most aggravating level for last.
17:17After defeating the Emperor, you have to fly the Millennium Falcon out of the Death Star.
17:21Through a first person view, you must narrowly avoid running into the sides of the tunnel.
17:25This is a lot harder than you might think, since it's near impossible to tell where your hitbox
17:29begins since you can't actually see the ship.
17:32The sequence is also surprisingly long, making it so you crash and burn over and over again.
17:46Number 30 Path of Hades God of War
17:55At a certain point in Kratos' first adventure, he'll be sent to the Underworld.
18:03And his only means of escape is through an agonizing platforming section.
18:07In between groups of enemies, players must jump between tiny platforms and walk precariously
18:11across spinning cylinders with giant blades sticking out of them.
18:15With one misstep, or brush against the blade, Kratos falls to his death, which is going to happen a lot.
18:21Throwing in an obstacle course like this, with little to no platforming in previous levels,
18:25annoyed a lot of players.
18:27The very worst part comes at the end, where you make a long climb up one of those rotating
18:31blade cylinders.
18:32Getting knocked down to the bottom is enough to make you rage.
18:43Number 29 Fair Play Mafia
18:46When Hangar 13 chose to remake Mafia, director Alex Cox stated one of the most prominent
18:58questions from players was whether they fixed this mission.
19:01That alone should tell you how infamous it has grown over the years.
19:04The problem comes at the end of the mission, where you must win a race.
19:07Something about the physics and handling of the 1930s cars just doesn't mesh well.
19:12And the sharp turns only add to the supreme annoyance in anyone trying to come out on top.
19:17It seems so simple, right?
19:18We've all played racing games before.
19:20Well, this isn't that.
19:22And every loading screen after every fail just let us stew in our anger.
19:32Number 28 Parking Garage Tutorial
19:34Driver
19:41Tutorials are a necessary feature for games to teach the player the basics.
19:45Some may be boring, but they're usually helpful.
19:47That is, except for the case of Driver.
19:50Before you get into the story about an undercover cop in a criminal organization,
19:53you have to pass a test to prove you can be a getaway driver.
19:56Said test takes place in a parking garage where you must perform a series of maneuvers
20:00in an extremely short time frame.
20:02Some are simple, while others are complex.
20:05Unless you're a fan of skiing, you probably won't know what a slalom is.
20:08Plus, if you damage the other cars around you too much, you have to start over.
20:12Number 27 A Cold Day in Hell
20:17Max Payne
20:18In theory, confronting your severely damaged protagonist with haunting dream sequences of his family's demise is a fantastic idea.
20:33In execution, though, it's a test in patience.
20:36Max finds himself in a nightmare where he must relive some of his troubled past,
20:40and the developer seemingly wanted to make it just as hard on us.
20:43At a certain point, we'll have to navigate a maze in a pitch black room
20:47with only a thin red line as your path.
20:50It's very easy to get turned around in here or fall off the side and have to start over.
20:54Oh, and there's a baby crying the entire time, which doesn't exactly help you focus.
20:59No, no, please God, no!
21:03Number 26 The Underwater Base
21:06Earthworm Jim
21:10Time limits are natural stress causers in any video game.
21:16This level in Earthworm Jim gets frustrating when players climb into a small submarine to navigate narrow paths.
21:21There are two things that make this a pain.
21:23One is that Jim has 30 seconds of oxygen and must stop to refill at specific spots.
21:28Another is that running into walls causes the glass to crack, putting you at further risk of death.
21:33The second section is worse.
21:35While you start with 100 seconds of air, the path is significantly longer with a hidden refill station that's easy to miss.
21:41As the time ticks down and the sub cracks at every collision, it's hard not to tense up.
21:46Number 25
21:55Mugged
21:56Conker's Bad Fur Day
22:01When it comes to Conker's Bad Fur Day, most of us are quick to praise it for its over-the-top humor and violence.
22:09What can be frustrating, however, is how it switches gameplay styles or mechanics for individual sections.
22:14During the prehistoric level, Conker will be mugged by a group of cavemen.
22:18In order to reclaim his hard-earned cash, you'll have to chase after them on a hoverboard.
22:22This race can be infuriating, primarily because you have to hit each individual racer to get some money back.
22:28There's also a dinosaur crossing the track that's easy to run into.
22:31And on top of them being fast, knocking out a couple of racers causes the track to change.
22:36Get ready to crash a lot.
22:39Number 24
22:47Path of Pain
22:48Hollow Knight
22:57Pretty accurate name, that one.
22:58In general, Hollow Knight is a challenging game.
23:00But the Path of Pain will make you miss the rest of it.
23:03Added in the Grim Troop DLC, the level can be found in the White Palace, itself famous among players for its difficulty.
23:09It requires the most precise platforming you can muster.
23:12There are a ton of spinning blades, and most walls and floors are covered in prickly vines.
23:16You'll also have to dash through several tricky spots and bounce off enemies and spikes using your weapon.
23:21Simply put, there is no way to make it through this without a lot of trial, error, and anger.
23:26Number 23
23:34The Alchemist
23:35Spyro 2 Ripto's Rage
23:45Ask any player their least favorite type of level, and there's a good chance Escort Mission will be their answer.
23:50Spyro 2 may be a wonderful sequel, but it still features one of gaming's most enraging Escort Missions.
23:55In Fracture Hills, Hunter will ask Spyro to bring him the Alchemist who accidentally encased his feet in stone.
24:01Said Alchemist actually isn't far away, yet he takes the longest possible path, and one that's full of enemies.
24:07He'll run straight for them too, instead of just letting you handle them until the coast is clear.
24:11It only takes a single hit before you have to start over, easily making it the worst part of the game.
24:16Number 22
24:24The Impossible Lair
24:26Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair
24:28It may not be as famous as other levels on our list, but trust us that it deserves its inclusion.
24:40The plot of this platformer has you freeing members of the B-Tallion in every level, each of which give you an extra hit point for use in the Impossible Lair, available to take on whenever you want.
24:50We know the name should tip us off, but the difficulty spike here is so far beyond anything the rest of the game prepares you for.
24:57Even with every single B, there are no checkpoints, and it goes on for an absurdly long time.
25:02Plus, a lot of the traps require perfect timing that you have to wait for, adding tedium to an already maddening level.
25:08Number 21
25:16Wrong Side of the Tracks
25:17Grand Theft Auto San Andreas
25:19What's really up?
25:20Ain't thinking of taking a little ride.
25:223D mentioned a little something that might put us deeper in the game.
25:25Alright, I'm down.
25:27All we had to do was follow the train, but sometimes things aren't so easy, Big Smoke.
25:32In this mission, CJ must chase after a train in which a group of Vagos gang members are riding on top of.
25:37Unfortunately, you have to do it on a dirt bike and rely on Big Smoke's aim to take them out.
25:42You have to balance your distance from their train cars so that smoke can actually hit them, made harder by later turns and obstacles like cars and other trains.
25:50If you fail, which many of us did frequently, the mission isn't reloaded.
25:54Unless you had the foresight to save right beforehand, you have to backtrack all the way across town in order to try again.
26:01All we had to do was follow the damn train, CJ!
26:07Number 20
26:08The Guy
26:09Super Meat Boy
26:10There are understandably a lot of rage-inducing levels in Super Meat Boy.
26:25That's kind of the point.
26:26However, the one that will make you feel more anger than most is a hidden level in Chapter 5.
26:31Inspired by the near-impossible freeware game I Wanna Be The Guy, these spike-filled sections are sure to up your blood pressure.
26:38They seem so simple to look at, but actually playing through them is a nightmare.
26:42If one of your jumps is even a hair off in its precision, you'll go careening straight into a spike and have to start that part of the level over.
26:49The third section is obviously the toughest.
26:51Those high-speed spike walls are brutal.
27:02Number 19
27:03Blighttown
27:04Dark Souls
27:10Along with most of FromSoftware's catalog, there are a lot of sections in Dark Souls that are going to cause frustration.
27:15The one that scarred players the most was Blighttown, a gigantic, poisonous swamp.
27:19The upper area can be confusing with its multitude of moving bridges easily turning you around.
27:24The actual swamp, lower down, on the other hand, is even worse.
27:28There are plenty of tough enemies prowling around, many of which will inflict poison damage and some of which will be able to do so from afar.
27:35Traversing this hellhole eventually leads you to Quelaag's Domain, where you'll have to fight the titular witch.
27:41Just like every other enemy in this game, that isn't exactly easy.
27:54Number 18
27:55Labyrinth Zone
27:56Sonic the Hedgehog
28:03Water levels are usually some of the most notoriously frustrating stages developers can include in their games.
28:08Sonic can't swim, so his immense speed doesn't help him when it comes to the Labyrinth Zone, the fourth level in the game.
28:14Even if you're managing things, you won't be able to escape the infamous drowning theme, which originated here and can cause stress in even the surest of players.
28:22Combined with traps and enemies, the slowed movement and panic-inducing music will ensure Sonic's watery grave at least a few times.
28:28The level's third act is naturally the hardest.
28:31On top of worrying about drowning, the game throws seemingly endless spikes and exploding enemies at you.
28:36Number 17
28:46Waterfall
28:47Contra
28:48This classic action platformer epitomized the phrase Nintendo hard by flooding your screen with enemies and giving you a single hit health bar.
28:58It likely caused many players to memorize the Konami code to start with 30 lives rather than 3.
29:05However, that probably still didn't help much when it came to the third level.
29:09As the only stage in the game that scrolls vertically, you have to ascend through the hail of gunfire.
29:13The layout certainly takes some getting used to, but it's far harder in co-op.
29:17If one player moves up too quickly, it will cause the screen to move and kill the other.
29:21It makes you communicate about movement, but that's a lot easier without a horde of enemies trying to murder you.
29:33Number 16
29:34The Library
29:35Combat Evolved
29:40Of all the enemies in Halo, the Flood still terrifies us.
29:43But being trapped in a restrictive library while they're swarming all over the place will do that to you.
29:48During the campaign's seventh mission, Master Chief is confronted by the aptly named Parasites on a near constant basis.
29:53What makes the levels so frustrating is how quickly they move and how slowly you're forced to progress.
29:58You'll be following 343 Guilty Spark around, who isn't exactly nimble and who must pause to slowly override locked doors.
30:05And at every one of them, players will have to unload all their weapons just to keep the Flood at bay.
30:10The ones with rocket launchers are a particular pain.
30:13Number 15
30:21The Snowstorm
30:22Resident Evil 6
30:24Huh?
30:25Come on, Supergirl.
30:27Let's get looking.
30:28There are a lot of frustrating things about Resident Evil 6.
30:31But in terms of gameplay, Chapter 2 in the story of new protagonist Jake Muller takes the cake.
30:36It sees him and ally Sherry beset by several types of enemies at once.
30:40But what makes it unbearably difficult is the fact that it all takes place in the middle of a blizzard.
30:44Good luck trying to line up your shots with the constant snowfall covering the screen.
30:48The enemies themselves are of course more annoying because of this.
30:51Some of them are quick moving fliers while others take pot shots with sniper rifles and the snow doesn't seem to hinder their sight.
30:58It's all an annoying mess.
31:08Number 14
31:09The High Road
31:10Crash Bandicoot
31:19One of the hardest 3D platforming stages in existence, The High Road from Crash Bandicoot can make you want to snap a controller in two.
31:25The late game level features all of the worst types of platforms.
31:29Narrow ones with little space to stand, ones that break after just a moment of standing on them, and ones made of ice to send you sliding over the edge.
31:36Some of its jumps are excruciating as well, requiring Crash to hop onto a turtle to gain enough momentum.
31:42It was made even more frustrating in the remake since while physics and controls were updated, stage layout wasn't.
31:48There's no room for error, and The High Road eats more lives than any other in the game.
31:55Number 13
32:02Welcome to the Machine
32:04Echo the Dolphin
32:06One might expect a game where you play as a dolphin to be pleasant.
32:14But that is definitely not the case with Echo.
32:17Players must combat an invasive alien race throughout the game, culminating when Echo visits their home planet.
32:22Welcome to the Machine is an auto-scroller with an abundance of paths, giving it a maze-like quality as well as a plethora of ways to kill you.
32:29Unless you're able to memorize exact routes, Echo is going to get crushed.
32:33If he's not, it'll be the drones that dive in from off-screen that'll do you in.
32:37All of this is plenty awful, but it's compounded by the fact that there are no checkpoints.
32:41Number 12
32:48Can't Wait to be King
32:50The Lion King
32:56Even if you haven't played this tie-in, there's a good chance you've heard about its ridiculously high difficulty for a children's game.
33:02The second level, which recreates the I-just-can't-wait-to-be-king sequence, is far less enjoyable to play through than it is to watch.
33:08Simba uses a variety of animals to get through different platforming sections.
33:12Riding an ostrich and jumping over quick-coming hazards is certainly tricky.
33:16However, the most irksome section deals with monkeys that toss Simba between them.
33:20You can roar to make pink monkeys change their direction.
33:23But with most hidden off-screen, there's still no telling where you'll end up without a lot of trial and error.
33:29It takes the utmost patience to make it through.
33:36Number 11
33:37The Great Maze
33:38Super Smash Bros. Brawl
33:46Super Smash Bros. Brawl is often considered one of the weaker entries.
33:49Something it has above all others, though, is the Subspace Emissary, a grand story mode that brings in all characters.
33:55However, right before you reach the final boss, you're hit with a level that is both boring and frustrating.
34:01Not only does The Great Maze recycle all of the level environments you've already played through, but also many of the boss and mini boss fights.
34:08The layout is exceptionally annoying since you'll often reach a dead end and have to work your way back.
34:13It's meant to act as a penultimate challenge, but all it manages to do is suck out all the fun the story mode had managed to build up.
34:25Number 10
34:26Elfiel
34:27Brace of the Hallig Tree
34:28Elden Ring
34:29It's good to see that From Software has never lost its edge amidst the pleas for an easy mode.
34:39But that doesn't mean we can't get frustrated when its games pummel us into the ground.
34:43As an optional dungeon found during the endgame, Elfiel is reserved for the most hardy of players.
34:48It's a massive castle with plenty of branching paths, so there's a lot to uncover here.
34:52Unfortunately, exploring means encountering the toughest enemies the game has to offer.
34:57Given the studio's reputation, that's saying a lot.
35:00It's an onslaught of damage that you'll likely be unprepared for, no matter what.
35:04It ends with a fight against Melania, who quickly became known as the most grueling boss in the game.
35:13Number 9
35:14The Great Palace
35:15Zelda 2 The Adventure of Link
35:17The second Zelda game is probably the hardest in the whole series.
35:27So, it shouldn't come as a surprise to learn that its final level is a doozy.
35:31The Great Palace has a lot of factors that can cause irritation.
35:34There are a literal ton of enemies, most of which are excessively powerful, some of which shoot fireballs from afar and others that are so intimidating they only show up here.
35:43Add on an absurd amount of floors to backtrack through and plenty of traps to fall into, and navigating this gauntlet is sure to make you suffer.
35:50That's not to mention the two bosses instead of one, the Thunderbird and Dark Link, both of which are naturally pretty tough.
35:57Number 8
36:04Stage 6-2
36:06Ninja Gaiden
36:11Ninja Gaiden shows players how deadly the life of a ninja can be, especially in this infamous level.
36:16The objective here is as simple as it is in all the rest. Reach the end without dying too much.
36:21What makes this near impossible, however, is the onslaught of enemies.
36:25Some of them are placed in cheap locations, while others dive-bomb you from the side of the screen.
36:30And since any step in either direction, no matter how slight, causes those off-screen enemies to respawn, you'll have your work cut out for you.
36:37It's also a pretty lengthy stage.
36:39Considering each level has a time limit, there will be no moments of peace here.
36:43Number 7
36:50Aztec
36:51GoldenEye 007
36:52We all have fond memories of pouring hours into GoldenEye, whether it be the iconic multiplayer or the campaign recreated from the movie.
37:02But none of our fond memories are of this place.
37:05The Aztec level is unlocked after completing the story on normal difficulty.
37:09And it is much harder than the game will have prepared you for.
37:12Every enemy, including the powerful Jaws, will have high-powered weapons on top of improved accuracy and reaction time.
37:18Which is to say they're going to hit you and it is going to hurt.
37:21If you die, sorry, when you die, you'll be forced to start the level over.
37:26This is where your skills as an agent are really put to the test.
37:33Number 6
37:34The Meat Circus
37:35Psychonauts
37:36How did you get in my happy meadow?
37:39Nobody's supposed to know about it.
37:41You know things are bad when later releases have to fix a level's difficulty.
37:45Psychonauts tasks players with platforming through the mind of its various zany characters.
37:50The final level, Meat Circus, is the product of two psyches brought together.
37:54However, it also brings elements that are exceedingly maddening.
37:57One section has you escort a character with little health, while others are comprised of unforgiving platforming.
38:02You have little lives, very few checkpoints, and some of your objectives are simply unclear.
38:07It has a reputation for its massive spike in difficulty, making it an unbalanced nightmare in an otherwise extremely enjoyable game.
38:14We're grateful it was scaled back so that future players could actually end on a positive note.
38:20Number 5
38:25Farewell
38:30Even some of the most beautiful, emotionally fulfilling games can have levels that make you want to rip your hair out.
38:39Celeste is one of those games.
38:41Following its release, the developers issued a free DLC titled Farewell.
38:45To say that it made every other level look like a cakewalk would be an understatement, which is saying a lot considering how tough the majority of the game is.
38:52Farewell was designed with the hardcore in mind.
38:55It's incredibly long and some areas are mostly hazards with a small safe path and no spots to rest.
39:00It also enforces techniques you'd really only need beforehand if you were speedrunning.
39:05The temptation to turn on any of its assist modes will be strong.
39:09Number 4
39:16Through the Fire and Flames
39:18Guitar Hero 3 Legends of Rock
39:20You may scoff to find the Guitar Hero track so high.
39:28But that must mean you've never tried to make it through Dragon Forces Through the Fire and the Flames.
39:33One of the most shreddiest metal songs in existence, this track will have your fingers stumbling over the keys even on the lowest difficulty.
39:40You won't even have time to register what's happening before you're at least a dozen notes behind.
39:44And at that point, you may as well just start over.
39:47That was the pain many of us faced when attempting to conquer this track.
39:50Only those who practiced over and over could perfect the timing.
39:53With songs like this, Legends of Rock was a suitable name.
40:05Number 3
40:06The Dam
40:07Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
40:12In the late 80s, the Ninja Turtles were everywhere.
40:15Kids may have been excited to get an NES game with the heroes in a half shell, but that excitement turned sour almost immediately
40:21with one of the most famously unfair levels in gaming history.
40:24This underwater section has you defuse 8 bombs as one of the Turtles.
40:28The swimming controls are pretty poor, but that's not the worst part.
40:31There's also electric seaweed surrounding pretty much everything, leaving you little room for error.
40:36Still, maybe players could have done this slowly if not for the time limit of 2 minutes and 20 seconds.
40:41It basically forces you to act quickly, ensuring you'll get killed in the process.
40:45Number 2
40:49The Perfect Run
40:50Super Mario Galaxy 2
40:52Super Mario Galaxy 2's Grand Master Galaxy is a gauntlet bringing together many of the mechanics, enemies, and platforming elements seen across the game.
41:05It's the final level you unlock, and so it naturally poses a pretty big challenge.
41:10But after you've beaten it, then you have the option to do it again.
41:13Only this time, you die in one hit and there are no checkpoints.
41:17With so many different ways to die here, it's probable you'll experience all of them during the perfect run.
41:22It'll take everything in you not to snap your Wiimote in half once you reach the double digits.
41:27Anyone can play Mario, but only the strongest can reach this level's end.
41:31Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel and ring the bell to get notified about our latest videos.
41:40You have the option to be notified for occasional videos or all of them.
41:44If you're on your phone, make sure to go into your settings and switch on notifications.
41:49Number 1
41:51Turbo Tunnel
41:52Battletoads
41:57Battletoads is one of the most challenging, frustrating games ever created.
42:00It's even harder in co-op since there's no way to turn off friendly fire.
42:04It reaches peak difficulty, and as a result iconism, during the Turbo Tunnel level.
42:08Following some standard beat-em-up gameplay, you'll be forced to make it the rest of the way on bike.
42:13The bike speed is so immense, you'll barely have time to think before you crash into one of the many, many walls.
42:19But that's only the first section.
42:21As it goes on, you'll also need to hit ramps and dodge holes and other hazards, all of which come at you with lightning-fast speed.
42:28This level will likely remain in infamy for all time.
42:37Did we leave off a level that infuriated you? Share your painful memories with us in the comments.
42:42THANKS
43:00THANKS
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