The only thing most players will feel when playing these levels is annoyance. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the video game levels that frustrate us beyond belief, whether through their difficulty, poor controls and design, or both. We won’t be including any levels that solely consist of a boss fight.
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00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the video game levels that
00:11frustrate us beyond belief, whether through their difficulty, board controls and design,
00:16or both.
00:17We won't be including any levels that solely consist of a boss fight.
00:28At a certain point in Kratos' first adventure, he'll be sent to the underworld, and his
00:46only means of escape is through an agonising platform section.
00:49In between groups of enemies, players must jump between tiny platforms and walk precariously
00:54along spinning cylinders with giant blades sticking out of them.
00:58With one misstep, or a brush against a blade, Kratos falls to his death, which is going
01:02to happen a lot.
01:13Throwing in an obstacle course like this, with little to no platforming in previous
01:17levels, annoyed a lot of players.
01:19The very worst part comes in at the end, where you must make a long climb up one of those
01:23rotating blade cylinders.
01:25Getting knocked down to the bottom is enough to make you rage.
01:47When Hangar 13 chose to remake Mafia, director Alex Koss stated one of the most prominent
01:52questions from players was whether they fixed this mission.
01:55That alone should tell you just how infamous it has grown over the years.
01:59The problem comes at the end of the mission, where you must win a race.
02:02Something about the physics and handling of the 1930s cars just doesn't mesh well, and
02:07the sharp turns only add to the supreme annoyance in anyone trying to come out on top.
02:18It seems so simple, right?
02:19We've all played racing games before.
02:22Well, this isn't that.
02:23And every loading screen after every fail just let us stew in our anger.
02:42Tutorials are a necessary feature for games that teach players the basics.
02:46Some may be boring, but they're usually helpful.
02:48That is, except for the case of Driver.
02:51Before you get into the story about an undercover cop in a criminal organisation, you'll have
02:55to pass a test to prove you can be a getaway driver.
02:59Said test takes place in a parking garage, where you must perform a series of manoeuvres
03:03in an extremely short time frame.
03:13Some are simple, while others are more complex.
03:15Unless you're a fan of skiing, you probably won't know what a slalom is.
03:18Plus, if you damage the other cars around you too much, you have to start over.
03:38In theory, confronting your severely damaged protagonist with haunting dream sequences
03:42of his family's demise is a fantastic idea.
03:45In execution, though, it's a test in patience.
03:48Max finds himself in a nightmare where he must relive some of his troubled past, and
03:52the developers seemingly wanted to make it just as hard on us.
04:04At a certain point, you'll have to navigate a maze in a pitch black room, with only a
04:08thin red line as your path.
04:10It is very easy to get turned around in here, or fall off the side and have to start over.
04:15Oh, and there's a baby crying the entire time, which doesn't exactly help your focus.
04:35Time limits are a natural stress causer in any video game.
04:38This level in Earthworm Jim gets frustrating when players climb into a small submarine
04:42to navigate narrow paths.
04:44There are two things that make this a pain.
04:46One is that Jim has 30 seconds of oxygen, and must stop to refill at specific spots.
04:58Another is that running into walls causes the glass to crack, putting you at further
05:02risk of death.
05:03The second section is worse.
05:05While you start with 100 seconds of air, the path is significantly longer, with a hidden
05:10refill station that's easy to miss.
05:12As the time ticks down and the sub cracks at every collision, it's hard not to tense
05:16up.
05:2525.
05:26Mugged – Conker's Bad Fur Day
05:35When it comes to Conker's Bad Fur Day, most are quick to praise it for its over-the-top
05:39humour and violence.
05:40What can be frustrating, however, is how it switches gameplay styles or mechanics for
05:44individual sections.
05:46During the prehistoric level, Conker will be mugged by a group of cavemen.
05:50In order to reclaim his hard-earned cash, they'll have to chase after them on a hoverboard.
05:54This race can be infuriating, primarily because you have to hit each individual racer to get
05:59some money back.
06:02There's also a dinosaur crossing the track that's easy to run into, and on top of them
06:10being fast, knocking out a couple of racers causes the track to change.
06:14Get ready to crash a lot.
06:2024.
06:25Path of Pain – Hollow Knight
06:35Pretty accurate name, that one.
06:37In general, Hollow Knight is a challenging game, but the Path of Pain will make you miss
06:41the rest of it.
06:42Added in the Grim Troop DLC, this level can be found in the White Palace, itself infamous
06:47among players for its difficulty.
06:56It requires the most precise platforming you can muster.
07:00There are a ton of spinning blades, and most walls and floors are covered in prickly vines.
07:05You'll also have to dash through several tricky spots, and bounce off enemies and spikes
07:08using your weapon.
07:10Simply put, there's no way to make it through this without a lot of trial, error, and anger.
07:1923.
07:23The Alchemist – Spyro 2 – Ripto's Rage
07:34Ask any player their least favourite type of level, and there's a good chance Escort
07:38Mission will be their answer.
07:40Spyro 2 may be a wonderful sequel, but it still features one of gaming's most enraging
07:44Escort Missions.
07:46In Fracture Hills, Hunter will ask Spyro to bring him the Alchemist who accidentally encased
07:50his feet in stone.
07:51Said Alchemist actually isn't that far away, yet he takes the longest possible path, and
07:56one that's filled with enemies.
08:02You run straight into them too, instead of just letting you handle them until the coast
08:06is clear.
08:07It only takes a single hit before you have to start over, easily making it the worst
08:12part of the game.
08:1722.
08:21The Impossible Lair – Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair
08:33It may not be as famous as other levels on our list, but trust us that it deserves its
08:37inclusion.
08:38The plot of this platformer has you freeing members of the Beta line in every level, each
08:42of which give you an extra hit point for use in the Impossible Lair, available to take
08:46on whenever you want.
08:54We know the name should tip us off, but the difficulty spike here is so far beyond anything
08:59the rest of the game prepares you for.
09:01Even with every single B, there are no checkpoints and it goes on for an absurdly long time.
09:06Plus, a lot of the traps require perfect timing that you have to wait for, adding tedium to
09:11an already maddening level.
09:1721.
09:21Wrong Side of the Tracks – Grand Theft Auto San Andreas
09:33All we had to do was follow the train, but sometimes things aren't so easy, Big Smoke!
09:38In this mission, CJ must chase after a train in which a group of Vargos members are riding
09:43on top of.
09:44Unfortunately, you have to do it on a dirt bike and rely on Big Smoke's aim in order
09:48to take them out.
09:49You have to balance your distance from the train car so that Smoke can actually hit them,
09:53made harder by later turns and obstacles like cars and other trains.
10:06If you fail, which many of us did, frequently, the mission isn't reloaded.
10:11Unless you had the foresight to save right beforehand, you have to backtrack all the
10:15way across town in order to try again.
10:2420.
10:25The Guy – Super Meat Boy
10:39There are understandably a lot of rage-inducing levels in Super Meat Boy, that's kind of
10:43the point.
10:44However, the one that will make you feel more anger than most is a hidden level in Chapter
10:485.
10:49Inspired by the near-impossible freeware game, I Wanna Be The Guy, these spike-filled sections
10:54– three in total – are sure to up your blood pressure.
11:05They seem so simple to look at, but actually playing through them is a nightmare.
11:10If one of your jumps is even a hair off in its precision, you'll go careening straight
11:14into a spike and have to start that part of the level over.
11:17The third section is obviously the toughest.
11:19Those high-speed spike walls are brutal!
11:3019.
11:31Blighttown – Dark Souls
11:38Along with most of FromSoftware's catalogue, there are a lot of sections in Dark Souls
11:42that go on to cause frustration.
11:44The one that scarred players the most was Blighttown, a gigantic poisonous swamp.
11:49The upper area can be confusing with its multitude of moving bridges, easily turning you around.
11:54The actual swamp lower down, on the other hand, is even worse.
12:05There are plenty of tough enemies prowling around, many of which will inflict poison
12:09damage, and some of which will be able to do so from afar.
12:12Traversing this hellhole eventually leads you to Quelaag's domain, where you'll have
12:16to fight the titular witch.
12:18Just like every other enemy in this game, that isn't exactly easy.
12:2918.
12:31Labyrinth Zone – Sonic the Hedgehog
12:39Water levels are usually some of the most notoriously frustrating stages developers
12:43can include in their games.
12:45Sonic can't swim, so his immense speed doesn't help him when it comes to the Labyrinth Zone,
12:49the fourth level in the game.
12:51Even if you're managing things, you won't be able to escape the infamous drowning theme,
12:55which originated here and can cause stress in even the surest of players.
13:04Combined with traps and enemies, the slowed movement and panic-inducing music will ensure
13:08Sonic's watery grave at least a few times.
13:11The level's third act is naturally the hardest.
13:13On top of worrying about drowning, the game throws seemingly endless spikes and exploding
13:18enemies at you.
13:2617.
13:29Waterfall – Contra
13:36This classic action platformer epitomised the phrase, Nintendo Hard, by flooding your
13:40screen with enemies and giving you a single hit health bar.
13:44It likely caused many players to memorise the Konami code and start with 30 lives rather
13:48than 3.
13:49However, that probably still didn't help much when it came to the third level, as the
13:53only stage in the game that scrolls vertically, you have to ascend through a hail of gunfire.
14:05The layout certainly takes some getting used to, but it's far harder in co-op.
14:09If one player moves up too quickly, it will cause the screen to move and kill the other.
14:14It makes you communicate about movement, but that's a lot easier without a horde
14:17of enemies trying to murder you.
14:2216.
14:25The Library – Halo – Combat Evolved
14:32Of all the enemies in Halo, the Flood still terrifies us.
14:36But being trapped in a restrictive library while they're swarming all over the place
14:39will do that to you.
14:40During the campaign's 7th mission, Master Chief is confronted by the aptly named Parasites
14:44on a near constant basis.
14:47What makes the levels so frustrating is how quickly they move and how slowly you're
14:50forced to progress.
14:55You'll be following 343 Guilty Spark around, who isn't exactly nimble, and who must pause
15:06to slowly override locked doors.
15:09And at every one of them, players will have to unload all their weapons just to keep the
15:13Flood at bay.
15:14The ones with rocket launchers are a particular pain.
15:2115.
15:25The Snowstorm – Resident Evil 6
15:33There are a lot of frustrating things about Resident Evil 6, but in terms of gameplay,
15:38Chapter 2 in the story of new protagonist Jake takes the cake.
15:42It sees him and ally Sherry beset by several types of enemies at once, but what makes it
15:46unbearably difficult is the fact it all takes place in the middle of a blizzard.
16:00Good luck trying to line your shots up with constant snowfall covering the screen.
16:04The enemies themselves are, of course, more annoying because of this.
16:08Some of them are quick-moving flyers, while others take potshots with sniper rifles, and
16:12the snow doesn't seem to hinder their sight.
16:14It's all an annoying mess.
16:2114.
16:25The High Road – Crash Bandicoot
16:35One of the hardest 3D platforming stages in existence, The High Road from Crash Bandicoot
16:39can make you want to snap a controller in two.
16:42The late-game level features all the worst types of platforms – narrow ones with little
16:46space to stand, ones that break after just a moment of standing on them, and ones made
16:51of ice that send you sliding over the edge.
17:00Some of its jumps are excruciating as well, requiring Crash to hop onto a turtle to gain
17:05enough momentum.
17:06It was made even more frustrating in the remake since, while physics and controls were updated,
17:11stage layout wasn't.
17:13There's no room for errors, and The High Road eats more lives than any other in the
17:17game.
17:2313.
17:29Welcome to the Machine – Echo the Dolphin
17:37One might expect a game where you play as a dolphin to be pleasant, but that is definitely
17:41not the case with Echo.
17:42Players must combat an invasive alien army throughout the game, culminating when Echo
17:46visits their home planet.
17:56Welcome to the Machine is an auto-scroller with an abundance of paths, giving it a maze-like
18:01quality as well as a plethora of ways to kill you.
18:04Unless you're able to memorise the exact routes, Echo is going to get crushed.
18:08If he's not, it'll be the drones that dive in from off-screen that do you in.
18:12All of this is plenty awful, but it's compounded by the fact that there are NO CHECKPOINTS.
18:2112.
18:24Can't Wait to be King – The Lion King
18:33Even if you haven't played this tie-in, there's a good chance you've heard about
18:36its ridiculously high difficulty for a children's game.
18:39The second level, which recreates the I Just Can't Wait to be King sequence, is far less
18:44enjoyable to play through than it is to watch.
18:47Simba uses a variety of animals to get through different platforming sections.
18:51Riding an ostrich and jumping over quick-incoming hazards is certainly tricky.
18:58However, the most irksome sections deal with monkeys that toss Simba between them.
19:08You can roar to make pink monkeys change their directions, but with most hidden off-screen,
19:12there's still no telling where you'll end up without a lot of trial and error.
19:16It takes the utmost patience to make it through.
19:2211.
19:25The Great Maze – Super Smash Bros. Brawl
19:35Super Smash Bros. Brawl is often considered one of the weaker entries.
19:39Something it has above all others, though, is the Subspace Emissary, a grand story mode
19:43that brings in all characters.
19:45However, right before you reach the final boss, you're hit with a level that is both
19:49boring and frustrating.
19:58Not only does the Great Maze recycle all the level environments you've already played
20:01through, but also many of the boss and mini-boss fights.
20:04The layout is exceptionally annoying, since you'll often reach a dead end and have to
20:08work your way back.
20:09It's meant to act as a penultimate challenge, but all it manages to do is suck out all the
20:13fun the story mode had managed to build up.
20:1910.
20:21Elphiel – Brace of the Halig Tree – Elden Ring
20:24It's good to see that From Software has never lost its edge amidst the pleas for an
20:34easy mode, but that doesn't mean we can't get frustrated when its games pummel us into
20:38the ground.
20:39As an optional dungeon found during the endgame, Elphiel is reserved for the most hearty of
20:44players.
20:45It's a massive castle filled with plenty of branching paths, so there's a lot to
20:48uncover here.
20:53Unfortunately, exploring means encountering the toughest enemies the game has to offer.
21:02Given the studio's reputation, that's saying a lot.
21:05It's an onslaught of damage that you'll likely be unprepared for no matter what.
21:09It ends with a fight against Velenia, who quickly became known as the most gruelling
21:13boss in the game.
21:169.
21:19The Great Palace – Zelda II – The Adventure of Link
21:29The second Zelda game is probably the hardest in the whole series, so it shouldn't come
21:33as a surprise to learn that its final level is a doozy.
21:37The Great Palace has a lot of factors that can cause irritation.
21:40There are a literal ton of enemies, most of which are excessively powerful, some of which
21:45shoot fireballs from afar, and others that are so intimidating, they only show up here.
21:56Add on an absurd amount of floors to backtrack through and plenty of traps to fall into,
22:00and navigating this gauntlet is sure to make you suffer.
22:04That's not to mention two bosses instead of one, the Thunderbird and Dark Link, both
22:08of which are naturally pretty tough.
22:148.
22:18Stage 6-2 – Ninja Gaiden
22:24Ninja Gaiden shows players how deadly the life of a ninja can be, especially in this
22:29infamous level.
22:30The objective here is as simple as it is in all the rest – reach the end without dying
22:34too much.
22:35What makes this near impossible, however, is the onslaught of enemies.
22:48Some of them are placed in cheap locations, while others dive-bomb you from the side of
22:51the screen.
22:52And since any step in either direction, no matter how slight, causes those off-screen
22:56enemies to respawn, you'll have your work cut out for you.
22:59It's also a pretty lengthy stage.
23:02Considering each level has a time limit, there will be no moments of peace here.
23:107.
23:13Aztec – GoldenEye 007
23:20We all have fond memories of pouring hours into GoldenEye, whether it be the iconic multiplayer
23:25or the campaign recreated from the movie.
23:28But none of our fond memories are of this place.
23:31The Aztec level is unlocked after completing the story on Normal difficulty, and it is
23:35much harder than the game will have prepared you for.
23:38Every enemy, including the powerful jaws, will have high-powered weapons on top of improved
23:42accuracy and reaction time.
23:45Which is to say they're going to hit you, and it's going to hurt.
23:55If you die, sorry, WHEN you die, you'll be forced to start the level over.
24:00This is where your skills as an agent are really put to the test.
24:056.
24:08The Meat Circus – Psychonauts
24:10You know things are bad when later releases have to fix a level's difficulty.
24:20Psychonauts tasks players with platforming through the minds of its various zany characters.
24:24The final level, Meat Circus, is the product of two psyches brought together.
24:29However, it also brings elements that are exceedingly maddening.
24:33One section has you escort a character with little health, while others are comprised
24:36of unforgiving platforming.
24:47You have little lives, very few checkpoints, and some of your objectives are simply unclear.
24:52It has a reputation for its massive spike in difficulty, making it an unbalanced nightmare
24:57in an otherwise extremely enjoyable game.
24:59We're grateful it was scaled back so that future players could actually end on a positive
25:03note.
25:075.
25:11Farewell – Celeste
25:19Even some of the most beautiful, emotionally fulfilling games can have levels that make
25:23you want to rip your hair out.
25:25Celeste is one of those games.
25:27Following its release, the developers issued a free DLC titled Farewell.
25:31To say it made every other level look like a cakewalk would be an understatement, which
25:35is saying a lot considering how tough the majority of the game is.
25:47Farewell was designed with the hardcore in mind.
25:49It's incredibly long, and some areas are mostly hazardous with a small safe path, and
25:55with no spots to rest.
25:56It also enforces techniques you'd really only need beforehand if you were speedrunning.
26:00The temptation to turn on any of its assist modes will be strong.
26:094.
26:12Through the Fire and Flames – Guitar Hero 3 Legends of Rock
26:22You may scoff to find a Guitar Hero track so high, but that must mean you've never
26:26tried to make it through Dragon Force's Through the Fire and the Flames.
26:30One of the shreddiest metal songs in existence, this track will have your fingers stumbling
26:34all over the keys, even on the lowest difficulty.
26:37You won't even have time to register what's happening before you're at least another
26:40dozen notes behind, and at that point, you might as well start over.
26:54That was the pain many of us felt when attempting to conquer this track.
26:58Only those who practiced over and over could perfect the timing.
27:01With songs like this, Legends of Rock was a suitable name.
27:103.
27:13The Dam – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles In the late 80s, the Ninja Turtles were everywhere.
27:24Kids may have been excited to get an NES game with the heroes in a half-shell, but that
27:28excitement turned sour almost immediately, with one of the most famously unfair levels
27:32in gaming history.
27:34This underwater section has you defuse 8 bombs as one of the turtles.
27:38The swimming controls are pretty poor, but that's not the worst part.
27:42There's also electric seaweed surrounding pretty much everything, leaving you little
27:46room for error.
27:56Still, maybe players could have done this slowly, if not for the time limit of 2 minutes
28:00and 20 seconds.
28:02It basically forces you to act quickly, ensuring you'll get killed in the process.
28:082.
28:10The Perfect Run – Super Mario Galaxy 2 Super Mario Galaxy 2's Grandmaster Galaxy
28:23is a gauntlet, bringing together many of the mechanics, enemies and platforming elements
28:27seen across the game.
28:28It's the final level you unlock, so it naturally poses a pretty big challenge.
28:33But after you've beaten it, you then have the option to do it again, only this time,
28:38you die in one hit and there are no checkpoints.
28:42With so many different ways to die here, it's probable you'll experience all of them during
28:47It'll take everything in you not to snap your Wiimote in half once you reach the double
28:59digits.
29:00Anyone can play Mario, but only the strongest can reach this level's end.
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29:231.
29:25Turbo Tunnel – Battletoads Battletoads is one of the most challenging,
29:33frustrating games ever created.
29:35It's even harder in co-op, since there's no way to turn off friendly fire.
29:39It reaches peak difficulty, and as a result, Iconism, during the Turbo Tunnel level.
29:52Following some standard beat-em-up gameplay, you'll be forced to make it the rest of
29:55the way on bike.
29:57The bike speed is so immense you'll barely have time to think before you crash into one
30:01of the many, many walls, but that's only the first section.
30:05As it goes on, you'll also need to hit ramps, dodge holes and other hazards, all of which
30:10come at you with lightning-fast speed.
30:12This level will likely remain an infamy for all time.
30:18What's the most frustrating level you've ever conquered?
30:24How about one that made you give up completely?
30:26Share your thoughts in the comments, and be sure to subscribe for more great videos every
30:30day.
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