The 20 HARDEST Single Player Games Of All Time

#20: “Super Mario Bros: The Lost Levels” (1986)

I tell you what, I’d rather chop my own pinky toe off than play Super Mario Bros: The Lost Levels for a week straight. Super Mario Bros. was OBVIOUSLY an instant success on the NES, which meant that shortly after release, it was time to pump out a sequel. For this follow-up, the development team significantly increased the difficulty, introducing tougher jumps and new hazards like poison mushrooms to challenge players. Widely regarded as the most challenging Super Mario Bros. game ever, it was deemed too difficult for Western audiences. As a result, Nintendo repainted Doki Doki Panic as Super Mario Bros. 2 for release in other regions. The original sequel, Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, remained exclusive to Japan until seven years later, when it was included in the Super Mario All-Stars collection for the SNES.

#19: “Getting Over it With Bennet Foddy” (2017)

A man stuck in a pot using a hammer to propel himself through the air doesn’t sound like a grueling challenge... I’m kidding, it sounds more annoying than trying to explain the colour blue without using nouns. Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy captures struggle so perfectly, in fact, it may have single handedly created an ulcer in my stomach in 2019. The concept is straightforward, but the real difficulty lies in how easily you can lose all your progress. With no checkpoints to rely on, the game demands sheer determination to keep pushing forward, no matter the setbacks. And trust me, there will be LOADS of setbacks.

#18: “The Witness” (2016)

This game is a bit of an outlier compared to the others on this list. No reflexes, no hard bosses, just intense puzzles with intense headaches. The Witness is a puzzle game that might initially remind you of classic adventures like Myst. However, it offers much more beneath the surface, including stunning visuals and some truly hemorrhoid inducing puzzles. Its open-ended design means that if one puzzle leaves you stuck, there are usually others nearby to tackle instead. You know, if you’re a coward.

#17: “Silver Surfer” (1990)

Released in 1990 for the NES, Silver Surfer might have faded into obscurity among the many other comic book game adaptations if not for its notoriously brutal difficulty. The titular hero is shockingly fragile, dying from a single hit and unable to touch most objects in the game. To make matters even harder, enemies require multiple hits to defeat, and a single death sends players back to the start of the level. This game is exactly why I refused to engage in any superhero content featuring the Silver Surfer. I really truly hated him that much.

#16: “Ikaruga” (1998)

One look at the relentless barrage of enemy fire in Ikaruga makes it clear this game was originally built to devour coins in Japanese arcades. Despite its punishing difficulty, this "bullet hell" shooter has earned its place as one of the most beloved classics in the genre, with ports to PC and various other systems ensuring its enduring popularity among fans. I wish I could tell you why. It doesn’t have the depth of Dark Souls, OR the charm of Bennet Foddy. I tried it, and now I don’t have a functioning PC… I punched my PC, I hope that was clear.

#15: “I Wanna Be The Boshy” (2010)

I Wanna Be The Boshy is a fan-made tribute to I Wanna Be the Guy. Don't stress if you don’t know that game either, it’s not important to understand the topic of this video. Boshy breaks b**ls. Both games serve as parodies and homages to iconic franchises like Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog. However, Boshy cranks up the difficulty, catering to players who found I Wanna Be the Guy too easy. With its unconventional level design, the game has gained a cult following and become a favorite within the speedrunning community, the maniacs of the gaming community.

#14: “Sifu” (2022)

Alright, let’s crack into some games that we all know the name of. No more Dooki Dooki Big Time Climb Super X3... Is that racist? Nah. Probably. Nah. Sifu is a throwback to classic beat 'em ups with its tough, no-nonsense approach that rewards skill and precision. Players who excel at mastering movesets will get the most out of the experience. Players who don’t... Well, let’s just say they may get very upset and uninstall the game and play something else. No euphemisms there, that's just what will happen. While it's a different genre from Elden Ring and the Souls series, it shares similarities, especially in its intense boss battles. A single mistake can end a run, and the stakes are heightened by a unique mechanic: each death ages the protagonist. The older he gets, the closer the player comes to permanent defeat. Rough.

#13: “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” (1989)

I loved the aesthetic of this game as a kid and didn’t even care that I couldn't get past the first level. Because of this, I decided to revisit it as an adult, and it went from one of my fondest memories to one of my worst experiences. Released in 1989, the NES Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles faced criticism for numerous reasons, the main one being its punishing difficulty. Unlike games that fall into the "tough-but-fair" category, this title featured endlessly respawning enemies, unreachable power-ups, jumps requiring near-perfect precision, and unavoidable damage in certain situations. It. Sucked. Turtle d**k.

#12: “Darkest Dungeon” (2016)

RPGs rarely rank among the hardest games because players can usually grind for experience. That’s why Demon’s Souls took a different approach, and why Darkest Dungeon stands out as well. Right from the start, battles and encounters are incredibly tough, but it’s the stress mechanic that truly sets Darkest Dungeon apart. Unlike typical affliction systems in RPGs, stress must be managed constantly alongside the grueling fights. To make things even harsher, death is permanent, a feature that might not be as punishing in other RPGs but feels especially brutal here. The odds are truly stacked against you in Darkest Dungeon.

#11: “Super Punch-Out!!” (1984)

Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! is often hailed as one of the hardest games ever, but even Tyson doesn’t compare to Super Macho Man 3 in the arcade version of Super Punch-Out!!. This arcade entry is tougher for two key reasons. First, the controls are less intuitive, requiring players to manually switch between head and body shots. Second, the AI is brutally unforgiving, reacting faster and more unpredictably than in the console versions. Completing all the fights in this game, even with save states, can take days of effort. It’s often confusing why it’s not ranked higher in the series for difficulty, because it’s obviously the hardest.

#10: “Bloodborne” (2015)

FromSoftware (ever heard of them?) are known for crafting notoriously difficult games, and while the studio is most famous for its Souls series, and Elden Ring, Bloodborne also deserves recognition for its extreme challenge. This Gothic horror-themed action RPG features a combat system similar to Dark Souls, but with a more aggressive twist, encouraging players to take an offensive approach in many of its intense and memorable battles. If you’ve only played Elden Ring, I encourage you to try this just to understand why Souls fans call Elden Ring easy.

#9: “Returnal” (2021)

One of the earliest PS5 exclusives came in the form of the FIENDESHLY difficult Returnal. Drawing heavy inspiration from third-person survival horror shooters and the Souls series, this game took a few goes before I truly realised its brilliance. Its challenge largely stems from the strict progression rules, though some of these have been adjusted in later patches to make the game more accessible. This sci-fi adventure isn’t for everyone, but players who enjoy punishing experiences will find much to appreciate, especially in its intricate and mysterious story. While Returnal can be frustrating at times, it’s definitely worth persevering through the tough moments to reach the credits, trust me.

#8: “Nioh 2” (2020)

When Nioh was first announced, many gamers assumed it was a Dark Souls clone. However, the game was met with such overwhelmingly positive reviews upon release, that most players now consider it on par with, or even superior to, the franchise that inspired it. The combat features make it feel fuller than the traditional Souls games, and give it a unique twist that is the main reason it feels like a superior experience.

#7: “Ghosts ‘N Goblins” (1985)

If you want an experience that will make you rip your hair out before an hour is up, imagine a protagonist who dies in two hits, enemies that can spawn unpredictably across the map, and power-ups that can actually harm you. This is just a taste of what awaits in Ghosts 'N Goblins. However, the most cruel twist comes if you actually manage to finish the game. Capcom bluntly tells you that you've fallen into a "trap devised by Satan" and forces you to replay the game on a higher difficulty if you truly want to claim victory and bragging rights. It’s like New Game Minus, and it sucks.

#6: “Cuphead” (2017)

Cuphead is not only a nod to 1930s cartoons, but also a throwback to classic run-and-gun games like Contra and Mega Man, both known for their tough difficulty. True to its roots, Cuphead is an incredibly challenging game that requires players to master boss patterns and execute near-perfect timing to survive. The difficulty doesn't diminish with a second player; in fact, adding a second character can make some boss fights even harder, as the screen fills with twice the number of projectiles, making it easy to lose track of Cuphead and Mugman in the chaos. The first time I played this game was with my older brother when I was visiting my home town. After not playing video games with him for 15 years, I remember why we used to throttle each other so much.

#5: “Ninja Gaiden” (2004)

The original NES version of Ninja Gaiden is undeniably tough, but the 2004 3D reboot of the classic game took the difficulty to even greater heights, if that was even possible. From the very first enemy encounter, every attacker is capable of overwhelming you if you're not careful, and don’t even get me started on the bosses. They are incredibly ruthless, often requiring near-perfect play for extended periods to progress. While Team Ninja is now better known for the equally challenging Nioh, there have been rumors that a return to Ninja Gaiden could be in the works.If anyone at Team Ninja is listening… Please don’t.

#4: “Super Meat Boy” (2010)

One of the key aspects that make so many games on this list hard is that with one wrong move, it's game over. Super Meat Boy is a superb platformer featuring precise controls and 300 levels designed to test your nerves, and it follows very closely this previously mentioned rule: one hit, you’re done. With a daunting number of spikes, spinning blades, and swords ready to slice you to pieces at any moment, a single mistake can send you right back to the start of the level. Goodnight moon.

#3: “Dark Souls” (2011)

Any of the Dark Souls games, or even its predecessor Demon's Souls, could make a case for being on this list, but we’re choosing the original Dark Souls as it played a key role in launching the trend that other titles like Nioh and Bloodborne, have followed in recent years. While many developers focus on preventing player frustration, FromSoftware takes the opposite approach. Dark Souls thrives on your screams and takes pleasure in your failures. Nothing more needs to be said on this game. No amount of leveling up can save you if you don’t know how to "get good."

#2: “Contra” (1987)

There’s only one way to beat this game: Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A. While the famous Konami code first appeared in the 1986 release of Gradius, it wasn’t until Contra came out the following year that the code truly became ingrained in the minds of gamers. The extra 30 Lives given from this code were essential in order to have any hope of completing the game. Contra was also one of the first popular multiplayer games, allowing players to team up and blast through levels in co-op mode, though much like Cuphead, it doesn’t really help, in fact, it makes things way wors-OH! That was when the brother throttling started!

#1: “Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice ” (2019)

Though it shares many similarities with Dark Souls and Elden Ring, Sekiro is an even more brutal single-player-only adventure. In Souls games, you can summon allies to help tackle tough bosses, lightening the load. In Sekiro, however, it’s all on you. Either you "git good," or you die trying, repeatedly. The game demands mastery of its mechanics, patience, practice, and cunning. Those hoping to button-mash their way through won’t get far. Sekiro is easily the most unforgiving experience FromSoftware has ever created, even tougher than any Souls game, requiring a really solid understanding of the far more intricate combat systems. Dying makes the game harder, and making the game harder makes me wanna die... Catch 22? Probably not.