Top 30 HARDEST Video Game Levels of All Time

“Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas” (2004)

Chasing after a group of gang members sounds like an easy feat, until you actually start to play through this notorious mission. Wrong Side of the Tracks from “San Andreas” follows CJ and Big Smoke chasing down members of the Vagos gang as they ride on top of a train. The catch? You have to drive a dirt bike while Big Smoke shoots at them. The aim of Smoke’s AI isn’t nearly as good as yours would be. And balancing the distance so he actually stands a chance can be pretty annoying with cars and other trains getting in your way. This one definitely saw its fair share of failures back in the day.

“The Lion King” (1994)

Back when you could rent games from stores, some companies specifically made games harder so that players would spend more time on them. And therefore, more on rental fees. Disney did this for the second level of its “Lion King” adaptation, which has made it infamous. As Simba platforms through various animal pals, the bright colors and recreation of the movie’s music may seem jolly, but it certainly isn’t. The ostrich-riding section is frustrating due to obstacles that come quickly. But the section Disney altered saw the young cub tossed back and forth by a group of monkeys. Roaring changes the throw direction of the pink ones, but most of them are still hidden off screen, resulting in an infuriating loop.

“God of War” (2005)

If you like falling over and over again, then do we have a level for you! After being sent to the Underworld in the first “God of War,” Kratos is forced to navigate the Path of Hades. This level mostly consists of miniscule platforms and spinning cylinders with way too many blades sticking out of them. Jumping between all of this is made even more difficult by packs of enemies either waiting to knock you into the abyss or shooting you full of arrows. The worst part comes towards the end; a long climb up a rotating cylinder, with an army’s worth of swords sticking out. Just one mistake, and you fall all the way back to the bottom.

“Donkey Kong Country Returns” (2010)

When “Donkey Kong Country” returned on the Wii, it brought new levels of irritation. While those rocket barrel levels are a gigantic pain, Perilous Passage just beats them out in the impressive amount of death it brought players. It forces you to climb upwards at a swift pace to avoid the lava rising from below. As you do so, there are several annoyingly placed enemies waiting to trip you up, and falling platforms you’re meant to use, some of which can easily crush you. It’s a surefire recipe for rage, especially if you’re also trying to collect all the puzzle pieces. If you make no mistakes, the level is pretty short. But you’ll suffer a lot of losses before you make it out.

“Bayonetta” (2009)

“Bayonetta” and its sequels feature more than a few tough combat challenges. But by far the hardest of the bunch is the lost chapter, Angel Slayer, from the original. It’s a test of your stamina to keep going, as there are a total of 51 fights to make it through. While the first ten are set to Normal Difficulty, the next 20 are set to Hard while the final 21 are set to Non-Stop Climax, the highest difficulty in the game. There are naturally a lot of intimidating enemies throughout. However, the second to last fight, against 3 versions of Jeanne, and the final bout, against Bayonetta herself, are clearly the ones that enraged players the most.

“Dark Souls” (2011)

When it comes to high difficulty, FromSoftware’s bosses get the most frequent mentions. But there are definitely some levels that rightfully earned the ire of the studio’s fanbase. Blighttown from the first “Dark Souls” is such a level, especially in the game’s original version where its poor framerate just intensified the difficulty. While the upper area consists of moving bridges, making it easy to get lost, the lower area is full of enemies that can easily poison you, making for multiple agonizing deaths. Your reward for making it through is to enter Quelaag’s Domain, where the powerful Witch will make you question coming this way. Blighttown has a reputation among the player base as a grueling challenge, and not the fun kind.

“Super Meat Boy” (2010)

“Super Meat Boy” is the type of game that gets you very comfortable with seeing your character die over and over. Among the many maddening stages it has to offer, the three-part hidden area, ‘The Guy!,’ is sure to test your reflexes the most. Filled with more spikes than you can count, there’s no way to get through it without your character getting turned to mush so many times, you’ll hear that ‘splat’ sound effect in your dreams. Each of the three parts is undeniably hard, requiring pixel-perfect movement. But that third section is truly something else, featuring lightning-fast spike walls that’ll make you want to scream.

“Super Mario 3D World” (2013)

This is the final level in the game, and you can be sure to expect a few more final level entries in this list too. The Mario franchise continues to evolve and revolutionize the platformer genre with every entry, and for that we’re grateful. What we aren’t grateful for, however, is this level from the 2013 release, “Super Mario 3D World”. There are vanishing blocks, enemies that require ultra-quick reflexes to dodge, and every type of platform you can think of to traverse. One small misstep… and you’re a goner! But hey, at least there’s a nice message at the end.

“Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair” (2019)

When the level has the word ‘impossible’ in the name, you know you’re in for trouble. While this particular level isn’t literally impossible, it’s close to, and has been known to take even experienced gamers upwards of fifty tries to complete. That is, if you don’t give up, first. You’re going to need all forty-eight bees to make it through alive, and that's saying something when most games give you no more than ten chances to get hit. Each section of the level is a test of timing and reflexes, with every movement requiring the utmost concentration.

“Zelda II: The Adventure of Link” (1988)

While we don’t mind this 2D side-scrolling iteration of this influential franchise, we still prefer its top-down and 3D entries. That being said, you can’t deny this particular entry had charm, or, in the case of this level… a relentless difficulty that earns it a place of distinction in the series. You can’t just mash the attack button in Death Mountain. Enemies have certain weaknesses that can be tough to discover, requiring you to study them before you make a move. That said, if you can get past the red ax-throwing baddies, then you should be able to make it to the end.

“Super Mario World” (1991)

The level that made fans hate the P-Balloon. As it may take hours of attempts to beat, but with a run time of about a minute, you can expect to hear that annoying, albeit catchy, death tune often. Not only does controlling the P-Balloon feel like dragging a heavy rock on an icy pond, but a single hit will make you fall to your death, even if you have a power up! If the plants don’t get you, the baseball throwing menaces will. Add to that the pressure of making sure you get the next P-Balloon powerup before the time runs out and you fall to your death, and you’re gaming under seriously stressful conditions.

“Ecco the Dolphin” (1992)

Most retro games have at least a couple of annoying sound effects, but mashing the sonar button over and over again, which is unfortunately required to have a chance at beating this level, will have you playing on mute. This narrow corridor auto scrolling level combined with the speed at which the enemies fly into you gives you barely any time to react. Couple this with the camera’s unpredictable path, and your sanity will steadily erode with every attempt. Aliens weren't something we were expecting when we started this game.

“The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time” (1998)

If you thought being inside a whale’s stomach was bad, wait until you become an adult and do the temple equivalent of Ocarina of Time’s water dungeon. The constant resetting of water levels makes it annoying, the maze of whirlpools makes it frustrating, its nonlinearity makes it confusing, and the battle with Dark Link makes it painful. But hey, it does make for a damn good battle. Keys are also spaced out around the level, which can also mean lengthy backtracking if you don’t have enough to get through doors at the end of long corridors. The Water Temple is an exhausting experience to say the least, but at least it's a rewarding one!

“Driver” (1999)

When the tutorial is harder than the actual gameplay experience, you can be sure that many gamers never played long enough to find that out for themselves. You have to prove you’re the driver for the job, and with that comes a list of driving tasks you need to accomplish, all with a strict time limit and only a handful of chances to mess things up. Oh, and if you think you’ve done a trick multiple times and still aren’t getting the check mark for some strange reason… well, that’s just part of the level’s charm!

“Hollow Knight” (2017)

The Metroidvania genre has a reputation for being tough. But “Hollow Knight” is the one you turn to when you think the others are too easy. One section that’s sure to send you into a blind fury is the Path of Pain, a section added as part of the ‘Grimm Troupe’ DLC. Staying true to many challenging platforming sections that came before it, the path is littered with hazards. Spinning blades, enemies, and prickly vines that cover most walls and floors. With only a few spots to catch your breath, you must wall-jump when it’s safe, or bounce off enemies and hazards with your weapon when it isn’t. They don’t call it the Path of Pain for nothing.

“Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare” (2007)

Given the title of this level and its corresponding achievement, we weren’t quite sure what to expect, and whether or not this belonged in a “Call of Duty” game. Rest assured, not only does it belong, but it will test a COD player like few other missions can. It’s a short-form linear level through a plane that is absolutely hell to complete on the hardest difficulty, and probably resulted in a lot of broken controllers and cracked TV screens. Running through the level in under a minute requires a memorized pattern of movements, and just one minor slip-up is all it takes to prompt you to immediately restart.

“Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy” (2017)

In this ominous 24th level, you’ll need to climb the outside of Cortex’s castle on a wet and stormy night. Moving platforms, acid throwing lab assistants, and evil hands trying to swipe you from below are just a few of the challenges you’ll face on your hair-raising ascent. There are stairs throughout the level that disappear causing you to slide back down, making it a -you guessed it- slippery climb. While the entire course theoretically takes about six minutes to complete, we can guarantee that it’ll take you much longer than that.

“Shovel Knight” (2014)

Who would have thought a game about a knight and his shovel would be so endearing… and challenging! In many games, a boss will be difficult and their corresponding level easy, or vice-versa. But what we have here is a high difficulty package deal. These Green Hover Meanies are an absolute nuisance, especially when they’re pushing you into cannonballs. Not to mention the constantly changing air currents will mean you have to be very precise with your movements. Then there’s the actual boss; Propellor Knight moves incredibly fast, meaning you’re going to have to time your jumps to a T. Of course, it doesn’t help that the floor literally begins to crumble underneath you.

“Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock” (2007)

Who knew fingers could move this fast? If you can complete this track on expert mode without getting booed off the stage within thirty seconds, then you’re truly a legend of Guitar Hero. The constant onslaught of keys to hit does (mercifully) have a couple of small intermissions so you can catch your breath and shake your hand around. But the entire song is just so long that you’re all but guaranteed to cramp up or lose feeling in your fingers before you hit that final note. Getting through the song is one thing, but getting 100% is nearly impossible.

“Hotline Miami” (2012)

You’re going to die a lot playing Hotline Miami. Each level is a trial-and-error experiment as you attempt to figure out the exact pattern that’s going to have you killing everyone in the level without falling victim yourself. But chapter 13, “Assault”, is in a league of its own. It features tons of baddies with high-powered weapons that move just as fast as you do. In the context of a game where one person with a baseball can give you grief, that should give you pause. But hey, at least the music is good! That might not seem important now, but trust us, you’re going to be hearing a lot of it.

“Super Mario Odyssey” (2017)

Unlocked after you find 500 Power Moons, this level gives you a bit more Odyssey to experience, but it has to be earned. This level honestly feels like a chore, but chores can be fun, right? Practice makes perfect, but if you don’t have time to practice, then you can skip multiple segments of the level. The caveat? Discovering the skips can become a challenge in itself. Hat throws, wall jumps, triple jumps and impeccable timing are all required in unison here. At least you still get a health bar to deal with the swarm of enemies. Trust us, you’re going to need it.

“Dark Souls III” (2016)

The Ringed City is the final DLC released for Dark Souls 3, and it's safe to say they left the hardest for last. In particular, we’re talking about the pain and suffering that the Ringed City archers have brought so many players. Dozens of ghostly archers fire a barrage of arrows at you, disappearing then reappearing behind you even if you've found cover behind the nearby tombstones. Nowhere is safe. Oh, and you’ve also got to face off with arguably one of the hardest bosses in the entire franchise; Darkeater Midir. Dark Souls has always been known for its high level of difficulty, but “The Ringed City” is on another level.

“Celeste” (2018)

Celeste’s Main Game is notoriously tough but fair, the B-Side & C-Side stages were grueling. But Chapter 9, which was offered as free DLC, makes you feel like your spirit has been ripped out of you and there’s no hope left. And as such, we can understand you not wanting to put in the effort to complete it. Combining complicated movesets is the only way to get through this DLC chapter -which, on top of everything else, is much longer than previous levels. So when you multiply the length by the overall high level of difficulty and add newly introduced technical mechanics, you get one epic and exhausting farewell.

“Super Mario Galaxy 2” (2010)

As another final level in a “Mario” game, the Grandmaster Galaxy delivers multiple demanding obstacles to test you. But then, you’re asked to beat it again, this time with a single-hit health bar and not a checkpoint in sight. The Perfect Run was a nightmare for everyone who experienced it. Even though it’s a pristinely crafted level, it’s hard to appreciate that when there are lasers of every form ripping their way towards you. Not to mention obnoxious, projectile-based enemies making it nigh-impossible to focus on the task at hand. And as we said, dying with one hit on a level with no checkpoints makes for a whole lot of do-overs.

“Mega Man 9” (2008)

In Mega Man 9, Dr. Wily’s Castle introduced sadistic traps and gimmicks that the player hadn’t encountered before, resulting in a certain unpreparedness that we had to overcome. Stage 3 onwards, you will find sections in which the platforms you have to jump to are barely large enough for Mega Man to land on. As if that’s not enough, you encounter shield-bearing enemies that give you only a small window to attack, otherwise they bring their shield up and do what they do best; taunt you. And don’t even get me started on the gravity well sections.

“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” (1989)

Timed levels are the bane of every gamer’s existence, but couple that with a punishing control scheme, and you’ve got a recipe for rage. In this notorious underwater level, energy beams appear in the weirdest spots with no notice, zapping your health away. There’s one spot in particular that gives you a very narrow pathway to follow around a corner, and if you stray from it ever so slightly… then you’re pretty much dead. Luckily you have the option to switch turtles and get full HP, otherwise there’d be literally no chance beating this one.

“Geometry Dash” (2013)

Even the toughest rhythm games bring immense satisfaction when you conquer a level. But good luck making it through this one. “Geometry Dash” allows users to create their own levels, which are verified before getting added in for the wider player base. Tidal Wave, which is classified under the game’s accurately-named Extreme Demon difficulty, was added in late 2023. Although the level theoretically only lasts for three minutes, players have suffered thousands of losses, making that playtime far longer. The speed at which the stage and its hazards move is honestly insane, and we have no idea how anyone is meant to react in time. In early 2024, it topped the player-created Demonlist, ranking the 150 hardest levels in the game. We’re not surprised.

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

Mario is back at it again with another entry on the list, and this time, he’s taking us back to his retro days with “The Lost Levels.” In World C-3, which is an updated version of 7-3 but now with Lakitus, you’ll spend most of the time guiding Mario through the stage without ever looking at him. The reason? Because he’s being launched into the freaking stratosphere by these unnaturally powerful springs scattered throughout the stage. You’ll have to time it right so that when Mario begins his descent, he has a platform to land on. If you can manage that, you only have to do it a bunch more times to reach the end!

“Ninja Gaiden” (1988)

Imagine not blinking for five minutes straight. Now imagine not blinking for five minutes straight so you can concentrate on not being destroyed by a flying ninja. In this particularly punishing level of 1988’s “Ninja Gaiden,” multiple enemies come at you at the same time. The entire stage is one seemingly endless onslaught of varying enemy types that come flying at you from the sky and both sides of the screen. And should you make it through to the end… guess what? The subsequent levels are strong contenders for hardest levels in their own right. Heck, this entire game is a contender! And here we were thinking the 2005 version of the game was tough.

“Battletoads” (1991)

Oh the hours we’ve lost to Turbo Tunnel. With its unfairly placed obstacles, little-to-no grace period between movements, and the sheer speed of the ramps and walls coming at you, this level earns its infamous place in gaming history. Turbo Tunnel undoubtedly resulted in anxiety attacks for a lot of players. There is no room for error. Move or jump a millisecond too late, and you pay the price. The sequence isn't that long, but it feels like you're spending hours traveling simply by virtue of the number of obstacles you need to avoid. Why did we have to jump on this dumb bike anyway?

There are plenty of other tough levels we had to leave off. So, head to the comments and let us know which ones brought you the most frustration. And be sure to subscribe to our channel for more great videos every day!