The 20 WORST Video Game Side Quests of All Time

20 Worst Side Quests of All Time

Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we are looking at those optional missions that are worth skipping. Whether you’re a completionist, or just can’t stand to leave any stone unturned, you’ve lived through these terrible terrible missions and survived to tell the tale. These are the 20 Worst Side Quests of All Time. Let’s do it!

#20: Screwball Missions “Marvel’s Spider-Man” (2018)

The Screwball missions in Marvel's Spider-Man game are universely disliked for several reasons. Firstly, they break the flow of the game with their repetitive and tedious tasks, such as chasing drones or completing challenges within strict time limits. Additionally, Screwball's character is grating, lacking the depth and intrigue of other villains in the game, she sucks, and I won’t apologize for saying it. The missions lack the narrative depth and emotional resonance found in other aspects of the game, making them feel disconnected and unnecessary, ultimately pulling away from the overall experience.

#19: 200 Pigeons “Grand Theft Auto IV” (2008)

When a mission has the potential to p*ss off both dedicated gamers AND PETA, you’ve got a real stinker on your hands. One of the collectibles in Grand Theft Auto IV involves hunting down and killing 200 pigeons, and when Niko Bellic manages to hunt down all two hundred and eradicate them from Liberty City, the reward is barely worth mentioning, just a slight bump in the completion percentage … Woo I guess? The task wouldn't be so damn annoying if there were fewer pigeons to deal with, but two hundred of the little winged rats spread across Liberty City is a monumental challenge. Their small size makes locating them without a guide nearly impossible. Honestly, I did it back in 2008, don’t bother.

#18: Collecting Eggs “Monster Hunter Series” (2004-2024)

In a game focused on battling fierce creatures in the wild, taking down the largest monsters, and surviving to tell the tale, egg collection is certainly not a priority, egg collection in Monster Hunter 1 on the PS2 was one of the worst moments of my childhood, and I hoped I’d never have to deal with it again, I was wrong. These fetch quests rank among the least favored, especially since carrying eggs limits weapon usage, and slows you down ridiculously. Bringing a friend can ease the burden, but for some, it’s simply not an option. Despite widespread hatred, egg collection persists in nearly every Monster Hunter installment to date. Have the developers not received the memo? Op-stay with the Egg issions-may!

#17: 100 Acre Woods “Kingdom Hearts” (2002)

For a game that began one of the best and most loved series of all time, Kingdom Hearts 1 barely had a single decent world when compared to the other games. With absolute garbage heaps like Deep Jungle, Atlantica, and Monstro, it racks up some pretty poop levels. The totally optional world of the 100 Acre Woods however deserves a place on this ranking as it is TECHNICALLY a side mission. Now, it’s hard not to love Pooh and his friends, but their actual world is just a compilation of Mini-Games, and they are easily some of the worst mini-games we’ve ever seen in gaming. The 100 Acre Wood is cute narratively, but very terrible in terms of gameplay.

#16: Collecting Nuclear Waste “Grand Theft Auto V” (2013)

GTA V presents several side tasks that truly push the players patience to the limit. From participating in triathlons, to running five miles in the desert on foot, the challenges are varied, and not ALWAYS that fun. However, the height of frustration comes in the form of collecting nuclear waste from the ocean's depths, especially since it requires the player to purchase property. After purchasing Sonar Docks, the actual mission involves retrieving thirty barrels from the seabed using a submarine. This DISGUSTINGLY mundane task was even more boring in the original release of GTAV as the submarine had no radio.. Talk about twisting the knife.

#15: Lucky Dice “Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands” (2022)

Encountering a lucky dice in Tiny Tina's Wonderland presents an opportunity to roll for loot, and to increase your chance of getting dope loot, you gotta keep rolling, the more you roll, the more you earn. There are however 200 of the little bastards, and collecting all of them is a task that dedicates hours and hours and hours. Their scattered and elusive nature across the game's diverse landscapes adds to the frustration with each die requiring precise exploration, often hidden in obscure or hard-to-reach locations. Additionally, some may only appear under specific conditions or during particular quests, it feels like a prank on my mental health.

#14: Trouble with The Trolley “Spyro 2: Ripto’s Rage” (1999)

"Trouble with the trolley, ehhhhhh?", if there is a hell, I promise the bird that utters this horrendous line is there getting whipped by hitler and Satan. If you've attempted all the collectibles in Spyro 2, you've undoubtedly encountered this dreadfully frustrating mission. Spyro finds himself navigating a wonky track atop a rickety trolley armed with a cannon, aiming to snag 50 gears. The controls are abysmal. Jumping feels off, maneuvering side-to-side on the track is a hassle, and there are numerous insta-death traps necessitating repetitive restarts. It is the worst thing to happen to Dragons since ice-dragons.

#13: Delicate Flower “Hollow Knight” (2017)

Ready to test your patience? Dive into Hollow Knight's elusive Delicate Flower mission, where rage is player #2. Your simple task is to transport a flower from the top of the map to near the bottom, easy right? Well, you have to do it without teleporting, resting at benches, or getting hit even once. Success demands a deep understanding of Hollow Knight's world and mastering enemy avoidance and combat. It's a supremely frustrating endeavor, one that I hope to never repeat ever EVER again, unless I do another playthrough, which I’m almost definitely going to do, and knowing me, I'll probably do this mission again .. Dammit.

#12: Moogle Wrangling “Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth” (2024)

Moogle wrangling in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is terrible! It’s just plain terrible, it’s never fun, it’s never enjoyable and it almost ALWAYS takes a second go at (at least towards the end of the game). Catching moogles requires precise timing and coordination, often leading to frustration as they dart around erratically. The limited window for success adds pressure, amplifying the challenge. Also the rewards are almost always dogs**t. I never thought I’d get worked up over moogles but LOOK AT ME GO! CONGRATULATIONS SQUARE ENIX, I’M SCREAMING ABOUT MOOGLES!!

#11: The Lost Sanctum “Chrono Trigger DS” (2008)

This side quest is exclusive to versions released since the Nintendo DS, sparing retro gamers sticking to the Super Nintendo from its pain. The bonus dungeon unlocks after dealing with Dalton and acquiring the Epoch. Inside, players encounter a monotonous fetch quest, navigating repetitive environments multiple times, up and down a mountain over and over and over again. Its lack of variety quickly becomes tiresome, making it best to overlook, especially (and I’m starting to see a theme here) because its reward is basically nothing.

#10: Ursula’s Blade “Xenoblade Chronicles 2” (2017)

Let’s get this out of the way early, this mission takes 16 hours to complete. Is that enough? Can we move on from this entry? No, alright let’s talk about it GEEZ! Completing the quest requires players to perform numerous Merc Missions, each with specific requirements and durations. Ursula's affinity chart demands extensive investment, as players must engage in repetitive tasks to raise her trust level. The quest's complexity, combined with its significant time commitment, makes Ursula's Blade one of the toughest challenges in the game, testing my patients, and my resolve, as I try not to imbed the controller into the dry wall.

#9: Queen of Cards “Final Fantasy VIII” (1999)

Card games in RPGs may not be for everyone, but they’re almost always optional, and for those ready to engage, they offer a nice break from usual intense gameplay. Final Fantasy VIII's Triple Triad provides Squall with a peaceful pastime, a place to chill, a place to relax, unless he's determined to collect every card in which case it offers the worst experience a player can engage in. Players take on the Queen of Cards in their optional quest to become Triple Triad masters, and after each encounter, whether victorious or not, the Queen relocates. Finding her sucks, beating her sucks harder, there’s just a lot of hard sucking going on, and it’s not as fun as it sounds.

#8: Collecting Flags “Assassin’s Creed” (2007)

As we’ve seen, whether it’s pigeons or radioactive goop, open world games often indulge in unnecessary time-consuming tasks. Typically, they offer rewards that feel like a fat let down when compared to the effort invested, but rarely do they leave the player with nothing. However, in the Xbox 360 version of Assassin’s Creed, collecting all of King Richard’s flags merely earns an achievement … WHAT!?. While this might seem underwhelming, the PS3 version is SOOO much worse. With trophies not yet available upon the game's release, gathering these flags has no impact on the game whatsoever. WHAT THE HELL!?

#7: Druffula “Dragon Age: Inquisition” (2014)

In Dragon Age: Inquisition, players command a formidable party of characters, ready to battle and fight whomever gets in their way, unfortunately their first task involves guiding lost livestock back to their homes … Boo. It wouldn't be so bad if locating the druffalo was all that it took, but you’ve also gotta lead it back to its heard. The escortee, named Druffy, follows without explicit instructions but halts if the player ventures too far ahead, a game feature that should have been fragged out of gaming like a weak cadet. Druffy's slow pace means constant pausing to wait for it to catch up, extending the journey significantly, and extending my rage EVEN MORE.

#6: The Figurine Gallery “The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap” (2004)

Collecting figurines in The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap is frustrating due to its reliance on RNG (random number generation), making it a time-consuming and unpredictable process. Players must use Mysterious Shells to draw from a figurine lottery, where duplicates are common and necessary figurines can be elusive. The sheer number of figurines, coupled with the randomness, requires extensive grinding. Additionally, completing the collection is essential for achieving full completion, adding pressure and spine heating frustration.

#5: The Riddler Races “Batman: Arkham Knight” (2015)

In the Riddler Races in Batman Arkham Knight, players must navigate the Batmobile through complex, obstacle-filled courses that require precise timing and control, I know this sounds simple on paper, but fire the game up and try it for an hour, and tell me you don’t want to walk straight into the ocean. The steep difficulty curve and tight time limits demand near-perfect execution, and almost ALWAYS requires multiple attempts. Repetitive gameplay is frustrating gameplay, and when it’s due to what feels like faulty design, it’s even more annoying.

#4: Side Questing for the ending “Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain” (2015)

Here is a massive disappointment for everyone excited to enjoy the story of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. MGSV is an excellent game (for the most part), evolving the MGS formula with significant improvements, cool gadgets, and engaging missions. However, this all grinds to a halt about 80% into the game. Instead of a neat story conclusion, Metal Gear Solid V suddenly rehashes numerous side missions you've likely already completed, only slightly harder. You must finish these before unlocking the final mission, which is merely a repeat of an earlier one. It was revealed that a conflict between director Hideo Kojima and publisher Konami left the game unfinished, resulting in this odd side quest grind at the end. This reveal makes his pill even harder to swallow, because now we KNOW we were given an unfinished product.

#3: Evil Talisman “Legend of Legaia” (1998)

You thought the Legend of Dragoon was underrated? Try Legend of Legaia, easily and arguably one of the most underrated games in history. I will say till the day I’m dead that the Evil Talisman side quest is what buried this title .. But that might be a bit dramatic. The talisman gives you the games most powerful spell, but obtaining it requires leveling up the party to ninety-nine .. Is this thing on? I said LEVEL 99. By the time players reach the final dungeon, the average level is between forty-five and fifty, and the only way to achieve these extra 50 levels is through extensive grinding, and BOY does it feel like a grind.

#2: Celestial Weapons “Final Fantasy X” (2001)

Most Final Fantasy games include optional ultimate weapons, the best weapons for each party member that traditionally require side questing to get your hands on. For this entry we are including all of the celestial weapons, ranging in difficulty to acquire, collecting all will cause frustration levels you didn’t think were possible. Terrible Chocobo Racing, becoming world champion in Blitzball, dodging 200 lightning bolts without getting hit, the processes and tasks required to collect as these weapons are borderline psychotic to undertake.

#1: Collecting Korok Seeds “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of The Wild” (2017)

I feel like all we’ve done on this list is discuss collection quests, but it’s hard to argue that they are the worst type of extra mission/side quests a player can engage in. However, we couldn’t do this list without discussing the daddy of all collectible quests, The Korok Seeds from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of The Wild. These seeds can be founded dotted all over the expansive map of Breath of The Wild, and can for the first couple hundred be returned in exchange for better equipment and upgrades. After collecting 440 of these seeds you will have completed all the available upgrades, and that was already taxing enough. For completionists however, we have 900 seeds spread across the game ready to be picked up for absolutely no reason. The first person to collect all of them spent 179 hours doing so, so if you aren’t ready for that level of commitment, hit the road.