Levels That Nearly Broke Us
Every gamer has that one level burned into their memory—the one that turned a relaxing play session into an emotional rollercoaster of rage. These levels didn’t care how skilled you were, as they turned simple goals into uphill battles with no checkpoints in sight. Let's recall those challenges with 20 levels that turned “just one more try” into hours of chaos.
1. Turbo Tunnel – Battletoads (NES)
Introduced in 1991, the Turbo Tunnel in Battletoads quickly became a notorious benchmark for video game difficulty. The level's design includes deceptive patterns and lightning-fast barriers, leaving little room for error. Notably, its wall-like barriers appear without warning, testing players' reflexes.
NES Atlas: Battletoads (Turbo Tunnel) by Atlas Videos
2. The Perfect Run – Super Mario Galaxy 2
Serving as the last challenge in Super Mario Galaxy 2, The Perfect Run lives up to its name by demanding flawless execution. Unlocked after collecting 9,999 Star Bits and completing prior challenges, this level offers no checkpoints. It requires players to cross a gauntlet of hazards in one continuous attempt.
Super Mario Galaxy 2: The Perfect Run (Daredevil Comet) by Eric Fortes
3. Path Of Pain – Hollow Knight
Hidden within the White Palace, the Path of Pain is an optional yet formidable platforming challenge in Hollow Knight. Accessed through a secret entrance, this area is laden with buzzsaws and spikes. Unlike the rest of the game, combat takes a backseat here, emphasizing pure platforming skills.
Hollow Knight - Path of Pain [Hitless] [The Grimm Troupe DLC] by fireb0rn
4. Stage 6-2 – Ninja Gaiden (NES)
Stage 6-2 in Ninja Gaiden allows players to contend with relentless enemy respawns, tricky platforming, and the threat of being knocked into pits. Moreover, failure in subsequent stages often sends players back to the beginning of 6-1.
Ninja Gaiden NES - Stage 6-2 by NinjaGaiden4Life
5. Water Temple – The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time
The Water Temple in Ocarina of Time is infamous for its intricate design and challenging mechanics. Located beneath Lake Hylia, players must manipulate water levels to access different areas, a task complicated by the need to frequently equip and remove the Iron Boots.
6. Champion’s Road – Super Mario 3D World
Champion’s Road is Nintendo’s ultimate platforming crucible. This beautifully cruel challenge has no power-ups and absolutely no checkpoints. Even experienced players find themselves repeating sections dozens of times before finally seeing the shimmering goal pipe.
Super Mario 3D World - Champion's Road with All Characters (World Crown-Crown) by packattack04082
7. Blighttown – Dark Souls
Descending into Blighttown feels like punishment disguised as exploration. Found beneath the Undead Burg, this treacherous area is infamous for its poisonous swamps and swarming enemies. If you played on older consoles, the stuttering framerate made survival even harder.
Dark Souls Walkthrough - Everything possible in... Blighttown ► 5 by BlueLizardJello
8. Aztec – GoldenEye 007
Hidden deep in the bonus missions, the Aztec complex turns the refined spy gameplay into a frantic endurance test. Objectives involve delicate timing and surviving a gauntlet of traps. Completing it on 00 Agent difficulty is still considered one of the game’s greatest badges of honor.
GoldenEye 007 N64 - Aztec - 00 Agent by Graslu00
9. Tree Tops – Spyro The Dragon
Tree Tops throws out the game's otherwise casual pacing and replaces it with an aggressive trial-and-error design. This level is all about chaining Supercharges—dash moves triggered by glowing arrows—across narrow platforms and tight corners.
Spyro The Dragon - Tree Tops 100% Walkthrough (Gems & Dragons) by xTGE
10. Ravenholm – Half-Life 2
“We don’t go to Ravenholm.” That ominous warning lingers long before you ever set foot in this nightmarish industrial town. What follows is a drastic tone shift, throwing you into a haunted maze filled with traps and terrifying fast-moving zombies.
Half-Life 2 | Ravenholm | Gameplay | R6850 [HD] by Pii89
11. The Ringed City – Dark Souls III
This level opens with ghostly archers who rain arrows from the sky, forcing you to sprint strategically from cover to cover. As you descend deeper, the enemies grow fiercer, with ringed knights and angelic horrors testing both timing and stamina.
Dark Souls III First Playthrough - The Ringed City (Part 2) | Finale by Major_Trenton
12. Darkeater Midir – Dark Souls III
As an optional boss, this dragon isn't required to finish Dark Souls III, but facing him is like entering a different game. His attacks are relentless, and his health bar feels infinite. You’ll need to study every movement. And any mistake means instant death.
Dark Souls 3 Ringed City: Darkeater Midir Boss Fight (4K 60fps) by Boss Fight Database
13. The Dam – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (NES)
Right after a few levels of side-scrolling action, TMNT slams you into an underwater nightmare. The Dam mission forces the turtles to disarm ticking bombs scattered across an electric maze of coral and seaweed. Even the timer offers no forgiveness.
NES Atlas: TMNT (Dam Level) by Atlas Videos
14. Tubular – Super Mario World
Tubular lures you into a false sense of security before delivering a challenge unlike anything else in Super Mario World. The entire stage hinges on your ability to float with the P-Balloon, a power-up that makes Mario inflate and hover awkwardly.
Super Mario World: Tubular [1080 HD] by GamerJGB
15. World 8-3 – Super Mario Bros. (NES)
This penultimate level stacks Hammer Bros. on nearly every platform, forcing you into precision timing and careful planning. Their hammers rain unpredictably, and Mario’s small jump arc means you can’t out-maneuver them with brute speed.
Super Mario Bros Level 8-3 Playthrough played on NES Mini by GoGetNoid
16. The Silent Cartographer – Halo: Combat Evolved
The Silent Cartographer wastes no time pushing you into an all-out war. You storm the sands alongside fellow UNSC marines, only to be met with waves of Covenant enemies and an ever-tightening mission structure. Also, the enemies react to the player's actions, and vehicles become both lifelines and liabilities.
The Silent Cartographer! | Halo: Combat Evolved by Outplanet Studios
17. World 8 – Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels
Originally deemed too difficult for American players, The Lost Levels was Japan’s true sequel to Super Mario Bros., and World 8 is where its cruelty peaks. It’s a level designed not just to test reflexes but to question your will to continue.
Super Mario All-Stars - Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels - World 8-2 by VideoGamePhenom
18. Flying Machine – Shovel Knight: Plague Of Shadows
The Flying Machine twists familiar platforming into controlled chaos. Playing as Plague Knight changes the game entirely. Combine that with wind gusts, and you’ve got a level that feels more like juggling grenades on a tightrope.
Flying Machine - Plague of Shadows - Shovel Knight Let's Play - Episode #26 by Dan_TheGamerMan
19. The Gauntlet – Celeste
There's no room for hesitation at this level. You must string together wall clings and pixel-perfect landings. The entire level demands pure muscle memory, but the underlying story makes it more than mechanics. And when you finally make it through, the triumph is quietly life-changing.
Celeste: Chapter 9, Part 11 - Reaching The Final Gauntlet by Travanoid
20. The Library – Halo: Combat Evolved
Players remember The Library for one reason: endless waves of the Flood. This level drops the pace to a crawl while keeping your finger glued to the trigger. There’s no safe spot, no reliable strategy, only sheer survival.
Halo: Combat Evolved Walkthrough - Mission 7 - The Library by Kain Primus
