We all have had that experience when we are enjoying our video game until we stumble across a level that will be extremely challenging and hard to beat because of the enemies, the map itself, or even the objectives. Overcoming a challenge is always good and when you are able to finish a hard and punishing level, you know you are better than before.
Hard and complex levels in video game are a double-edged sword; they give more immersion and importance to the video games but they can annoy the player if they don’t like challenges. These are ranking the 8 most complex and difficult levels in video games so let’s begin!
8. Tree Tops – Spyro the Dragon
Spyro the Dragon is a one of those games that are very fun and accessible for everyone because it is not challenging… Until you get to the Tree Tops level and it becomes more challenging than anything seen before in the game.
Tree Top is a level that consists of platforms that are separated by giant gaps and the only way to go from one to another is using speed boosters and, of course, the jumps are too difficult to make. This level ruined Spyro for so many kids and we all understand that. It’s almost mandatory for a platform video game to have a level like this.
7. Parking Lot – Driver
Driver’s parking lot level is one of those weird cases where the tutorial is harder than the entire game. This parking lot level was so annoying that ruined so many gamers’ weekends and this is not an exaggeration; this level has no room for errors and tight time limit, is far harder than it sounds, many players stopped playing Driver because of this level.
And yeah, the good thing is that you finish this level and you won’t find something as hard as this level in Driver; you are free to enjoy after this one, but this level will forever be remembered as probably the hardest tutorial level to ever appear in a video game.
6. Rainbow Road – Mario Kart Wii
The Rainbow Road level from the Mario Kart series has always been extremely annoying, complex, and stressful, but this is the level at which you go from being a boy to a man. This level has been reworked so many times but the challenging spirit is always there, but to be fair, the Mario Kart Wii version of this track is the most challenging to date.
No guardrails, sharp turns, steep hills, and obviously, the attacks from the other racers make this level even more stressful than before. Falling off the road is inevitable, don’t worry about it, and rage-quits from stressed players are quite normal in this infamous level.
5. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Area 2 – Dam Level
All underwater levels in video games are extremely annoying and difficult, but the Dam Level from the NES’ Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is without a doubt, one of the worst ever created. The game doesn’t give you any clue about where to go and what are your objectives, and also, the difficulty shift is notable in this level.
If you were a kid in the 90s, I am pretty sure that you had to play this level so many in times in order to complete, and the turtles losing the health bar and the ticking clock sound are unforgettable, but not in the good way of course.
4. Goldeneye 64 – Aztec
Goldeneye 64 is one of the most defining and famous first-person shooters of all time, and despite the game is not as difficult as we can imagine, the secret Aztec level is unexpectedly more challenging than anything seen before in the game.
Aztec is a labyrinth with endless enemies that are twice as fast, dangerous, an accurate than the average Bond’s enemy; the tights corridors make this level more challenging and unique. The good thing is that you are 19 levels into the game so you are kind of prepared for this level, but even with that in mind, you will be a hard time with this level, and when you encounter Jaws, you will have it worst.
3. Turbo Tunnel – Battletoads
NES’ Battletoads is widely considered one of the most challenging and difficult video games ever released and many old-school gamers remember the level, Turbo Tunnel, as the most challenging level in the video game, and one of those level that are almost unbeatable if you don’t have the ability and concentration.
Turbo Tunnel as a nightmare for the 90s kids who expected a quite normal video game, but they had a surprise with this one; the game changes from a beat’ em up gameplay to a fast-paced side-scrolling vehicle sections where you have to jump obstacles at the speed of light. Battletoads is rough, and this level is legendary for its unfairness.
2. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time – The Water Temple
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is usually considered as the best video game of all time, it is extremely influential in every possible aspect, but if you ask somebody who loves Zelda what is the worst aspect of this game, they will always bring the Water Temple to the conversation.
This level is so frustrating, the temple is dark, there are raising and lowering water levels, underwater zones; the only bad part in the entire video game. This level is so hated and complex that the 3DS port altered the Water Temple to make it easier to both old and new players.
1. Dark Souls – Anor Londo
Dark Souls is universally known for its punishing and unforgiving difficulty, and while we can add any level from the Dark Souls games, it wouldn’t be right. But almost every fan or Dark Souls enjoyer will tell you that the most complex level in Dark Souls is the critically acclaimed Anor Londo.
Anor Londo is remembered for its beautiful cathedral, annoying archers, platform passages, and obviously, Ornstein and Smough, the two most famous Dark Souls’ bosses. It is remembered because is the first level where the difficulty increases too much; the beginning of Dark Souls was already hard, but this is your first “real” challenge.
