Do you get really frustrated after playing a level of a video game? Many of us have experienced that frustration when the game stops being enjoyable and starts to feel like a relentless taskmaster. The challenging levels test our abilities, challenge our gaming skills, and ultimately make us give up.
Let me start with a personal confession: while playing CONTROL, I fought flying monsters that could kill me in one hit. It’s like running headlong into a brick wall, no matter how hard you try or how many times you turn the difficulty down. I had to leave because it was just so annoying. And honestly, most players know this feeling all too well. We love challenges, but when a level takes away from the enjoyment, it’s hard to aviod a sense of failure.
What happens now is that let’s explore the infamous levels that put the skills of gamers across the globe to a severe test. These are not simply difficult levels, but levels that are infamous for drawing the ire and verbal abuse of their controllers. These levels force us to reconsider the decisions we make in life and make us bite our nails furiously.
Taking stock of the tube cards that have turned people’s stomachs – Rankings
Champion’s Road from “Super Mario 3D World” is at the top of the list. Although Mario games are known for being accessible and family-friendly, this level is anything but. This level needs precision because of its disappearing blocks, opponents that demand quick reflexes, and a plethora of platforming problems. You’re doomed with one minor slip-up. Additionally, reaching the finish is a Herculean struggle, even though there is a lovely message waiting there.
‘Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair’ has the Impossible Lair as well. With a name like that, you should expect difficulties. If they don’t give up right away, even the most experienced players may need more than fifty attempts to finish this level. Considering that most games only allow you 10 chances to get struck, you’ll need to be extremely careful to survive.
Another famous level to make it into the history books of difficult video games is Death Mountain from ‘Zelda II: The Adventure of Link’. Contrary to the top-down and 3D games of much greater popularity in the series, this 2D side-scroller really forces you to actually study your enemies and exploit their weaknesses rather than simply mash the attack button repeatedly. It’s one of those levels that requires planning and patience, and even then, reaching the summit is hard to attain.
Well, in Super Mario World, “P-Balloons” were hated by anyone who played it due to one level called Tubular. This level was actually rather short, but often required hours of attempts and devotions. The P-Balloon handles like trying to pull a rock across a frozen lake, and even the tiniest bump might send it careening out of control onto the ice. This is just as great a test of the reflexes of the player as his or her patience.
And though “Ecco the Dolphin” may seem like an unfamiliar name on our list, that level in “Welcome to the Machine” triggered nightmares for many players. This level’s autoscrolling tunnels are very narrow and the opponents are aggressive, so the player is required to time it accurately and rely on luck to get through. Moreover, the unpredictability of the camera’s direction causes new annoyances with each endeavor.
The Water Temple in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is well-remembered for its complexity. The swirling mazes and dungeons are non-linear, and the water levels reset much too frequently. This makes this level not only complex but also hard to deal with. Not to forget, one classic and tough encounter is that with Dark Link.
These are levels that have players around the world screaming in despair. All these levels challenge us to go beyond ourselves, beyond our comfort zones. It makes us doubt if we are enjoying ourselves or punishing ourselves. Even if these levels make us want to give up, they also inspire us to overcome difficulties and prove to ourselves that we can get through them. The paradox of challenging video game levels is that frustrating as they are, there’s great satisfaction when you finally conquer them.
We seem to be enjoying it
But then, why do we do it? Why are we putting ourselves through these almost impossible degrees of digital torture? The reason for this solution lies within the psychology of gaming and the human drive for success. Playing computer games is not merely the aimless pressing of buttons but rather a sophisticated psychological dance with our own constraints and goals.
The idea of ‘flow’ is critical to the realization of why humans go through the most unfitting circumstances. ‘Flow’ is the name coined by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi for the state of straining and engaging that makes us forget the passage of time and how well we are performing. Difficult stages, with their clearly defined needs and high risks, are ideal in terms of inducing this state. They require all our concentration and expertise, and it is somewhat thrilling to undertake the task when we are in the zone.
However, there’s a thin line separating frustration and flow. We lose our temper when a level pushes us too hard, when the task seems unfair, or when the objective seems unreachable. Herein lies the idea of ‘anger leaving’. The reward no longer warrants the effort at this point, which is a time of emotional and cognitive overload. Our brain tells us to leave in an attempt to prevent more stress and unpleasant feelings. It serves as a self-defense mechanism and a means of regaining control when a game has stolen it away.
An excellent example is, without doubt, the infamous Water Temple in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. The gruesome battle against Dark Link, followed by nonstop backtracking combined with poorly designed levels-all these could surely make this experience change from difficult to frustrating in just a snap. With such a setup, it would not be really hard to see why many players quit after they have spent hours just trying to navigate the maze-like waters.
And yet, even when we do give up, there is often a persistent need to return that we experience. That’s the reason for the “Zigaanic Effect”-the fact that unfinished activities are more memorable than completed ones. We cannot erase those unfinished levels from our minds. Rather, they become obstacles that we must personally overcome, deterring us from trying again. Thus, we do it frequently as overcoming a difficult obstacle gives us a great sense of satisfaction.
A strong motivation is the promise of eventually defeating a level that has consistently outperformed us. It demonstrates our ability and tenacity. It’s not simply a game win when we eventually master songs like “Through the Fire and Flames” in “Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock” on expert difficulty; it’s a victory against ourselves. It demonstrates that we can push ourselves to the limit and succeed.
Furthermore, it is impossible to ignore the social component of gaming. Another level of fulfillment comes from sharing our challenges and victories with friends or the larger gaming community. Knowing that others have had the same difficulties and have either conquered them or given up on them fosters a sense of solidarity. Sharing our “rage quit” tales with others allows us to connect with them via a common experience rather than just complaining.
Most of our favorite games are usually the ones that make us want to give up. The ones that test us, help us improve our gameplay, and provide us with anecdotes we can share.Also included in that unforgiving struggle, Dark Souls 3’s “Ringed City” and the precision of Super Mario Odyssey’s “Dark Side of the Moon” were levels that stole special places in the hearts of our players.
Next time you feel your anger rise, just stop for one moment and remind yourself why you started playing this game in the first place: for the thrills of gaming, the challenge, or the accomplishment? Whatever your reason, just remember that it’s okay to walk away but okay to come back and try again, too. The toughest victories are always the sweetest.
Maybe someday, well look back and miss these levels of rage for the times they made us want to fling our controllers across the room. Or perhaps we’ll simply appreciate them for what they were meant to be-a testament to the appeal, frustration, and ultimate satisfaction of video games.
Related posts:
That one game/level that you couldn’t beat
Have you ever quit a video game because you can’t beat it?
The 100 Hardest Video-Game Levels of All Time
