10 Most Infuriatingly Hard Levels In Otherwise Great Games

"FOLLOW THAT TRAIN!" - three words guaranteed to make you bristle with rage. Time to sit down, grab a stress ball and look at some of the most annoyingly difficult video game missions of all time.
VO: Peter Austin
Script: James Jenkins
Video Editor: James Jenkins
#HardestLevels #GTASanAndreas #CrashBandicoot
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[@hughsmiley9230]

‘This level is the dark souls of dark souls’- Peter Austin 2019 😂😂

[@waziotter]

I’m REALLY pleased to see the Driver Tutorial on here. It took me over 100 tries to beat that effing thing. By the time I managed it I was an really good driver, but totally bored of the game.

[@StillOnFire]

I remember on San Andreas that I was probably lucky enough to not have major issues with the train level. Now getting the pilots license.... Bugger.

[@davidfutterer551]

Oh yeah... I had both

[@oshikuru09]

Blood ring, collecting the cops motorcycles. And yes getting the pilots license even though I have zero issues flying

[@davonz4942]

Me either it was zero and that damn red Barron missions 😆

[@toodlebug500]

I've heard this 'Goldeneye isn't good if you go back and play now' a lot lately. I played it again recently and I couldn't disagree more with that statement. I've heard it so much that I was expecting it played badly, it doesn't, far from it, still feels great to play today, surprisingly so, smooth and responsive and well designed. Sorry, I had to say something, the myth that Goldeneye doesn't hold up must be debunked.

[@fdsfsdfsdfsfs]

The first time I beat "wrong side of the tracks" I landed my bike on top of the train when it came out the tunnel and shot them myself. On further replays, i actually found that if you position the bike just right smoke will have perfect accuracy, but there really is no indication as to where that is. Once you find it though you can beat the mission before the first tunnel, which only makes the mission more infuriating since it was obviously meant to be simple.

[@Eight-Bit-Kit]

The tutorial wasn't the hardest bit, that last mission in Driver was pure evil!

[@MrKahlerHahn]

oh boy yeah my doctor really earned a fortune due to that nightmare

[@thiagovidal6137]

I beat Driver twice and I don't even remember the last mission. Surely wasn't much of a problem otherwise I would remember it. As for the tutorial, I only learned it was hard many years later on the internet... back in the day I flew through the tutorial with no problems whatsoever several times. (I'd always start anew when showing the game to a friend and such) Didn't hear any of my friends complaining about the tutorial either after they all got their hands on the game as well.

[@ZombieNationLTD]

HHa yea like 10 M cops ploughing Into you hahah

[@awatson3367]

My mate bought the game and never got past the tutorial 😁

[@gardnerfamilytravels]

Ah, the presidents run!

[@defacedmusic]

The skipping challenge in Mario Odyssey is definitely a contender for a part 2 of this

[@tem6601]

I could feel the familiar burn of ancient anger rewatching the "Driver" intro bit. Hated it so much because my controller was a bit crap in addition to the hardnesss, I just didnt even play it anymore after finally finishing the intro.

[@montanastranger]

I quit playing it because of that tutorial to start. I was really excited about the game too.

[@formulafreak2]

No mention of GTA Vice City's RC Helicopter missions?

[@vanhalenfan74729]

I personally liked Demolition Man, myself. The seaplane mission, though, can die in a fire.

[@Sky-si1iv]

I've been playing Vice City since it came out and have only beaten Demolition Man like twice.

[@agghjjhgdhvfgjngggh2381]

Exactly, absolute nightmare, horrible controls and much worse then any level in San Andreas.

[@ZombieNationLTD]

I was JUST thinking about the driver tutorial earlier today, that’s so weird

[@pattywagon313]

All we had to do was follow the damn train CJ!

[@Alex_DC413]

The Water Temple in Zelda and that Crash Bandicoot level are the only ones I have firsthand experience with. The Crash one drove me to tears, but I was relieved when I discovered the "easy way." As you can tell by my quotes, I agree the so-called easy way ain't that easy.

[@businesschicken8699]

Yeah. In my personal experience, it's usually either "driving levels" or "escort missions" that end up being the hardest, most broken levels in games where those things aren't a main focus of the game, or just plain out aren't designed and implemented well. Oh, my favorite is a combination of driving and escorting in a game that otherwise doesn't contain those features for anything besides "special", singularly unique levels.

[@yourgameisstupid]

I love me some Dark Souls, but lol @ at that insanely broken hitbox at 2:20

[@henryviiifake8244]

Box? It's basically a warehouse 🤣

[@joeboo8626]

I deployed to Saudi Arabia in '98 and loaned Golden Eye to a friend. I could never beat it on 007 mode, but he did and unlocked everything. My nephew erased the save file a few years later (along with my Morrowind progress on Xbox). This is why I never had kids.

[@CallumDickson666]

SEGA's Alaadin Carpet Ride Level. Died hundreds of times in that level and had to restart the game from the start. Finally defeated it and never even died once until I finished the game after. That's how hard it was.

[@RedForLife68]

God I remember that one. Once you memorised which way you had to go it wasn’t too bad. But it was stress inducing nonetheless.

[@jamesrichards802]

You got me with the San Andreas train thumbnail XD

[@josephbiondi8427]

😂I was gonna say, if that level didn't make the list, then fuck this video 😂😂😂

[@moonlightequilibrium8924]

That mission in GTA3 where you have to snipe those cartel members on that ship from the rooftop in order to bomb the ship was a virtual nightmare for me.

[@Weensx]

Yup couldn't finish that mission as a kid to this very day I still have it memorized the layout of those cartels

[@GeftheMongoose]

Great work, new guy James Jenkins. Got real skills. The nightmare level in Max Payne, following the blood trail with the baby crying. Was literal hell though.

[@TheZombiePimpernel]

God that was annoying. Totally uncalled for, slippy physics, and death after death...I hated those levels.

[@aoran93]

Ngl i can still hear Big Smoke's voice just from your thumbnail until now

[@bluenerdlabs6158]

Great list. Thanks!

[@MrShawnmicheals]

At the risk of sounding like a smartass, I have to say that Wrong Side of The Tracks is not a difficult or infuriating mission. It took me maybe a couple of tries before I got it. You can see that Big Smoke needs a little distance between him and the train. You give him that distance and he drops them fools quite quickly. I figured this out a long time ago and I am a dumbass!!!

[@colingznetworkplus4618]

Infuriatingly hard levels can be well designed levels too

[@mattball8622]

I always thought the Aquas route was the easy one through Lylat Wars. The physics are a bit crap, but you can basically switch off for most of the level and you're ok as far as I can remember. The lava planet was the only one I can remember causing a problem.

[@mattball8622]

I also completed the water temple in one evening. I think I'm just wierd.

[@MattrickBT]

the hardest Veteran level in Cod4 for me was (I can't recall the name) where you have to fight uphill to this farm, and then you get ambushed and you have to fight your way from the farm and back down the hill to get to the chopper, and it's timed, and there was no checkpoint once the ambush happened so you had to play those same 5 minutes over and over again. What was super frustrating about it was the long sight lines and general lack of cover so you had to clear out enemies with a sniper rifle first. It took a good chunk of the time you were given just to make the journey so you had very little time to pause to clear out enemies. It's the only Cod level I never beat on veteran (well, up until Black Ops 2 because I stopped playing the franchise after that).

[@marcverville9775]

Yes that one. I never beat it on veteran and gave up after 300ish tries. I remember you could use a laser pointer or something to call in artillery strikes but it was mostly useless. Infinite enemies that can always kill you in under 0.5 seconds with minimal cover. Pure hell of a level

[@06madmartin]

The carpark in driver was awesome. GET GOOD! 🤣

[@BrianMills198686]

Screen just said "The Tutorial" and I already knew it was going to be Driver. 😂

[@Ribulose15diphosphat]

Orbitus in Jazz Jackrabbit; Ant Town in Bio Menace; Terrafrost Catacombs (Ice Boss) in Descent 2; Seol Subway (lvl4) in Descent 3; Interloper in Half Life; Plane of Air in Nethack

[@MattyisaG]

CoD4’s Epilogue, The High Road and Wrong Side of the Tracks all immediately spring to mind as some of the hardest levels I’ve ever attempted in video games. Unlocking Mile High Club and every achievement on N Sane Trilogy are probably my most proud gaming moments!

[@steakcrust558]

wrong side of the tracks is your own fault you failed.

[@tjtourette5261]

The first thing I thought about was GTA Vice City. Three words: remote controlled helicopter!

[@babayaga20000]

The second the last german level in World at War was much harder than Mile High Club. I remember spending literal days trying to beat it on legendary but I got MHC in a few hours with a tutorial.

[@airamplane1234]

I'm surprised that the Undertale Sans boss fight wasn't on here

[@gakk8658]

The finale of Need for Speed: Most Wanted. You get through the whole game with your small collection of awesome, customized cars. Then the game slaps you in the "awesome" car from the start of the game and makes you drive across the whole map with hundreds of cops going HAM trying to crash you off the road. The car you're given is fast, sure, great, but it's also about as durable as wet cardboard box, meaning that you're going to have to drive perfectly, at full speed, across the whole map, with cops coming from all directions directly at you and killing you pretty much instantly. FUCK OFF GAME!

[@assypr]

I've played that game quite a lot since I was a kid and never even got to the end. I don't think I ever even defeated Bull. But what do you mean they kill you? You're indestructible, right? Or does that change at the end?

[@rickyrosay33977]

Earls boss races were much harder

[@PRATERVXEX]

Time Splitters 2: Atom Smasher.

[@vozpit]

I just recently started playing San Andreas again & got up to the "Wrong Side of the Tracks" mission. I was expecting to fail many times & hear Big Smoke's complaining. Instead, not only did I beat it my first attempt, I beat it before the oncoming train even got near me. I'm kind of disappointed.

[@rossvegas7]

your hard

[@timothygraham4304]

Is the "vertical concrete wall of pain" line a reference to Battletoads?

[@christopherobrien3671]

The goat from broken sword shadow of the templars was ridiculous, you had to place the cursor at a very specific part of the screen by the plow to get the goats rope stuck on the plow, how in god's name did anyone figure it out without a walkthrough back in the 90s was beyond me, absolutely amazing game tho

[@Krethean]

I never really found Aquas to be that difficult of a stage. I mean, it was basically a Darius game in 3D and your shield is a barre-aileron roll. I say Darius game because you just had to keep fring and never stop. You had little reason to stop firing. Vision might be limited but part of the reason you don't stop firing is because your torpedoes do light the area up some as it travels.

[@ajspringer]

This video gives me so many suggestions for next year's E3 punishment 😂

[@sheltongolden4394]

Driver is how I learned the word "slalom."

[@karanbalwani]

Honorable mention: Stunt Boat Challenge - GTA Vice City

[@ThatShyGuyMatt]

Goldeneye.... was a master of that game. I tried it again a few months back and suck again. Don't even have the patience for it. Thank goodness for the Goldeneye remake you can download for free.

[@Weensx]

I remember back in the day there used to be a half life 2 mod of goldeneye that was pretty popular the multiplayer was great

[@chaospoet]

Castlevania Harmony of Dissonance for GBA. The section where you have to outrun a giant boulder is the only time in my life where I took the game out of the machine and threw the game into the nearest wall, then ran over and stomped on it, then picked it up again to throw back at the wall. I've never been able to find a walkthrough of how to do it that doesn't involve someone using an emulator and cheat codes to move through solid objects in order to win.

[@gregsmith9183]

Ahh getting stuck in a game, dying then hearing the same dialogue over and over every time you restart. GTA IV putting you right back to the beginning of a mission when you die or fail. Including having to drive to the mission start point. Definately Driver PS1 training mission was the most frustrating for me.

[@josephbiondi8427]

Call of Duty: World at War was miserable enough on hardened. Makes veteran on other Cod's feel like a joke

[@Shadow_WXZ]

Oh my god! This video brought me back those horrible memories from that last mission in Modern Warfare... Thanks I hate it!

[@TheProfessorBonster]

I blame The Getaway on PS2 for me now going grey before even getting into my thirties. I both love and hate that god dam game

[@ourwritercat]

Yes Jenkins!!!

[@EuropeanQoheleth]

3:07 TRIGGERED

[@glenmorris8405]

Aztec in GoldenEye isn't that bad. Once you know where everything is, and the tip to defeating jaws is to peak out of cover and back again and he'll run right up to to you and you just shoot him in the chest without taking any damage

[@kazumahazeuzumaki]

I get shit from people every time I say it, but I never had issue with San Andreas' Wrong Side mission. The RC missions? Destroyed me. But never any trouble with the train.

[@ellnats]

the elevator in batman arkham city was so hard, but i actually spent time in an institution (not by choice) and figured out how to do it

[@mrperfectedkelly]

I hate the grim reaper boss fight and preceding corridor in castevania lol

[@CanadianMikeTV]

On San Andreas I actually had to do this weird trick everytime to launch myself up onto the train and give big smoke a clear line of site and he just wouldn't shoot sometimes.

[@lb2.0.45]

Hey don't hate on all we had to do was follow the damn train CJ that's become an iconic line lol.

[@DrtyALGreen]

I used to beat all the COD campaigns on veteran. I'm a masochist I guess but I always beat them through grinding.

[@listerofsmeg884]

I'm no great action game player, but never found the Trial of Archemedis in GoWA that tough. The trials of the Gods/Titans in the earlier games were far more difficult, if optional.

[@maxwillson]

Final Doom - Level Mount Pain

[@newphilmz3605]

That reminds me I still have to finish CoD4 on Veteran. got about halfway through.

[@Wykletypl]

I am pretty sure 'Freefall' is much worse than 'Wrong Side of Tracks'. And I have never ever played San Andreas.

[@scottoliv737]

Supply Lines is worse than Wrong Side of the Tracks.

[@LucasAE86]

Syphon Filter: The Omega Strain. The Chechen Terrorist Base level was a pain in the ass.

[@philbateman1989]

The GTA San Andreas train mission is only hard if you don't do what the guy tells you to do. FOLLOW THE TRAIN!!! Don't drive alongside it!!! If you drive alongside it, he can't hit the guys on top of it. Just trail behind it a bit and he can hit them just fine.

[@hyperionman420]

We're _still_ on 24k subscribers? Things are moving worryingly slow. :-(

[@ianto3540]

Handsome Jack get your Hyperion robots to subscribe pls

[@jonnydornan5647]

Adam McDermott will let you know how hard mile high club is! Check out his platinum journey of modern warfare, took him about 2 months ISH

[@aipaloovik]

The Trials of Archimedes is exactly why I haven't finished that game.

[@slamblamboozled1245]

One shot, one kill from CoD4 on veteran was infuriating, well mainly the last part where you're waiting for the helicopter. I never really had any issues with the epilogue.

[@llpalm08]

I know what you mean, the amount of time I spent crouched around the bumper cars, picking off the enemies while trying to not get shot, was insane.

[@dmytrosoboliev935]

Oh, i remember that level from GoW Ascension. I never finished it playing on hard difficulty. Dark souls trilogy didn't give that much stress than this particular level. Also never finished that epilogue from CoD4 😅 (on veteran).

[@FEARitself100]

Ah yes, through the fire and flames, the inspiration for CH's souless mods

[@davelyono2616]

Dude.....the Driver tutorial....U just unlocked a repressed memory.😢

[@robsaunders623]

Lylat wars (I don't know why an english bloke is calling it starfox) was awesome. The tank level was my favourite.

[@mark902]

Whats funny is that I got past the remote plane mission (well the first one, maybe there's more)in San andreas. Getting the politely license though... well that where I stopped playing.

[@robertlake9009]

I played driver all the time and never had an issue with the tutorial. I do remember having to go to friends houses to beat the tutorial for them though.

[@Canady117]

I couldn't do Mile High Club on Veteran. I tried probably hundreds of times and could never get it. I ended up having a friend do it for me so I could get 100% Achievement completion. Then I did it within the first 10 tries on MW Remastered lol. I wasn't happy that I had finally done it. I was mad that I couldn't do it on the original version still.

[@vanhalenfan74729]

Ugh, Chairman Drek in the original Ratchet & Clank. Sure, you can cheese with the RYNO, but without it, it was extremely difficult

[@OnyersixForLife]

The Driver tutorial level had all the instructions in the manual. All you had to do was READ THE MANUAL.

[@ThisBirdHasFlown]

I’ve done the GTA: SA train level four times in my life… on four different playthroughs. I did it first go each time. I have no idea how it’s supposed to be so difficult.

[@Weensx]

RNG Jesus blessed you on those days

[@Xhumed]

I've never heard "Through the fire and flames" but the Primus "Devil went down to Georgia" is good.

[@antiadam666]

Just listen to the song and it will tell you how hard it is lol

[@bodacious117]

The hardest part for me in any god of war game was the level where you climb those spinning spikes at the end of the game.. it took me so many tries to climb those.. the hit detection on them seemed unfair at times

[@josephbiondi8427]

Goldeneye and Crash Bandicoot take me back.. Never completed a Bandicoot game

[@roryk101]

The God of War Ascension bit is the only time i have rage quit

[@cassidydelaney4318]

Same here, it even get rid off the thing because if I didn't I would have broken it.

[@tijuanatacotoker]

1-1 in SMB 1. Truly separates the boys from the men.

[@twilightsparkle75]

anor londo being in this list for dark souls makes me think you never dealt with the tomb of giants lol

[@Underratedcomedi]

I’m surprised control Essej fight isn’t on here

[@LoverOfBellies]

Sorry but Goldeneye played really well

[@ItzOZZA]

I found Mile high club to be a piece of piss on veteran all you have to do is flash and clear all over again. The ending part of all ghillied up where you had to set captain Macmillan down while you fight waves of enemies was a ball buster on veteran.

[@nathant1428]

Even thinking about Wrong side of the tracks makes me really pissed off! Fucking hell big smoke cannot shoot, and his driving sucked in the next mission too!

[@antiadam666]

The long high walkways between buildings in the 1st halo always got me angry. Took ages. Forget what the levels called

[@BKIslandersfan]

Shooting down Krimzon Guards at the Drill Platform in Jak 2.

[@Ralphanthonybianscomusic]

Ninja Gaiden. Level 6-2. I finally competed the game last year, but section 6-2 made me seriously consider giving up.

[@nathant1428]

If hell existed it would be playing Wrong side of the tracks for eternity

[@steakcrust558]

its your own fault you failed this mission. hell is not admitting you suck.

[@llpalm08]

I replayed it again recently, and shocked myself by doing it first attempt.

[@nathant1428]

@@steakcrust558 sure, that's why it's on this list..

[@steakcrust558]

@@nathant1428 you are deep in denial. accept your shortcomings and failures. big smoke shoots at a constant 45 degree angle. if youre too close to the train you wont shoot the gangsters. Its your fault you failed.

[@nathant1428]

@@steakcrust558 Many people had a problem with this level thats why it has meme status. But whatever man act high and mighty all you want, I'm not gonna argue with you because it's clearly like talking to a brick wall.

[@silverfilmsofficial]

RIP Vicarious Visions

[@StudioHappyboy]

The first mission after the opening of mass effect 2 on insanity. Your under powered and your gear is scrub. Took me ages to clear it. After that it gets more manageable

[@josephbiondi8427]

that Epilogue in Call of Duty took me all night, literally stayed up all fucking night. Til I realized my controller was fucked cuz the L3 sprint button was messed up. Got a new remote and problem solved.

[@TheVargr]

That train level is easy. Far from being the hardest level in a GTA game.

[@vastexpanse8606]

Had way more problems with the RC plane missions in GTA:SA... God I hated those

[@TheVargr]

@@vastexpanse8606 Yea same. Played on both the PS2 and Xbox and those were harder on the Xbox due to the control layout.

[@vastexpanse8606]

Man, I suppose I'm lucky I only played the PS2 version. Lol, could probably do some damage chuckin' those ungodly og xbox controllers around

[@RobinJayne]

The Warthog run at the end of Halo: Combat Evolved. Dear god. Also our WiFi password is ButtNugget. Which is incredibly close to ‘bum nuggets’ and I thought it was worth mentioning.

[@deluxemandave789]

That fucking goat in broken sword is nightmarish

[@alexanderackerman3807]

Desert Dual With Maximilian from Valkyria Chronicles I love the game but dam that level is infuriating

[@Weensx]

Hitman 2 silent assassin is a great game but there are alot of missions that make you pull your own hair going for the silent assassin rating

[@EMEXD11]

man the hardest part in all of god of war's story for me is god of war's 2 spike elevator in which you had to pull a lever against some spikes to make the elevator go up while some skeletons where bothering T_T that part still is hard for me T_T