The hardest video games of all time

[RedTwoster]

A pretty self explanatory title - what are the hardest video games you’ve ever played? I nearly called this thread ‘harder than a Souls-like’ but changed my mind. If you want to go with that genre, crack on.

But personally, I’ve completed Elden Ring, Sekiro, Dark Souls and I’m fairly sure I could complete Bloodborne if I gave it a proper try (dunno why, but I’ve always struggled to get into it).

What I’ve not been able to complete, however, and I’m almost certain that I can’t is…

Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time

When this game was announced, I was buzzing. I loved the original Crash games, and I had every faith this would be excellent. When the reviews came in, they were glowing. Then I played it. Fuck.

I’d be shocked if anyone out there has 100% completed this without utterly giving their life away to it. It’s beyond difficult. The older Crash games were challenging at times, but ultimately they were pretty breezy platformers that didn’t require insane levels of skill to get through. They were more about fun than the challenge.

This utter bastard of a game, though? You have to be precision-perfect if you’re to collect all boxes. Even if you give up on doing that and aim simply to complete the game, death sits around every corner, sticking the middle finger up at you. Some of the bosses in particular put even the most frustrating of From bosses (I’m looking at you, Godskin Duo) to shame. 

It feels like an entire game of those fan-built Mario Maker levels designed to be almost impossible to complete; the level of difficulty often feels unfair. I got to a point in this where I knew I couldn’t get any further, and I just had to give up. I’ve contemplated revisiting it but even the thought of doing that makes me shudder. 

For me, this is the most difficult game I’ve ever played. Sometimes a game feels hard, but not impossible. I’m pretty certain that I don’t have it in me to complete this.

Over to you - what do you consider the hardest games you’ve played?

Edited October 10, 2025 by RedTwoster

[FLips]

Glad I’m not the only one gave up on Crash 4. I was so excited for it and I don’t think I made it past the 2nd World. Not only was it tough but I didn’t even find it that fun. A real disappointment.

[HarmonicGenerator]

I was going to mention Crash. The first game on PS1 was the most frustrated I think I’ve ever been with a game. I managed to get further along with it on the remastered PS4 one, but can’t say I wanted to try the newer games.

I’ll instead go with Ecco the Dolphin. Because I tried that game so many times, wanting to play it, each time thinking “this time I’ll crack it”, and I never, ever, ever got past the first bit. Could never even figure out what you were meant to do. Just swam up a bit, down a bit… I found it completely impenetrable. And that was on the introductory easy bit!

Edited October 10, 2025 by HarmonicGenerator

[SuperBacon]

The TMNT game with the underwater/electricity bit. Absolute bastard. 

 

[RedTwoster]

19 minutes ago, HarmonicGenerator said:

I was going to mention Crash. The first game on PS1 was the most frustrated I think I’ve ever been with a game. I managed to get further along with it on the remastered PS4 one, but can’t say I wanted to try the newer games.

Did you ever play 2 & 3? They’re much more forgiving and enjoyable than the original. Crash Team Racing is also very good.

19 minutes ago, HarmonicGenerator said:

I’ll instead go with Ecco the Dolphin. Because I tried that game so many times, wanting to play it, each time thinking “this time I’ll crack it”, and I never, ever, ever got past the first bit. Could never even figure out what you were meant to do. Just swam up a bit, down a bit… I found it completely impenetrable. And that was on the introductory easy bit!

Which reminds me of this utter nightmare…

I could never get past the tutorial in Driver, without using an action replay. It’s ridiculously hard. I cheated to pass this bit and the rest of the game isn’t quite as bad, and with that in mind it’s utterly baffling to me that they left something this challenging in as a way of teaching you the game.

[Chest Rockwell]

46 minutes ago, HarmonicGenerator said:

I’ll instead go with Ecco the Dolphin. Because I tried that game so many times, wanting to play it, each time thinking “this time I’ll crack it”, and I never, ever, ever got past the first bit. Could never even figure out what you were meant to do. Just swam up a bit, down a bit… I found it completely impenetrable. And that was on the introductory easy bit!

Terrible game. Everyone knows underwater levels are the worst bit of any game, who wants a whole game of that?

[Arch Stanton]

Crash 4 is so hard I knew not to even start on it. Rep preceded it. I read reviews and thought 'fuck that'. This was especially disappointing as I'd just completed the re-release trilogy just before it came out and was well up for a new game.

Driver is a tremendous shout. I also never made it past the tutorial. What kind of game has a tutorial that's too hard?! I was just glad I had a snide copy on a chipped PS1 and hadn't paid for it.

 

[Gus Mears]

Sims 1. Every Sim I ever made turned into an irrevocable head case with no friends, usually setting fire to themselves accidentally when trying to cook dinner.

[Arch Stanton]

Also happy to see Ecco mentioned, @HarmonicGenerator your experience with it mirrors mine exactly!

[SuperBacon]

31 minutes ago, Arch Stanton said:

I was just glad I had a snide copy on a chipped PS1 and hadn't paid for it.

This but with Syphon Filter! I remember it being really difficult, but when you're paying a quid a game, I didn't really care

[HarmonicGenerator]

1 hour ago, RedTwoster said:

Did you ever play 2 & 3? They’re much more forgiving and enjoyable than the original. Crash Team Racing is also very good.

Crash Team Racing is all good with me. For ages, Mrs HG and I had a nightly ritual of a race on the Nitro-Fuelled remake version - so it's a sentimental favourite!

[JNLister]

It's not an inherently hard game, but Legends of Wrestling 2 is more challenging than it should be because the manual intentionally/accidentally left out the instruction for how to pin somebody.

[BomberPat]

Sonic Spinball. Took me years to even get past the first level. 

[Bruce85]

3 hours ago, SuperBacon said:

The TMNT game with the underwater/electricity bit. Absolute bastard. 

 

This game (and echo the bastard dolphin) can get in the bin! That underwater level on the NES version of TMNT was ridiculously hard! 
 

I also hated the battle toads game, the hoverboard level was so hard! 

[Lion_of_the_Midlands]

2 hours ago, Chest Rockwell said:

Terrible game. Everyone knows underwater levels are the worst bit of any game, who wants a whole game of that?

Hallelujah brother. I loved X-Com Enemy Unknown on the PS1. It was hard but enjoyable. The follow up X-Com Terror From The Deep can fuck right off. Underwater Aliens can fucking stay there. Never played it for more than an hour and got nowhere near completing it.