Pain, frustration, and pure satisfaction often live in the same space when it comes to hard games. There’s a strange kind of excitement that comes from failing a hundred times before finally breaking through. These games don’t hand out victories; they make the player earn every inch of progress.
12 Most Rage Inducing Games Of All Time
There are some games out there that exist to bring out the inner rage of players. Whether it's due to difficulty, challenge, or outright nonsense.
These games don’t feel impossible for the sake of it though. Their challenge comes from intentional design that demands focus and timing. Every fight, jump, or puzzle needs attention. Rushing in or acting without thought leads to punishment. What keeps players hooked is how every mistake pushes them to want to try again, and how, every time they try, they're still having a good time, even after countless deaths.
Super Meat Boy
A Brutal Platformer That Rewards Perfect Timing
Super Meat Boy
- Released
- October 20, 2010
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Animated Blood, Cartoon Violence, Crude Humor, Language
- Developer(s)
- Team Meat
- Genre(s)
- Platformer
Super Meat Boy looks simple at first glance; players just have to run, jump, and reach Bandage Girl to complete each level. However, behind that cute setup hides one of the toughest 2D platformers ever made. Every stage is filled with saw blades, missiles, salt pools, and other instant-death traps that demand perfect movement. Even one slip will send players back to the start.
Later stages, like “The Cotton Alley,” are infamous for their near-impossible setups that require dashing through moving saws while jumping between collapsing walls. It’s the kind of difficulty that punishes but also teaches. Players start memorizing map layouts, improving reaction times, and learning shortcuts without realizing it.
Hollow Knight: Silksong
For Those Who Need Something Tougher Than Hollow Knight
Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Released
- September 4, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
In Hollow Knight: Silksong players control Hornet, a faster and more agile fighter than the Knight from the first hollow Knight. Her movement feels smooth, but enemies hit harder, move faster, and appear in denser groups. It’s easy to underestimate them, until players take two hits and realize that half their health is gone.
4 Metroidvania Games That Are Officially Harder Than Silksong
Silksong has been lauded for its difficult gameplay, but there are other Metroidvania games that pose an even greater challenge.
When it comes to the boss fights in Silksong, many bosses have multiple phases. Just when players think they’ve learned their rhythm, their opponent introduce new attack patterns to learn. Yet it’s never unfair, as every hit, dash, and jump is under the player’s precise control.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
A Samurai Adventure Focused On Out-Dueling Ruthless Swordsmen
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
- Released
- March 22, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Violence
- Developer(s)
- From Software
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice doesn’t have traditional difficulty modes; FromSoftware wanted it to be hard from the get-go. Even small enemies are deadly. A single spear-wielding soldier can end a fight following one mistimed block.
Sekiro not only tests reflexes, it also tests patience and rhythm. Missing a parry by half a second means players lose a large chunk of health. Bosses like Genichiro, Owl, and Isshin are nightmares for first-timers. They chain together long combos, mix in unblockable moves, and punish any panic dodges. There’s no leveling up or hiding behind armor; players have to survive by mastering the blade. The game expects players to fail dozens of times and learn enemy movements before turning every defeat into a victory.
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
A Cyber-Action Game Where Fast Blade Combos Push Reflexes To The Limit
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
- Released
- February 19, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Platinum Games
- Genre(s)
- Action
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance turns sword combat into a lightning-fast test of reflexes. Raiden, a cyborg ninja, faces enemies that can kill him in seconds if he fails to parry their attacks. The game’s parry system isn’t reduced to simple blocking; it requires pressing the exact direction and attack button at the perfect moment.
The game’s “Revengeance” mode makes combat even tougher. Enemies react faster, hit harder, and show no mercy. Even regular soldiers can shred Raiden if he loses focus. To win, players must stay aggressive, chain combos, use blade mode to slice away weak points, and time their energy absorption just right.
Spelunky 2
A Roguelike All About Collecting Treasure, Avoiding Traps, And Surviving Randomly Generated Caves
Spelunky 2
- Released
- September 15, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Fantasy Violence, Blood, Mild Suggestive Themes
- Developer(s)
- Mossmouth, BlitWorks
- Genre(s)
- Roguelike, Platformer
There's no doubt: Spelunky 2 looks like a pretty easy and accessible roguelike, but every level is out to kill. A trap that saved someone last time might kill them this time. Every mistake, whether it’s stepping on a spike, missing a rope, or angering a shopkeeper, can end a run instantly.
Best Difficult Games That Are Easy To Learn
These games are known to be on the harder side. Despite their difficult gameplay, they aren't that tough to learn.
The deeper players go, the stranger and harder the biomes become. Yet, the reason people love Spelunky 2 is simple: it’s unpredictable, but fair and fun. Even if players die, they’ll come back smarter, more careful, and more curious.
Celeste
Scale Mount Celeste With Precise Movement And Patience
Celeste
- Released
- January 25, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Alcohol Reference, Fantasy Violence, Mild Language
- Developer(s)
- Extremely OK Games
- Genre(s)
- Platformer
Celeste may look peaceful, but in practice, things can go south pretty quickly. Every room is a mini-puzzle made of spikes, wind currents, and moving platforms. Players find themselves in the shoes of Madeline. She can only dash once per jump, but that single dash must be perfectly placed. One wrong input, and she’s gone.
Then there are the B- and C-Sides, alternate versions of each level where the game becomes merciless. One of them can take hours to clear, even for skilled players. Celeste is hard, but the controls are so tight and the rhythm so satisfying that even repeated failure feels worthwhile.
Elden Ring
The Freedom To Go Just About Anywhere Can Be Both Fun And Challenging
Elden Ring
- Released
- February 25, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- From Software
Elden Ring’s world is breathtaking, but it’s also merciless. It lets players go anywhere, which sounds liberating until they meet enemies far beyond their level. A quiet field can hide a dragon. A cave can contain a boss that wipes players away in seconds.
Malenia, Blade of Miquella, is a perfect example of its challenge. She heals whenever she lands a hit, even if players block it. Her Waterfowl Dance attack—is a flurry of slashes covering half the arena—can kill even high-level builds in one strike. Players may spend hours just learning how to survive that one move.
Dark Souls 3
A Dark Fantasy Journey Where Every Fight Tests Patience, Timing, And Nerve
Dark Souls 3
- Released
- March 24, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood Violence
- Developer(s)
- From Software
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
After playing the first and second installments, one would think they’ve finally got the hang of Dark Souls, but Dark Souls 3 shows players once again that it wants them to fail, learn, and improve. A single soldier in the wrong place can ruin a run, so players must pay attention to timing, spacing, and stamina at all times.
The world design also plays a role in the difficulty. Narrow bridges, hidden enemies, and cruel traps punish the careless. Bonfires (checkpoints) are spaced in ways that make progress feel like relief, but each one has to be earned. Dark Souls 3 is not afraid to send players a long way back if they get careless.
Cuphead
Who Knew A 1930s Cartoon Shooter Would Be So Difficult
Cuphead
- Released
- September 29, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ for Everyone 10+: Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco
- Developer(s)
- Studio MDHR Entertainment Inc.
- Genre(s)
- Platformer
Cuphead’s 1930s cartoon aesthetic might seem harmless, but its boss fights are both relentless and entertaining. The game is mostly a series of multi-phase battles where bosses constantly change attacks. Each phase brings new projectiles, patterns, and hazards that demand sharp reflexes.
Games That Are Harder Than They Need To Be
These games have unfair conditions that make players work hard for their glory.
Even the regular “Run and Gun” levels require tight jumps, parries, and careful shooting. It’s chaos on screen, but everything follows a pattern. Once players learn it, success feels electric, making even the learning process feel fun.
Bloodborne
A Gothic Horror Hunt Where Monsters Grow Stronger The Bolder Players Become
Bloodborne
- Released
- March 24, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Violence
- Developer(s)
- From Software
Bloodborne is filled with beasts and hunters gone mad. Combat feels faster and more aggressive than any Souls game before it. The shield is gone, so survival depends on movement, timing, and counterattacks. Hunters use guns that interrupt the player's swings, beasts charge in groups, and narrow streets make dodging difficult.
The city of Yharnam feels hostile around every corner, filled with sounds that make players tense up before a fight even starts. For those who love games that encourage aggression instead of rewarding patience, Bloodborne is an excellent choice. When enemies hit, players can recover lost health by striking back quickly, forcing them to stay on offense even when low on health.
Hardest RPGs To 100%, Ranked
If you want to experience everything these role-playing games have to offer, you may have some difficulty.