Games That Are Designed To Be Frustrating

Playing games is supposed to be fun and relaxing, right? Well, that isn't always the case. There are some challenging games out there that are specifically designed to push players to their absolute limit and frustrate them to their core. This can, understandably, lead to some intense anger and even, in some cases, rage-quitting and throwing one's controller at the wall.

With this frustration comes the unparalleled intense feeling of satisfaction once victory has been achieved. There is no better feeling than finally overcoming and defeating that difficult boss or bypassing a (literal) mountainous obstacle. Some of these games ask a lot from their players, like intense reaction times and the patience of a saint, but beating these titles is truly worth the frustration.

Updated March 19, 2024, by Mara Cowley: It is no secret that not all games are made equal, and every game tries to invoke something different in the player, whether it is feelings of amusement, tears of sadness, or in the case of this article, blood-boiling rage. Throwing staggeringly difficult challenges at the player in the form of combat, gameplay mechanics, or puzzles is something that has been a part of gaming for years, with many knowing that Soulsborne games have a reputation for being some of the world's most frustrating games. This article has been given an update to include more annoying games for brave gamers to dive into.

17 The World's Hardest Game

Each Level Requires A Different Strategy

• Platform: PC
• Released: March 21, 2008
• Developer: Snubby Land
• Genre: Puzzle

Puzzle games are bound to be among the hardest games in the world as developers love to create challenging puzzles for their players to solve. Otherwise, there is no feeling of satisfaction when the player deduces the correct solution.

As the name suggests, The World's Hardest Game is one of the toughest out there, even if it isn't the most difficult of all time. Players will need to guide a square through a collection of puzzle rooms, with each level becoming more difficult than the last and requiring a different strategy. Gamers will need to rely on quick thinking and their fast reflexes in order to succeed, and it won't be easy.

16 Ghosts 'N Goblins

The Game Must Be Beaten Twice To Achieve The Final Ending

This Capcom run-and-gun platformer of yore was famed for being among the most frustrating games in the entire world. Players control the brave knight Arthur who must thwart the enemies in his way as he tries to save the Princess from the evil demon-king Astaroth. Various level-ups such as better armor are available to help the player cut through the swathes of undead, but it takes only a single hit for Arthur to lose it.

This element is part of what makes Ghosts 'n Goblins so difficult. To make things more challenging, players who want to truly beat the game must play through it a second time on an even higher difficulty level.

15 Celeste

The Latter Chapters Provide a Gruelingly Hard Challenge

Celeste is undoubtedly a beautiful game that enchanted many gamers with its graphics and charming music, sucking them into a challenging platformer game they simply could not put down until they finished it.

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Taking place on the eponymous mountain, the protagonist, a woman named Madeline, takes it upon herself to climb right up to the top, a mission that will not be easy to complete. Celeste offers many challenging platform levels, even if the controls are fluid and smooth. The game racks up difficulty in later levels, where the players are so close to the end but still so far. With some patience and persistence, gamers can succeed, but there may be many bouts of frustration and failures to endure first.

14 The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe

The Monotony Of The Gameplay Can Lead To Frustration

The Stanley Parable is essentially deja vu in a nutshell. Players take on the role of Stanley, a worker in an unnamed corporation whose coworkers have all mysteriously disappeared, leaving him as the sole person left. He sets off to find answers, only to discover that his every action is narrated by an omniscient voice.

With The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe edition expanding on the beloved classic, there are now 42 different endings that players can collect. It can be frustrating and slightly mind-numbing for gamers to walk around the same corridors and hear the same voice lines repeatedly just to reach a different ending. Because of this, it's easy to see how The Stanley Parable is a game that plays the player.

13 Geometry Dash

Failure Results In Players Resetting To The Very Beginning

Geometry Dash combines an endless runner/platform experience with the rhythm genre to create an absolutely torturous beast of a game. Players must jump to the beat and clear dangerous obstacles like spikes and chasms that get in their way if they wish to succeed.

The only trouble is that the beat can come incredibly fast, meaning the player's reaction times will be tested. Crashing into any obstacle means that progress will be reset, and gamers will need to restart from the beginning. Geometry Dash is sure to raise blood pressure as only one button press can be the difference between surviving and having to respawn and try again.

12 Crypt Of The NecroDancer

Patience And Precision Are A Must

Following on from the rhythm genre, Crypt of the NecroDancer is in a similar realm with rogue-like elements. It is a procedural dungeon crawler where the player and enemies must move to the beat on the game's in-game soundtrack. There is even the option to load in a player's own MP3 soundtracks, adding to a unique gameplay experience.

Players must pay attention, as Crypt of the NecroDancer is about pattern recognition and perseverance. Gamers will need to wait for the right moment to strike at their enemies and get away unscathed. It isn't the kind of game that can be rushed, and it is definitely an experience that belongs in the "easy to play, hard to master" category.

11 Octodad: Dadliest Catch

The Nonsensical Controls Are Almost Impossible To Master

In Octodad: Dadliest Catch, the player takes on the role of Octodad, an octopus in a suit masquerading as an ordinary human going about their daily life. His very existence is a constant struggle as he attempts to master mundane tasks with his unyielding tentacles while keeping his nautical nature a secret from his human family.

Octodad's wacky physics and controls create some hilarious yet occasionally frustrating moments as the player must try to control the creature's flailing tentacles. The gameplay can even be switched up with local co-op gameplay. 2-4 players can each control one of Octodad's limbs and see how well they can coordinate and work together, making for a fun yet challenging experience.

10 Risk Of Rain

The Game Grows Harder Over Time

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Roguelike

Platformer

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Systems

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OpenCritic Reviews

Top Critic Avg: 84 /100 Critics Rec: 90%

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Released

November 8, 2023

ESRB

T for Teen Due To Drug Reference, Mild Blood, Fantasy Violence

Developer(s)

Hopoo Games

Publisher(s)

Gearbox Publishing

Engine

GameMaker

Franchise

Risk of Rain

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WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL

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Platform(s)

PC, Switch

Genre(s)

Roguelike, Platformer

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These challenging roguelike games see players fighting enemies on a side-scrolling screen, taking place on a mysterious planet that is full of danger. Most players will know roguelike games have their own challenges, as there are no checkpoints, and death results in being sent to the start of the game, undoing all of one's hard-earned progress.

Risk Of Rain takes it a step further, as players not only have to worry about the current threats on their screen but also what else they might deal with if they take too long. As time progresses, the game becomes harder, resulting in frustratingly difficult late-game gameplay.

9 Dead Cells

The Lack Of Checkpoints Means Players Might Have To Repeat Hours Worth Of Gameplay

Dead Cells is a highly fast-paced rogue-like action platformer game. Players will explore a sprawling sidescrolling castle, faced with foes at every turn. There are no checkpoints, so one small mistake will result in an instant restart.

Dying is inevitable; the game's progression system will make players feel like they are getting better after each respawn, whether through unlocking all-important items or through their own mechanical skill. There will be many rage-quits, but Dead Cell's Steam store page encourages players to 'Kill. Die. Learn. Repeat.'

8 Undertale

The Sans Boss Fight Might Be The Hardest Challenge In Gaming History

Undertale is an indie RPG game, with the added twist that the player can get through the entire game without having to kill anything. No matter what kind of monster battle, there will always be an option to spare or flee a fight to avoid killing them when playing through a pacifist run.

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The frustration with Undertale, however, arises from certain boss fights, which are unavoidable if players want to get through the main story campaign. The combat mechanics follow a brutal and fast-paced bullet hell style, so the player (a heart) must dodge all of these attacks, face severe damage, or even die.