8 Challenging Video Game Moments That Made You Sweat

Developers must have experienced some serious schadenfreude including these challenges in games.

By Adrian Bishop /

There's a special feeling you get when you've reached a moment in a video game where you realise every move you make has to be perfect to ensure success.

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Sure there's still a place for games like Animal Crossing, and Harvest Moon, where the player can take things at their own speed, but they're undoubtedly different to games that force you to consider every touch of the keyboard or the controller for fear of failure.

Of course, this kind of difficulty in gaming isn't a new concept.

As many WhatCulture readers will likely already know, the whole reason that Super Mario Bros 2 was released as two entirely different games in the US and Japan was because Nintendo of America feared that the challenging nature of the Japanese sequel would put off western gamers.

In more recent times, notoriously difficult games such as Dark Souls have gained popularity. in part, because of the level of accomplishment felt after completing them.

However, its not only games that may appear difficult on the outside that can prove mind-numbingly frustrating to complete. Some of these titles don't seem too challenging on the surface, but after a series of failures will leave players more than frustrated.

8. Being In The Final 10 In Tetris 99

A mix of the old and new, Tetris 99 combines the iconic gameplay of the Tetris series, with the battle royal format to create one of the most addictive games available on the Nintendo Switch.

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Having even received a seal of approval from the man originally behind the franchise, Alexey Pajitnov, Tetris 99 might just be the best way to get your tetromino clearing fix in 2020.

That's all well and good, but what makes Tetris 99 worthy of a place on this list? I hear you ask.

Well, by modifying the traditional Tetris experience to include a PvP element Tetris 99 becomes increasingly more difficult the more successful you are in the game.

Normally in a traditional game of Tetris, your survival comes down solely to ensuring that you don't drop a piece out of place. Tetris 99 throws that concept on its head and allows successful players to actively sabotage the boards of their opponents.

The feeling of reaching the final ten players and coming close to victory, only to hear a beeping noise to let you know that another play is about to load your screen with garbage lines, is one of the most frustrating in all of gaming.

Managing to navigate all the way to a win in Tetris 99 is ridiciously challenging, and worthy of a place on this list.

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