10 Brutally Difficult Opening Levels In Video Games
1. Super Mario Bros: The Lost Levels
Come on, you might be thinking. It’s stage 1-1 in a Super Mario game. What could possibly be super difficult about that? Well, friends, you reckoned without the fiendish Super Mario Bros: The Lost Levels.
This release is simply known as Super Mario Bros 2 in Japan, a follow-up to the original. As you’ve probably heard, though, it’s surprisingly more difficult than the original, having been given a variety of curious tweaks and changes to throw off even the most seasoned Super Mario player.
Whereas stage 1-1 in Super Mario Bros. is a very straightforward affair, fine-tuned to teach new players the ropes (such as that Goomba perfectly positioned to be squished at the beginning), the Lost Levels takes the opposite route.
The layout of the level hasn’t changed much, but there are a whole lot more enemies, including Koopa Paratroopas jumping around in unpredictable patterns to throw you off.
The hidden blocks can be a pain to find for first-timers, too, while the Poison Mushrooms can also put a swift and grim end to Mario’s adventure.