10 Challenging Video Games That Are Endlessly Rewarding

Released back in 2010, this puzzle-platformer is a challenging game predicated on rewarding gameplay.

Its central mechanic – gravity manipulation – permits the player to jump spectacular distances immediately, avoiding hazardous environmental obstacles and advancing towards the nearest checkpoint. Later, the platforming segments get more intense, requiring the player to avoid countless obstacles, shifting gravity multiple times within a single jump.

The game’s design prevents the experience from becoming frustrating, especially the layout of the world – which appears convoluted, initially – but gradually comes to make sense. The platforming is also incredibly satisfying, rewarding the player for taking risks, and punishment them appropriately for repeated mistakes. VVVVVV's various unlockables accentuate this risk/reward approach to gameplay too, encouraging the player to attempt more complicated manoeuvres.

The result is an incredibly – seemingly impossible – experience, offering potentially endless reward, providing players can master the central mechanics to their advantage.