10 Final Levels That Ruined Great Video Games

Donkey Kong Country's final level, Platform Perils, is the perfect way to conclude a side-scrolling platformer, since players need to master jumping, timing, and enemy management to reach the exit. DKC2's last stage, Animal Antics, pushes it further, implementing almost every daunting aspect in the game, including barrel blasting, bramble walls, gust blowing, and animal transformations.

But instead of building upon core platforming skills, DKC3's final section discards everything you've learned and tries something new. In Rocket Rush, Dixie and Kiddy must enter a Rocket Barrel and steer it steadily down a series of cliffs. After reaching the bottom, they obtain an Ignition Barrel, blasting them to the other side of the cliff at top speed.

The reflexes needed to navigate this area are so unrealistic, players can only win by memorising every turn and obstacle. This is no easy task, even if you have the whole level mapped out, due to the clunky and unintuitive controls. You only have enough fuel to barely reach the top so one mistake spells certain doom.

Although players should be up for a challenge, it's unfair to throw in an imprecise mechanic this late in the game.