15 Most Brutally Hard Video Games Of The Generation (So Far)

5. 1001 Spikes

Just look at it.

If you want the culmination of the trial n' error, "mess up and back to the start to try again" mentality, it's 1001 Spikes.

Clearly inspired by the old school-tributing Super Meat Boy, developers Nicalis took the pixel-perfect platforming of Team Meat's 2010 release, and applied it to the most environment-scrutinising levels possible. As you can imagine the aim of the game is essentially getting from left to right, but with spikes that pulsate and various pathways that are just tall enough for you to fit through.

A pure distillation of the sort of gameplay pioneered by Super Mario and made brutal by the likes of Mega Man and Battletoads, you'll either derive some pleasure in surviving 1001 Spikes' levels or immediately run in the opposite direction.