- Primary Subject: Video Games with the Worst Difficulty Spikes
- Key Update: Games like Hollow Knight: Silksong, Celeste, and Elden Ring feature notorious difficulty spikes that disrupt smooth progression and push players to their limits.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: January 20, 2026
- Quick Answer: Video games with severe difficulty spikes—such as Silksong, Crash Bandicoot 4, and Mega Man X6—rupture traditional progression curves by introducing punishing, nearly insurmountable challenges mid-game.
When video games are labeled as "good", one of the major aspects usually usually involves having a proper sense of difficulty progression.
Essentially, they start easy, introducing you to the basics in ways that you should get immediately, then gradually get harder with each new trial, testing how well you've incorporated what you've learned until the end. It's what's expected, and it can make for a wonderful experience.
However, some games refuse to or unintentionally fail to follow proper difficulty progression, as they have one or more sections with insane difficulty spikes. Some are so bad that they even force players to quit entirely. I've played a lot in my time, and I can say that among them all, these are some of the best examples of such games.
1. Silksong
Why this and not Hollow Knight? Well, because the sequel is arguably more unforgiving than its predecessor. To be fair, Silksong slowly eases you into its tough world, giving you a few simple enemies to deal with, but when you get hit and take two points of damage, you quickly realize that where you're at is still the calm before the storm.
When you get to the early-game bosses, you'll find that they'll quick work of you if you don't play near-perfect, as you start with only five points of health. If you beat them, you then have to deal with even harder major obstacles, a very good example being the Last Judge, and they feel vastly unfair with their attack patterns and movement. So, Silksong doesn't just have one major difficulty spike, but multiple instances, making it a game that only the most stubborn and possibly even masochistic can beat.
2. Celeste
As far as platformers go, Celeste is as close to perfect as it goes. Every level feels smooth, and whenever you fail a section, it quickly brings you back up so that you can try again instantaneously. Every failure feels like your own, which is a good thing. However, that doesn't mean it doesn't have problems in difficulty progression.
The first two levels do a fine enough job in preparing your platforming skills, having obstacles that even someone who isn't used to the genre can overcome. However, it's the third level, Celestial Resorts, that kicks up the difficulty too far. The maze-like sections, the more jumping precision required, the numerous hazards, and the overall length of the stage make it a test of endurance and patience that most people fail. This is quite a shame, as it feels like the only blemish, albeit a gigantic one, in an otherwise amazing platformer.
3. Crash Bandicoot 4
Crash Bandicoot 4 was already known for being notoriously hard, so much so that even some veterans of the series refuse to finish or even start it. However, a number of people think themselves skilled enough to brave the challenge, but they'll quickly find that while there are fair levels, some are downright sadistic even to the most platformer-savvy.
This is especially true in the game's final world, Cortex Island. There, it's nothing but extremely lengthy stages and the requirement for players to use the four Quantum Masks flawlessly to avoid failure. The final level, Cortex Castle, is the worst of them all, and can be considered the most insane difficulty spike in Crash Bandicoot 4. It's so bad that it prevented numerous people from beating the game even when they're already so close, which should tell you how frustrating and unfair it is.
4. Elden Ring
The majority of FromSoftware games' selling point is that they're hard, but fair. While they are that, some have sections that feel downright impossible to overcome. While I could have easily placed the entirety of Dark Souls 2, it would be too easy a target, given its awful level design and enemy placement. Elden Ring makes for a better choice, as it starts well enough, but ramps up hard with the difficulty spikes.
Margit, the Fell Omen, is the game's first boss and is many's last. His delayed attacks and tricky moveset make him hard to predict, even for longtime Souls veterans. If you overcome him, you'll eventually reach the other horrible difficulty spike known as the Godskin Duo. They're near the endgame, but even with all your preparations, the double boss battle is unfair, as they'll keep reviving until you whittle down their health bar. Couple that issue with some seemingly unavoidable attacks that can end you instantly, and you'll have a nightmare of a time before even getting to the end.
5. Ori and the Blind Forest
The game looks adorable, but don't be fooled by its appearance. It is one of the more demanding action-adventure platformers, and has driven some mad with how difficult it can get. Even though it looks like it shouldn't, it makes you wonder how it could do that.
The simple answer is in its escape sequences. After overcoming tough bosses, the surrounding environment goes into a frenzy, forcing you to leave before it gets you. Just about every one is insanely difficult because it requires mastery of the mechanics and flawless execution. One mistake essentially means instant death, and with these sequences being as long as they are, it takes away all the fun that was supposed to come with Ori and the Blind Forest.
6. Mega Man X6
Of all the games on this list, Mega Man X6 has to be the one that takes the concept of difficulty spikes to a whole new level. When you first start playing it, you'd think it would be just like all of the entries, as it introduces you to the basic mechanics in the quick yet fair-paced style the games always had. However, once you're given the option to choose which Maverick you'd want to hunt, that's where it all goes downhill.
The only one that can be considered somewhat fair is Command Yammark's stage, and even then it's filled with cheap, frustrating death traps. It's frustrating, but somewhat manageable. Everything else? They were designed to make you miserable. Bottomless pits, recurring bosses with awful patterns, instant-death spikes, and the nightmare mechanic make nearly every level an awful time, and the difficulty never lets up even until the end.
These video games have some of the worst difficulty spikes ever, and I would be surprised if any others out there that could match them. Still, consider trying these, as they can at least make you more appreciative of gams that put proper thought into smooth progression.
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