What are some of the most amazing levels in video games?

[Astro Bot | 99]

Yeah, I agree with RH. However, I'll throw out one more suggestion based specifically around that. Guacamelee has lots of levels that feature challenging, tricky, creative platforming. Been recently playing it so I have that particular game on my mind. Here's a great example that many players will remember:

 

[AirVillain | 535]

FUN LEVEL:

Super Mario Bros 3.

World 5, Level 6.

The little flying beetles were always my favourite to jump on and ride.

I always thought it was hilarious when their little wings would start flapping harder and they'd struggle to fly with your fat ass standing on them...
 

BADASS DESIGN/GAMEPLAY:

Battletoads & Double Dragon (NES)

Level 4, Ratship Rumble

This shit is awesome! When a game throws in a variety of gameplay into a game and does it well like Battletoads it can be amazing. This is a perfect example.

You got heat seeking missles, it's difficult but not insane, there's a bunch of different enemies to fight. It's fast, it's furious... it's great fun!
 

 

Edited July 9 by AirVillain

[Webhead123 | 758]

8 hours ago, Sumez said:

I find it pretty interesting that by far the majority, in fact nearly every single one, of the suggested levels in this thread were mentioned based on their theme and setting, rather than actual level design and gameplay.

Goes to show how truly impactful theme, mood, setting, etc. can be on making a game experience memorable. Also, at least in my experience, games with really remarkable game play elements usually maintain that consistently throughout. I think it's more common for a good game to have one or two disappointing levels that dip below the curve than it is for it to have just one or two stand-out levels on game play alone.

For instance, I started to mention the first stage of Contra III as a really awesome one, but aside from being partly based on the tone and atmosphere it establishes, I also realized that most of the game's stages are pretty much as good, with the exception of the awkward overhead stages.

There are cases, of course. For example, I think Castle Proserpina from Castlevania: Bloodlines is a very memorable one for game play reasons, because it forces the player to suddenly evaluate the screen differently than in any other stage and that makes it uniquely challenging to adjust to.

Edited July 9 by Webhead123

[Reed Rothchild | 9,971]

1 hour ago, AirVillain said:

You got heat seeking missles, it's difficult but not insane, there's a bunch of different enemies to fight. It's fast, it's furious... it's great fun!

Enable player damage and turn this level into a 1v1 deathmatch.  It's a fun time.

[G-type | 2,836]

The Donkey Kong barrel board is iconic and perfectly designed level.

[The Count | 600]

San Francisco Rush 2: Extreme Racing - Stunt Track

 

[RH | 5,246]

For pure level design, I think I have to also point out GoldenEye 007, The Facility.  That was a fantastic stage.  It's not too long, it is a good, tough level for the start of the game, the scaling of objectives from easy to hard mode are perfect.  Speeding running this one is great, and it's encouraged by the game.  It's also one of the better, if not the best, multi-player stages.

Edited July 9 by RH

[Sumez | 3,170]

18 hours ago, RH said:

Dis you read mine? #1 is 1-1 of SMB and it is 100% this. I’d say the same is true for Moon for DuckTales.  I mentioned the music but that’s just icing on the cake.

I did say nearly every single one  

15 hours ago, AirVillain said:

Super Mario Bros 3.

World 5, Level 6.

The little flying beetles were always my favourite to jump on and ride.

It's odd, for some reason I also consider this possibly the most iconic stage of the game. If I were to actually suggest one I'd probably go with one of the more prominent World 1 or World 8 stages, or the first stage in the Giant world as someone else suggested, due to the impact it made on me as a kid.
But for some reason, whenever I think of which stages set Mario 3 apart, it's always this one with the flying beetles that come to my mind.

[Sumez | 3,170]

14 hours ago, Webhead123 said:

Goes to show how truly impactful theme, mood, setting, etc. can be on making a game experience memorable. Also, at least in my experience, games with really remarkable game play elements usually maintain that consistently throughout. I think it's more common for a good game to have one or two disappointing levels that dip below the curve than it is for it to have just one or two stand-out levels on game play alone.

I think that's absolutely true. Also makes it really hard for me to think of any.

[Astro Bot | 99]

Arkham Knight is a strange entry in the series to me. In some ways it shines brighter than previous installments, but in others, it's the worst one in the series. This right here though, is one of the true highlights of Batman: Arkham Knight. Harley takes center stage here and she's one of the most popular villains in the franchise. Also, for all of the great Batman games released throughout the years, very few of them feature Batman and Robin actually being "The Dynamic Duo". This whole section of the game is focused on that, with them working together and the gameplay being designed around that. I have played a lot of Batman games over the years, but I can't think of a single other one that actually has them working together in actual gameplay.

 

Edited July 10 by Astro Bot

[CMR | 545]

Halo: Truth and Reconciliation

I remember this level felt like a beast, but I couldn't put it down.  You know it's a good game when it kicks your butt, and you come limping back for more.

[AirVillain | 535]

On 7/9/2024 at 11:42 AM, Reed Rothchild said:

Enable player damage and turn this level into a 1v1 deathmatch.  It's a fun time.

Yeesh!

I would if I ever had anyone to play this game with... or could actually get to that level with me.
 

On 7/10/2024 at 1:53 AM, Sumez said:

It's odd, for some reason I also consider this possibly the most iconic stage of the game. If I were to actually suggest one I'd probably go with one of the more prominent World 1 or World 8 stages, or the first stage in the Giant world as someone else suggested, due to the impact it made on me as a kid.
But for some reason, whenever I think of which stages set Mario 3 apart, it's always this one with the flying beetles that come to my mind.

Yeah... not sure... I just always loved those little flapping wings!!

[Astro Bot | 99]

Sayonara Wild Hearts may look like a style over substance game, but I found it pretty challenging when you start trying to really master each stage. Of course, most people remember the game for the audio/visual experience.

Honestly, the music alone is enough to make this level a winner, probably the best track in the entire game:

 

[Andy_Bogomil | 866]

Donkey Kong Country always had some great levels. I always loved, 'Snow Barrel Blast' when the snow would move to the foreground and the screen would get a bit darker as the music swelled.

 

[Hammerfestus | 4,110]

11 minutes ago, Andy_Bogomil said:

Donkey Kong Country always had some great levels. I always loved, 'Snow Barrel Blast' when the snow would move to the foreground and the screen would get a bit darker as the music swelled.

 

I remember how mind blowing the graphics of this game seemed when it came out.  This level immediately comes to mind.  

[mbd39 | 2,106]

1 hour ago, Andy_Bogomil said:

Donkey Kong Country always had some great levels. I always loved, 'Snow Barrel Blast' when the snow would move to the foreground and the screen would get a bit darker as the music swelled.

 

Rare made it so easy to skip most of that level. Otherwise it's one of the most frustrating in the game.

I love the music. Always gave me horror movie vibes.

 

[wongojack | 327]

Awesome discussion!  This is why VGS is so great.  I've now read this thread a few times, but I find it hard to come up with suggestions that I think are actually worthy to submit.  There are memorable moments in so many games, but are there levels that stand out?  Sure, but why?

@TDIRunner mentioned some Tomb Raider levels, and I was trying to come up with something in that category.  Back in the early days of 3d exploration games, there was gameplay designed around simply looking at the environment and spotting things.  Tomb Raider has great examples of this, so does Zelda and Mario.  I can't pick a single level, but those games definitely did some impressive things.

@Reed Rothchild picked up on Rayman and the use of music - VERY memorable and while the gameplay is simple, it is tough to master, and those songs (Eye of the Tiger) were so awesome to integrate.

Thanks to @Astro Bot for mentioning 2 different types of Metroidvanias (Guacamelee and Arkham Knight).  I remember both of those levels from those games, and they are excellent.  Sidenote - Arkham Knight shouldn't get crapped on as much as it does IMO.

Sadly, I don't really enjoy 2d scrolling platformers very much, so those levels are probably ones that frustrated me, but I will make a few 2d submissions to the thread.  I think that Jumpman is an excellently designed game with elements that allow for lots of configurations and fun levels.  In fact, there are many user-designed levels that have come out that really show what a great set of tools was put into the game.  I'll give credit to the opening level "Easy Does It" for being a fantastic introduction to the game and all of its pieces, but I also really like "Hellstones" which got you to experiment with jumps and ways around various obstacles.  It also didn't really have many instant death surprises that required trial and error.

HERO Level 14 is the first place where we see "The Chompers" (don't know what they are called officially), but this is where you realize that this game has some nasty stuff in store.  They are a bit of a shock at first but add a nice bit of fun as you come up with new strategies to avoid them.  Other increases in difficulty also do this along the way to help make finishing level 20 in HERO a very rewarding experience.  This is definitely a game that fits with what @Webhead123 said - the lower quality levels may be more memorable.

[G-type | 2,836]

ZZT (my favorite game) has a lot of amazing boards. One of the first that came to mind is the Rube Board from the Town of ZZT

[DefaultGen | 5,727]

On 7/9/2024 at 4:21 PM, The Count said:

San Francisco Rush 2: Extreme Racing - Stunt Track

 

Damn I played this for hours with my friend. We never played a single race. We'd boot up the game, spend 5 minutes mashing buttons on the cheat screen (which was good enough to unlock most of them without having to look them up) then just play the stunt track all day.

[rdrunner | 445]

3 hours ago, wongojack said:

I think that Jumpman is an excellently designed game with elements that allow for lots of configurations and fun levels.  In fact, there are many user-designed levels that have come out that really show what a great set of tools was put into the game.  I'll give credit to the opening level "Easy Does It" for being a fantastic introduction to the game and all of its pieces, but I also really like "Hellstones" which got you to experiment with jumps and ways around various obstacles.  It also didn't really have many instant death surprises that required trial and error.

 

Glad I'm not the only one on this forum that likes the "real" Jumpman (not that imposter from the Donkey Kong arcade game).

[Rhuno | 163]

The first stage in Super Castlevania IV is one of my favorites. It's one that if I have just 5 or 10 minutes to kill, I'll load it up and give it a quick run through. The music is soooo good.

[Andy_Bogomil | 866]

5 hours ago, mbd39 said:

Rare made it so easy to skip most of that level. Otherwise it's one of the most frustrating in the game.

I love the music. Always gave me horror movie vibes.

 

Yes, the music is awesome and definitely adds to the atmosphere of the level. I think it captures that isolation and 'quiet' of being in a snow storm amazingly well.. definitely haunting.

[xelement5x | 122]

Ori and the Blind Forest is an amazing game in so many ways, but to me the first time you are really challenged to put all the skills you've learned together and get a huge rush is when you are escaping the Ginso Tree. 

It's challenging but still has some leeway on the platforming, the music is epic, and it was a pivotal part in the story too which just lends the the emotional feelings.  First time I played this game I used my upgrades in a way that made this so much more difficult and almost quit the game because this section was SO hard without certain abilities.  But I did make it through eventually! (Video is just under 2 minutes)

 

That rush after completing was amazing to me, like the first time I beat SMB 8-1 and 8-2 as a kid.

Edited August 23 by xelement5x

[wongojack | 327]

1 hour ago, xelement5x said:

Ori and the Blind Forest is an amazing game in so many ways, but to me the first time you are really challenged to put all the skills you've learned together and get a huge rush is when you are escaping the Ginso Tree. 

It's challenging but still has some leeway on the platforming, the music is epic, and it was a pivotal part in the story too which just lends the the emotional feelings.  First time I played this game I used my upgrades in a way that made this so much more difficult and almost quit the game because this section was SO hard without certain abilities.  But I did make it through eventually! (Video is just under 2 minutes)

 

That rush after completing was amazing to me, like the first time I beat SMB 8-1 and 8-2 as a kid.

Well I'm gonna disagree on this one.  The "Let's Drown Ori" level?  Am I thinking of the right level?  What abilities made it easier?  It was a huge difficulty spike out of nowhere.  I think I even played it after they added some extra checkpoints or something (or maybe I had to drop to "easy" for that and didn't).  Anyway, this stood out as a bad moment in the game and is unfortunately still probably my biggest overall memory of it with any specifics attached.  When I finished, I was wondering if the designers even played their game, and if they had, why they hated me so much.  I just wanted the cute forest creatures back.

I went and looked up a comment I wrote about my overall experience with the game in 2021

I really enjoyed Ori BF when I played it on XOne a few years ago.  I agree with everything you said - it is a great game.  However, the thing that kept it from being perfect for me was one stage where you had to escape rising water from below.  The difficulty spike right there was higher than at any other moment in the game.  I think they even added some additional checkpoints and an "easy" mode that changed that section, but it was baffling to me that there could be such an imbalanced point in an otherwise almost perfectly balanced game.

[xelement5x | 122]

On 8/23/2024 at 11:45 AM, wongojack said:

Well I'm gonna disagree on this one.  The "Let's Drown Ori" level?  Am I thinking of the right level?  What abilities made it easier?  It was a huge difficulty spike out of nowhere.  I think I even played it after they added some extra checkpoints or something (or maybe I had to drop to "easy" for that and didn't).  Anyway, this stood out as a bad moment in the game and is unfortunately still probably my biggest overall memory of it with any specifics attached.  When I finished, I was wondering if the designers even played their game, and if they had, why they hated me so much.  I just wanted the cute forest creatures back.

 

Haha, it's definitely a memorable level at least then for the both of us.  I played the Definitive version myself so looking back what I had not gotten and could have used to make the platforming easier was the Air Dash and the Triple Jump I believe.  

I agree the spike was pretty huge and almost unfair, but it's still beatable if you just replay and learn the pattern.  None of the enemy spawns are random so it was just trying new parts as you get further each time, the flooding does slow down as it gets closer to you though.  What helped me was just putting the "doom" out of my mind and trying to focus on a precise play each time, kind of similar to when you play Kaizo Mario.  I think that's part of what gave me the gratification upon beating it.