Nintendo single-handedly resuscitated a dead video game industry with the launch of the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1985, thanks largely to a series of hit titles that helped drive massive sales. The influence of the NES on video games requires no explanation, and neither do the titles themselves.
That being said, the NES was notorious for having quite a few games with punishing levels of difficulty that drove players absolutely mad with frustration. Here are 10 NES games that made everybody (except the most die-hard players) rage quit. Are you one of them? Read on to find out!
10 Contra
While Super C is arguably the easier of the two original Contra games, they're both fairly rough. The original Contra is a master class in memorizing enemy firing patterns and traps, and being able to react accordingly.
While not the toughest NES game ever made, it sure is challenging in later levels, and picking the wrong weapon combos for particular stages is full-fledged suicide.
9 Double Dragon III: The Sacred Stones
While Double Dragon II: The Revenge was an instant (and beloved) classic entry in the series, its sequel fell well short, due mainly to its crushing difficulty level.
While the game is beatable, it's extremely hard until you manage to unlock companions who are better suited for particular tasks. Until then, don't be surprised if you get wiped out (over and over) even before you make it out of the first stage's dojo!
8 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
The original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on NES is a very unique, very fun take on the side-scrolling hack n' slash genre. It had a lot going for it, from a glitzy soundtrack to a nice mixture of comic and animated cartoon references.
And then there's that underwater level everyone hates, where you're forced to defuse bombs while getting shredded by tricks n' traps galore! The difficulty ramps up significantly in the later levels as well, making TMNT one very hard nut to crack.
7 Ghosts N' Goblins
We're certain this popular arcade port was responsible for a truckload of smashed controllers since it debuted in 1986. It really is that hard. A mixture of fast-moving, unpredictable and tough enemies makes the game notoriously difficult to master, much less conquer.
Nevertheless, it's entirely worth it to get the classic message "Congraturation! This story is happy end. Thank you. Being the wise and courageour knight that you are you feel strongth welling. In your body. Return to starting point. Challenge Again!"
6 Battletoads
Battletoads has a nasty track record for offering up some punishing difficulty, and the original is the one that set the tone. While the straightforward butt-beating combat offers a fairly decent challenge, other game modes are positively brutal.
The infamous turbo tunnel bike sequences are the stuff of infamy. Just when you think you've seen the worst the levels have to offer, they subvert your expectations by kicking the pants off of whatever you thought were excellent reflexes.
5 Castlevania
Stiff controls and archaic gameplay haven't been kind to the original Castlevania. It's difficult to play even to this day, and almost impossible for average gamers to beat. Things get especially hairy in the catacomb levels, and the difficulty doesn't let up from there.
In contrast to masterpieces like Castlevania: Symphony Of The Night, the original Castlevania makes the player feel they've been dipped in mud, had lead weights tied around their ankles, and cursed with a slow, wooden swing. It's a recipe for rage quitting.
4 Bart Vs. The Space Mutants
There's probably a support group out there somewhere for gamers who have failed to make it past the first stage of Bart Vs. The Space Mutants. That's because it's really, really hard.
Unless you're a diehard fan of the show, you'll have trouble navigating all of the game's many pitfalls, to say nothing of accomplishing the right objectives in the right order. Practice your best Homer scream, because you're going to need it.
3 Silver Surfer
Playing Silver Surfer is a punishment all its own. Psych wards have been built on less. Perhaps it's the mixture of awkward controls, fast-moving enemy projectiles, and an awkward shooting pattern that makes the game so frustrating.
Or perhaps it's the fact that anything can kill you - even hitting your head on a ceiling as you enter a tunnel. You'd think that Galactus's herald could take a few knocks before wiping out, but no. This is one Surfer that cannot ride the wave.
2 Mega Man
Trying to beat the original Mega Man on NES is no less punishing than eating broken glass while rolling around on hot coals, and listening to Rebecca Black's "Friday" on repeat. Why do so many fans love it, then?
Heaven knows, but Mega Man still remains one of the hardest games ever made, with a level of difficulty sure to shatter all but the toughest egos. Those who wish to persevere will have to fail repeatedly and keep getting back up.
1 Ninja Gaiden
Tecmo takes pride in torturing its Ninja Gaiden players, and that trend was repeated when the series was rebooted in 2004. The NES classic bears little semblance to its arcade brawler counterpart, but it's just as difficult.
This fast-action platformer handicaps the player with tricky jumping mechanics, unpredictable enemy attacks, and very narrow hit-boxes that continue to drive gamers to the brink of insanity, even to this day. Perfect YouTube speed-runs of Ninja Gaiden are as dazzling to watch as much as they make us want to vomit. Few games are capable of this much sadism.