Battletoads
1991 saw the release of Battletoads on the NES. Hailed as one of the most beautiful games on the system, Battletoads spawned a franchise that spanned several sequels and spinoffs, which in itself is odd given that most players never made it past the game’s third level.
Battletoads simply has to be one of the most difficult games ever conceived, and almost entirely thanks to its infamous Turbo Tunnel level, which required both inhuman reflexes and a detailed memory of its level design to beat.
Turbo Tunnel broke almost everyone that attempted it, but Battletoads actually continued to get harder from that point on. Yet, Turbo Tunnel remains notorious because to actually beat the level without losing a single life was next to impossible. Of course, this is before the days of saving progress or checkpoints; lose a life here and you are back to the very start, and even Battletoad‘s first two levels are punishing.
If hell is a real place, then I imagine it’s probably playing Battletoad‘s Turbo Tunnel level on repeat. The only thing harder than actually beating the entire game might just be resisting the temptation to snap the cartridge in half out of frustration.
