Is there a more annoying level in a game...

[Malon_Forever]

...then stage 5 in Castlevania?!?!?! I've never finished this game, so I decided I'd give it a go and OMG is that stage hell. That last screen before the boss is killer, and then I hardly have any health left and just get owned.

[Guru of Time and Space]

It's all about the holy water homie. Make sure you have that for the fight with Death and he won't want to fuck with you.

-GoTaS

[Garry Silljo]

I find the Icy Lake in Mr. Bones to be far more annoying.

[Aussie2B]

Yeah, the final corridor is a pain and so is Death, but the rest of the stage is quite easy to master I feel. Most people abuse the holy water trick to clear Death. Myself included admittedly, but it's only because I have no problem keeping holy water through the stage and it's the best way for me to get through that hall with minimal damage since it'll stop the axe armors from endlessly backing up. Then by the time I reach Death, it would be stupid to intentionally withhold myself from using holy water just because it's so cheap.

[Li Wang]

I never even knew there was a holy water trick for Death. For me it's always been all about the cross with a triple multiplier. If you need to, just keep going up and down the stairs until you get the double then the triple from one of the candles. This makes short work of the knights as well.

[jonebone]

6-2 Ninja Gaiden /thread

[Arasoi]

I'd say the first leg of the Magik domain stage in silver surfer nes takes the cake for me..

The rest of the game is simple memorization same as any other shmup, but the tiny spaces you have to cram the surfer's giant hitbox through in that stage are just mean.

[Oobgarm]

the tiny spaces you have to cram the surfer's giant hitbox through

LOL LOL LOL

[pseudonym]

I think Castlevania 3 is a more difficult game overall. The three Adventure Island games are all difficult, but the first game is the more well known, notorious game in the series. The whole of round 8 will test your patience more than most NES games that I've played.

[Scissors]

While the boss can be a pain (I didn't know about the holy water trick either), I don't recall that stage being especially difficult. I found stages 4 and 6 to be more difficult, and stage 6 of Ninja Gaiden is much worse than any of them.

[mnbren05]

+1 to Ninja Gaiden, surprised no one mentioned Battle Toads.

[alec006]

Well there's always stage 4 in Karate Kid,damn wind. Oh and any level in Cheetamen, such a glitch nightmare.

[BydoEmpire]

Fighting Dracula? I've been fighting him on and off for years in Castlevania Chronicles and I've never come close.

[dr101z]

Yes, any escort mission level in a combat game.

[BeaglePuss]

Clinger Winger would be my choice. Fuck that level.

[garagesaleking!!]

well it might not be classic, but ninja gaiden on original xbox. I never got past the first boss, it pissed the hell out of me.

[LynchJustRules]

6-2 Ninja Gaiden /thread

I love Ninja Gaiden but omg...level 6-2 in that game is insane!

I'm almost convinced that you have to use the "disappearing enemy glitch" to get past that one guy who throws the swords at you. I don't know how anybody gets past him without using it! lol

[Gameguy]

The batwing level in the Gameboy version of Batman. I've never been able to get past it, and I really used to try hard to beat the game.

[Gooch3008]

omg ninja gaiden 6-2............ sooooooo frustrating.

[NerdXCrewWill]

Icy Lake is a good one. It's easily beaten with practice though. The one level that blew my mind with difficulty was the final stage of Holy Diver. Jesus, I have no clue how anyone could beat that without cheating.

[Tempest]

6-2 Ninja Gaiden /thread
Level 6-2. Level 6-2... LEVEL 6-2!!!

Nooo!!! Years of therapy down the drain! AAAARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!!! @_@

Tempest

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

...then stage 5 in Castlevania?!?!?! I've never finished this game, so I decided I'd give it a go and OMG is that stage hell. That last screen before the boss is killer, and then I hardly have any health left and just get owned.

One of the reasons I love Castlevania on the Famicom Disk System, you can save your progress after each level ensuring that you're going into the next level with decent hearts, lives and weapons.

Of course, you can do save states with most emulators too ... but at least with the FDS you're playing on genuine hardware.

[pseudonym]

The Boomerang/Cross works well in the Axe Knight corridor and against the Grim Reaper. You can find it in the 3rd or 4th candle in the room before.