The 10 Most STRESSFUL Moments in Nintendo Games

10 Most Stressful Moments in Nintendo Games

Welcome to MojoPlays, and today, we’re taking a look at 10 of the most stressful moments in Nintendo games!

Tick-Tock Clock

“Super Mario 64” (1996)

Some will have qualms with other worlds like Lethal Lava Land or the infamous Rainbow Ride. However, Tick-Tock Clock remains to be the most notorious world of the 3D Mario games. Whereas every other world in SM64 is fairly open, Tick-Tock Clock is structured as a linear pathway with a bottomless pit below it all. One slip up could cost you an entire life! And if you’re trying to go for all one hundred twenty Stars in the game, well, you’ll find the 100-coin Star for this level to be a real pain as there are only one hundred twenty-eight coins in the entire level. So, you’re going to be scraping by on that one.

The Ultimate Cup Z

“Kirby and the Forgotten Land” (2022)

If you’re trying to go for a full completion in “Kirby and the Forgotten Land”, then good luck to you. Of all the boss rush modes the series has seen, the Ultimate Z Cup is one that will likely make you tear your hair out. This cup will have you fight more powerful “Phantom” versions of every boss in the game with a special boss hiding right at the very end. Trust us, you’re going to need a power-up on standby to get through this in one piece. And make sure you have every Copy Ability fully evolved before tackling this.

Finding a Plug Outlet

“Chibi-Robo! Plug Into Adventure” (2005)

It’s pretty easy to lose yourself in “Chibi-Robo”, at least during the first hour of the game. Look, you wander around as a cute little robot, keeping the house all clean! But many of us broke out in a panic when we noticed we were reaching the last ten percent of our battery life. This can be especially stressful when you’re in a precarious spot with no outlet within reach. You’re bound to try and book it for the first outlet you see. But if you fail to reach it in time, you might become forever traumatized and start recharging at every outlet you find.

The Silent Realm Trials

“The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword” (2011)

There are many reasons why people resent “Skyward Sword”. The motion controls, the bomb bowling, the fact that Phi won’t ever shut the hell up. But the Silent Realm Trials have been the bane of many “Zelda” fans. The reason for this is because this entire portion of the game strips Link of his weapons and equipment, forcing him to remain stealthy. If Link gets hit by anything, it’s an instant failure. What’s worse is that you have to get through these trials under insanely strict time limits. For a game like “Skyward Sword”, this can be extremely frustrating and more stress-inducing than even “Ocarina of Time’s” Water Temple.

Area 6

“Star Fox 64” (1997)

“Star Fox 64” has plenty of levels that deliver the perfect level of challenge such as MacBeth or Sector Y. But man, Area 6 is a migraine in the making. Andross’s final lines of defense outside of Venom enact a near-rapidfire assault on you as ships fly in from all directions. There are entire fleets that turn the game into a bullet hell, so much so that you may be on the brink of death by the time you reach the Gorgon. And trust us, you’re going to want your lasers fully upgraded for that fight. Lose a wing, and you may as well restart the whole level.

The Underground Maze

“Super Smash Bros. Melee” (2001)

“Melee” is a pretty tough game all around with its high speed. A good handful of the events are tricky, too. But the Underground Maze is honestly the most stress-inducing part in “Melee’s” Adventure mode. Here you will run into several deadly enemies from “The Legend of Zelda” from ReDeads to Like-Likes. But that’s not what makes this stage difficult. No, you must locate the Triforce before the time runs out. Sometimes, you’ll get lucky and find it in the first area you explore. Other times, you’ll have to fight a clone of Link before you can resume your search. So, move fast and fight fast if you wanna make it out without losing a stock!

Boolossus

“Luigi’s Mansion” (2001)

Boolossus is a name that haunts many “Luigi’s Mansion” players both casuals and speedrunners. See, Boolossus causes a lot of frustration and panic because you cannot capture him the same way you do the other portrait ghosts. This ghastly apparition is composed of fifteen regular-sized Boos that can only be captured when they’re split up and frozen solid. It starts out fairly easy to do, but once you get down to the last handful, they run away the second you even tap the left trigger. The last Boo especially becomes a major pain as he’ll keep his distance and run away even at the last second. Best know how to aim those sudden ice blasts!

Dream Den

“Pikmin 2” (2004)

Dream Den is the most excruciating portion of any “Pikmin” game that fans have had to suffer through. This is fourteen sublevels of pure pain as you try to collect every single piece of treasure and survive the horrors that await you. You’ve got rooms crammed with Bulborbs, rooms covered in poisonous mist, and, of course, the Titan Dweevil that awaits you at the very bottom of the cave. A lot of Pikmin will be lost no matter how organized and aggressive you are. All you can do is try to be as smart with your approach as possible.

Every. Single. Race.

“F-Zero GX” (2003)

You don’t know what a difficult racing game is like until you’ve played “F-Zero GX”. Literally, every single race in this game is bound to spike your stress levels to an absurd degree. This is the fastest “F-Zero” ever was during the franchise’s short lifespan. For most players, it was super difficult keeping up with where the track was turning on top of keeping opponents from crashing into you. Don’t get us wrong - “F-Zero GX” is a really fun game. But if you get overwhelmed by high speeds, you might want to steer clear of Captain Falcon and company. This game is best for those who regularly play racing games.

GOLF BEING GOLF

“Mario Golf” series (1999-2021)

If you’ve played the king’s game that is golf, you know exactly where we’re going with this. Even when playing the greens in the Mushroom Kingdom, “Mario Golf” is a constant source of frustration. Just when you think you’ve taken the wind, terrain, slopes, and everything else into account, you hit your ball straight into the rough or a random bunker. Putting can be just as infuriating because of how precise you have to be in your aim and power. Eventually, you may find yourself questioning if golf really is this obscenely hard or if you’re just bad. Yes, and most likely, yes.

What’s the most stress you’ve experienced playing a Nintendo game? Let us know down in the comments, and be sure to subscribe to MojoPlays.