The 10 HARDEST Secret Areas to Unlock in Video Games
Secret Garden
Shadow of The Colossus (2005)
Shadow of The Colossus was infamous for secrets, as well as ongoing mysteries players are STILL trying to solve to this day. But fairly early on, players who explore the main starting structure of the game will realise they have the ability to climb it and access the top, if it wasnt for their lack of stamina. Turns out, there is a location waiting for players up there, and its the Secret Garden. Youll need almost maximum stamina to get to it. This requires completing the game once, then playing through it twice more in New Game+ to fully build up your stamina bar, then youll JUST have enough to reach the top. Whats waiting for you? Pretty much nothing. A piece of fruit that if eaten resets your stamina to zero... cool.
The Secret Cow Level
Diablo II (2000)
One of the most iconic secret levels in gaming history, Diablo IIs Secret Cow Level transformed a long-standing urban legend tied to the first game into reality. But accessing this humorous hidden area wasnt simple. First, players had to finish the game on a specific difficulty, then replay it at the same level. After that, they needed to combine Wirts Leg with a Tome of Town Portal using the Horadric Cube. Doing so would open a unique portal in the Act I starting area, transporting players to the infamous Cow Level, home to hordes of upright, weapon-wielding Hell Cows and their leader, the formidable Cow King. Which is also what I call your Mum. Got him.
The Abyss
Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number (2012)
Hotline Miami 2 is infamous for stepping up the secret ending of the original game by including an entirely secret level. To access it, players must complete the third scene of the Withdrawal chapter without dying, then quickly grab a floppy disk during a brief window when they're approached by the 50 Blessings Manager. If done correctly, players can later retrieve the floppy disk from the evidence locker while playing as Evan, unlocking the hidden level. Its a clever secret for die-hard fans to uncover, but thanks to its obscure requirements, most players will never even know it exists without consulting a guide. Or watching this video? I guess? Im just here to put the D in guide... Ew.
The Haligtree
Elden Ring (2022)
Genuinely half of Elden Ring is a secret. Ive made it my life goal to never look at a guide for this game, and Im still discovering MASSIVE things three years on. For first-time players, the journey likely leads to the Mountaintops of the Giants, where many wonder how on earth theyre supposed to reach that massive, clearly visible area up above. The only path to this region involves finding two halves of a hidden medallion. One half is somewhat logical to locate. The other? Good luck. Once you finally make it, you're thrown into a blizzard that obscures all vision, a town crawling with invisible Black Knife assassins and archers that will test your patience. Firstly, with no guide, its gonna require some serious guess work. With a guide, its gonna require some serious anger at the developer.
All Hallows
Tomb Raider III (1998)
Tomb Raider III remains a standout in the classic series, and fans were excited to revisit it with the release of the Tomb Raider IIII Remastered collection. All Hallows, the completely hidden level was so punishing in difficulty that it was originally cut from the London section. It offers a glimpse at an unfinished stage that still manages to challenge even veteran players. Unlocking it by gathering every secret is no small feat, and its easy to imagine the frustration of doing all that work, only to be locked out by a bug that was in the remastered collection! Im not here to rag on the remaster obviously, but I HAD to bring it up.
Green Hill
Sonic Adventure 2 (2001)
Sonic Adventure 2 often sparks mixed reactions from players. While its clunky mechanics and janky gameplay can be a major drawback, those willing to push past the flaws will find a game THAT ACTUALLY ISNT THAT BAD! LAY OFF. That said, none of this softens the frustration that comes with trying to unlock the legendary Green Hill Zone as a playable stage. To access it, players must collect all 180 emblems and earn the highest rank in every level. This is a weird kind of grind for the time, as wed just exited the platformer grind era and were deep in the RPG grind era, only for it to come back with a vengeance.
Egyptian
GoldenEye 007 (1997)
Most players will have fond memories of multiplayer GoldenEye, and sometimes frustrating memories of GoldenEye single player. Even on standard difficulty, the game poses a solid challenge, so its no surprise that unlocking the secret Aztec level by completing the campaign on Secret Agent felt nearly impossible for many players. But what truly stunned fans was the discovery of a second hidden level. To access the Egyptian stage, players must complete every mission on 00 Agent, the games most punishing difficulty. It's one of the most brutal feats in gaming, but for those who manage it, the reward is a final, secret mission - that I truly dont care for... Im not playing 00 Agent.
B-Sides & C-Sides
Celeste (2018)
In Celeste, B-Sides are unlocked by finding hidden cassette tapes in each chapter. Explore thoroughly, these tapes are usually tucked away in challenging side rooms. Once collected, a new, harder version of the chapter appears on the map. But, thats not all, the game also has C-SIDES. To unlock C-Sides, you must first complete the corresponding B-Side. After finishing all B-Sides in Chapters 17, C-Sides become available. These ultra-difficult levels are short but incredibly intense. Chapter 9 contains its own set of B- and C-Sides, though its only available after collecting all Crystal Hearts. Good lord. Thats a LOT of collecting.
Hell Temple
La-Mulana (2006)
La-Mulana is a lesser known 2006 hit made to imitate the look of an old MSX game. And it contains one of the most frustrating secret levels to unlock in gaming history. Just discovering the entrance to this place feels nearly impossible. Theres no way anyone could realistically stumble upon it without outside help. Unlocking it is complicated, completing it is even worse, and even with a guide, its an absolute nightmare. This is pure hell. Im not even going to attempt to explain the convoluted steps required to access it, the instructions are absurdly long, and there are at least two points where you can permanently lock yourself out. And guess what? Thats the easy bit. The actual level is like being punched in the crotch by your crotch.
The Land of Storms
Hollow Knight (2017)
The Land of Storms in Hollow Knight is notoriously difficult to unlock due to its extremely obscure and convoluted requirements. It isnt accessible through normal exploration, and the game offers no hints about its existence. To even begin unlocking it, players must complete the game 112%, find hidden content, and install the Godmaster DLC. Then, they must defeat all Pantheons in Godhome, including the grueling Pantheon of Hallownest, arguably the hardest challenge in the game. Only after this near-impossible feat will the door to the Land of Storms open, making it one of the most secretive and demanding areas in Hollow Knight.
