We all have our Super Mario war stories, the ones where we tell our friends how hard a level was and how mad we got when we got bumped out.

For those who grew up loving Nintendo’s Super Mario and instantly getting the feel good factor whenever we look it up or play it! It reminds us of a time of youth, fun, fantasy, and games unlike those of the world today. The pleasures of having the 8 bit Mario games back in 1985 to the ultra smooth game of today reminds us of the good moments. Here we list the 10 levels that pleasantly surprised us by being ultra hard:

Super Mario Bros: World 8-3

Yes, the final level of the original Super Mario game was so hard; we still have nightmares about it! The scenario is a constant fall of bullet bills, koopa troopers and hammer brothers! The hammer brothers in this level were on flat ground and you ended up getting super confused by their movements and the fact that they did not fall into the chasms because only you did!

Super Mario Bros 3: World 8 Airships

The game with King Koopa’s Airships pitted the player against auto scrolling screens, gigantic bursts of fire, numerous Bullet Bills, unprecedented Bob-ombs topped with dozens of Rocky Wrenches which were creatures whose sole purpose is to throw spanners into our Mario and Luigi team’s works. With all of the above added into one level, the game needed a level of concentration that no other preceding level had required!

Super Mario 64: Wing Mario Goes Over the Rainbow

While this level sounds like a dream, it was far from that. It needed eagle eye precision to be able to collect ALL the 9 coins suspended mid air on clouds to be able to progress through the level. If by chance you missed a cloud, it was a plummet back down out of the castle and a race back up the Peach Castle stairs for a crack at the level again.

Super Mario Sunshine: Secret Shine Challenge No 14

This level was made to separate the men from the boys – or the women from the girls. Being on a really fast slowing river, hopping on and off lily pads, collecting red coins makes this game very fast paced and difficult. Top this with the river being filled with lethal toxic poison and you are set for a technically challenging game that you did not see coming.

Super Mario Bros 2: World 7-2

This shows a vastly huge trap riddled castle that had us all tugging our hair out at the surprise spike pits, conveyer belts, and spark floaters! Sparks were electrical floating charges and movement pattern that one cannot simply understand. Once you did manage to get the key to Wart’s chambers, you had a Phanto follow you through out! The door to Wart’s chambers came to life at smelling you around and this was a grueling challenge before the actual battle with Wart!

Super Mario Galaxy: Luigi’s Purple Coins

Collect purple coins – seems so simple yet was so totally not! The disintegrating platforms only allowed one touch so you had one chance of passing it. There were so many deaths you could compare it to Kenny from The South Park!

Super Mario Bros: World C-3: The Lost Levels

https://youtu.be/g4wK69IGWH4

Nintendo misplaced these levels which we think was on purpose to let you have a break from agonizing levels! So what you needed to do was cross huge pitfalls on nothing more than temperamental spring boards while being bombarded with Lakitu fire! The level was made even more difficult by the gusts of wind that threw you off boards and if you managed to cling on.

Super Mario World: Tubular

The only way to cross this maze of tubes was by gaining the P-Balloon and floating out! The dangers in the way included the Charging Chucks, Pirhana Plants, Koopa Paratroopers, and the darned pipes! After finding the P-Balloon, it was a challenge to get it to last through out the level and making sure to blow it at the right point was the real challenge.

Super Mario Galaxy 2: The Perfect Run

This was the end when you had collected the coveted 9999 star bits, Mario was thrown into Gauntlet with an abundant sprinkling of lasers, Choppahs, mines, Bullet Bills, Boomerang Bros, and others! But yes, finishing this level would give you the ultimate bragging rights as far as this game was concerned.

Super Mario 3D World: Champion Road

Collect all the GREEN stars as well as stamps; and reach the top of all flag poles to reveal this secret level made for you! There are no power ups as well as no check points and the lack of them is made up by an extra entry of Octoombas, Charging Chucks, Fire Bros, Horned Ant Troopers, and Magikoopas.