Games That Literally Cannot Be Beaten
Games that are actually broken beyond the ability to beat them. All of my criteria:
1) This is not for really hard games.
2) This is not for loop-type games like those arcade classics.
3) I will include the revisions and systems where applicable.
4) Games that can be finished but not 100%'d will be noted as well.
5) This is NOT for games that can technically be beaten but are commonly thought of as unbeatable (ie the Xbox port of True Crime Streets of NY has a bug that results in a 1 frame window for a QTE to progress in the game, but it can be beaten via TAS tier inputs, using an in-game cheat code, or even purposefully creating entities on-screen to lower the game's framerate: https://youtu.be/yJQpYoHxpBM)
6) Great Curianos isn't on IGDB but the ending was removed from the ZX spectrum port and the final boss skeleton is invincible so pretend I listed it.
1) This is not for really hard games.
2) This is not for loop-type games like those arcade classics.
3) I will include the revisions and systems where applicable.
4) Games that can be finished but not 100%'d will be noted as well.
5) This is NOT for games that can technically be beaten but are commonly thought of as unbeatable (ie the Xbox port of True Crime Streets of NY has a bug that results in a 1 frame window for a QTE to progress in the game, but it can be beaten via TAS tier inputs, using an in-game cheat code, or even purposefully creating entities on-screen to lower the game's framerate: https://youtu.be/yJQpYoHxpBM)
6) Great Curianos isn't on IGDB but the ending was removed from the ZX spectrum port and the final boss skeleton is invincible so pretend I listed it.
17 Games
C64 version
The first metroidvania ever made can't be finished due to wine cellar items being impossible to reach.
The first metroidvania ever made can't be finished due to wine cellar items being impossible to reach.
C64 port
One of the levels was given an impossible time limit to beat by normal methods. With the wall clipping glitch, the player can progress to level 4 only to find an unfinished mess of pixels, meaning the game was blatantly shipped out as an unfinished product.
One of the levels was given an impossible time limit to beat by normal methods. With the wall clipping glitch, the player can progress to level 4 only to find an unfinished mess of pixels, meaning the game was blatantly shipped out as an unfinished product.
DOS port
There is an impossible gap due to the physics change.
There is an impossible gap due to the physics change.
Version 4.0
There is a wall blocking the player off in level 88.
There is a wall blocking the player off in level 88.
Arcade rev 1.0
A seizure-inducing ending was only added after the initial release. Thanks Midway, berry cool.
A seizure-inducing ending was only added after the initial release. Thanks Midway, berry cool.
North American NES release
A bug prevents co-op mode from being beatable.
A bug prevents co-op mode from being beatable.
Virtual Console release
Broken emulation.
Broken emulation.
This game sucks so fucking bad that everybody who started playing it died within 2 levels
Sega Nomad
There is a level where the player is told to "reset the computer" to progress which entails hitting the reset button on their Sega Genesis. However, the Sega Nomad lacks a reset button.
There is a level where the player is told to "reset the computer" to progress which entails hitting the reset button on their Sega Genesis. However, the Sega Nomad lacks a reset button.
Amiga version
There is an impossible jump in one level.
There is an impossible jump in one level.
SNES rev 1.0
I've heard a rumour the initial batch of copies had a giltch rendering it impossible to beat one puzzle. If anybody somehow gives a fuck about this game to confirm it, I would appreciate that.
I've heard a rumour the initial batch of copies had a giltch rendering it impossible to beat one puzzle. If anybody somehow gives a fuck about this game to confirm it, I would appreciate that.
German release
A scenario is removed but the completion variables were not adjusted meaning there is no way to 100% clear the game.
A scenario is removed but the completion variables were not adjusted meaning there is no way to 100% clear the game.
N64
One collectible item has buggy geometry. The game cannot be 100% cleared.
One collectible item has buggy geometry. The game cannot be 100% cleared.
PSP European 1.0 release
One of the boss fights ~40 hours in is unwinnable. The proper revision of the game forces a PSP firmware update but otherwise it is hard to tell if the proper game revision is being played on a PSP.
One of the boss fights ~40 hours in is unwinnable. The proper revision of the game forces a PSP firmware update but otherwise it is hard to tell if the proper game revision is being played on a PSP.
NA GBA release
The game hangs during Akuma's introduction pose and thus cannot be 100% cleared.
The game hangs during Akuma's introduction pose and thus cannot be 100% cleared.
NA rev 1.0 release
Level 30 does not spawn the boss fight.
Level 30 does not spawn the boss fight.
PS2 release
One song cannot be 100% cleared due to only 15 strums per second being allowed.
One song cannot be 100% cleared due to only 15 strums per second being allowed.
14 Comments
Not sure if you want to include Cheetahmen II as it didn't get an official release, but it is out there and it is unwinnable lol. Also I believe it is impossible to 100% Just Cause 2 due to glitches
This comment was deleted
@DeemonAndGames I'll look into it after work
@DJSCheddar Yeah I didn't want to include Action 52 and its ilk lol, was that Just Cause 2 glitch never patched????????
@DJSCheddar Yeah I didn't want to include Action 52 and its ilk lol, was that Just Cause 2 glitch never patched????????
According to the most recent reddit discussions of it I could find, apparently not! lol
The first run of SNK vs. Capcom Card Fighters DS would hang if you went to fight one of the NPCs iirc
The 97 PC Blade Runner in it's original form is unwinnable on modern computers due to time being calculated via CPU speed
AKIRA on Amiga also has an impossible platform to reach
The 97 PC Blade Runner in it's original form is unwinnable on modern computers due to time being calculated via CPU speed
AKIRA on Amiga also has an impossible platform to reach
@DeemonAndGames This is now my excuse why I never beat the game as a kid. Definitely not because I had no idea what I was even doing. It was the glitches. Yep.
Impossible Mission for Atari 7800 is bugged and unwinnable. Dive Medes Island Secret for Wii is beatable but broken collision for one treasure means you cannot 100% it
I believe Lego Star Wars II on DS shipped broken so it can't be finished
not sure if this counts or not but feeble light is an endless shoot em up that's been bugged since launch and will always generate unavoidable (lethal) terrain after a certain point
I currently have the #1 spot on the leaderboard and I'm 99.9% sure it's virtually if not literally impossible to get higher due to this; the only reason I got that high was by getting lucky with the stage rotation order and by burning a stockload of lives to eat the damage several times
I currently have the #1 spot on the leaderboard and I'm 99.9% sure it's virtually if not literally impossible to get higher due to this; the only reason I got that high was by getting lucky with the stage rotation order and by burning a stockload of lives to eat the damage several times
this video (not mine) shows it pretty clearly
Cat Go has a platform that is literally impossible to jump ensuring you can never beat the game
yeah It's a weird grey area for sure but I totally get why it wouldn't count
DeemonAndGames
3 months ago