
Gaming can be good. It can be a means to escape this cruel, cruel world and enter a fantasy realm that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. But gaming can also be just as cruel that will make you cry under your blankets at night...ok, maybe not cry, but definitely play with your emotions. This isn't just nightmares persay, but all things that make you feel scared, frustrated, uneasy or whatever other emotions besides something positive.
In no particular order.
1. Am I being stalked?
Being a kid and playing Resident Evil is in and of itself a nightmare, but being a kid a running for your life from Nemesis in Resident Evil 3 is a whole other feeling. The fact that you're being stalked, nervously gripping your controller where not even the Jaws of Life can pry it from your kung fu grip, and knowing that there is nothing you can do to stop it just makes you too scared to put the game on! Nemesis is a perfect for such a relentless monster. All you want to do it make it stop...but you also find something strangely exciting in it...you freak!
Things stalking your life in games is nothing new. In Super Mario Bros 2 that creeper Phanto's will stalk your life till the end of time. You think grabbing that key is a great idea but little do you know that you're life will be in immediate danger. Another menacing wack job is that damn Sun from Super Mario Bros 3. Not only will he too stalk your life, but he does it with the most angriest look.
I also NEED to add Jason from the Friday the 13th game. He may actually be worse than Nemesis. Something about 8 bit graphics intensify these feelings. The music is scary, the annoying continuous beeping is scary, and cautiously going through houses anticipating the hockey mask wearing weirdo is going to pop out and slaughter you.
2.This
http://www.destructoid.com/...
This
http://www.zeldadungeon.net...
And this
http://i46.tinypic.com/xt94...
3. The Sorrow.
In Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, when Snake is left unconscious, he is greeted by character, The Sorrow....who is dead. Snake has to walk across a narrow river in waist high water (damn water!). All the soldiers you killed along your way will be happily to greet you as well. The way The Sorrow glided across the water with rag doll animations, and the haunting music left me extremely uneasy. Damn those screams.
4. The End
No not The End but an ending. Dead Space's ending needs to be judo chopped for giving me a heart attack. Everything seemed to be going in a sad, but peaceful end. Little did we know Isaac's girlfriend is creepily waiting in the shadow for the camera to pan and scaring the pants right off you.
5. Plague Babies
Demon's Souls final stage of the Valley of Defilement featured a lovely pool of dead babies that would swarm, and kill you. Charming.
7. Aquaphobia
I'm not going to beat around the bush. Water Levels suck! Since water levels were ever possible it has been giving gamers nightmares. Whenever I now see that blue liquid, it's almost an automatic that I will hate it. For me levels like, Konami's NES Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles underwater stage was pure frustration. Racing against the clock to defuse bombs, and dodging electrical pink seaweed made me rage like the Hulk.
Another level was the Sega's Earthworm Jim. Although this level was not entirely submerged in the H20 goodness, there were a couple of portions that made you thankful it wasn't. You were placed in this powered glass sphere that is used for transportation. You have a timer ticking down your death, and must carefully maneuver your way around rock. Each hit will leave a crack,a skip in your heartbeat and then your ultimate demise. Try not to panic otherwise you'll bounce off the walls like a kid high on sugar.
How can I not mention the Water Temple in Ocarina of Time. There is no timer in this level, but it still is one of the most challenging levels. Which way do I go? Where is that damn last key!? Where are the water adjusters!??? Did Nintendo think it was funny going in and out of the menu to equip a stupid pair of boots! Why!! Thankfully the 3DS remake gave you the ability to change your boots on the fly thus making this temple of doom much more bearable. But I always forget where that last damn key is....
Honorable Mention: Sonic the Hedgehog and the drowning music.
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What are your gaming nightmares?
Plus a few other bits to tide you over.

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