The Most Challenging Games to Play in 2023

Gaming has long been popular, but in the last few years, it has really exploded as people make the most of it as a way to connect with friends and family, to entertain themselves, or to start up gaming as their new hobby. Technology has also had a major impact. According to data on the website of consumer and market data company Statista, around 1.7 billion people worldwide play games on mobile devices. 

Another reason gaming has grown so much is the sheer variety of games available. Players have lots of different genres out there to choose from, so gaming never gets boring for them. Note, too, though, that changes in consumer tastes also lead to the creation of different genres as people seek different things from their gaming. Above all, a challenge. Below is a look at some of the most challenging games you might wish to play in 2023.

888 Poker

Poker gaming will always offer a challenge, especially if you play a variation such as Texas Hold’em, which relies heavily on strategy and, if you were to play in person, immense bluffing and tell-reading skills. The game is also fast-paced and can entail large amounts of amount of money — particularly if you’re playing in a no-limits game — so you also need to be able to keep a cool head whether things are going your way or otherwise.

The 888 Poker site itself provides several variations of poker, including No Limits Hold’em, Omaha, and Omaha Hi/Lo. The gameplay is smooth, the graphics are neat and tidy, and the site is highly usable and makes it easy for you to find what you need to find. The operator also does a good job of keeping the software up to date.

The Most Challenging Games to Play in 2023

The Witness

“The Witness” is a puzzle game in which, in the first person, you’re on an island that has been divided up into 11 different regions, and each region has its own theme and set of puzzles for you to solve. You might find the game slightly misleading because it begins relatively easily. However, as you progress, the difficulty soon sets in because later puzzles incorporate rules from the previous ones, forcing you to think laterally to solve them. 

The game’s puzzles are hard but not completely unsolvable, and that’s reflective of the game itself. “The Witness” keeps you engaged by balancing exploration and puzzles. There’s even an enlightening feel to it, as audio logs around the island feature quotes from scientists and philosophers, the quotes themselves being chosen for their relevance to specific concepts.

Super Meat Boy

“Super Meat Boy” is a platform game of the kind that throws a curved ball at you just when you think you’ve got everything figured out. You’ve mastered the controls and learned how to overcome the hazards, and then, suddenly, the game launches more hazards at you, such as electrified walls, spinning buzzsaws, and deadly spikes. Ultimately, it brings the old-school style of challenge from the Nintendo Entertainment System, including “Super Mario Bros 2” and “Mega Man 2,” and then streamlines them into something straightforward and no-nonsense. 

The gameplay is simple: just running and jumping, but the jumps have to be precise: get the timing wrong and you have to return to the beginning. The controls are smooth, nevertheless, and easy to pick up if you’re a beginner, even when you reach the advantaged stages. It takes lots of attempts to make it to the end of a stage, so despite being a single-player game, it’s the type you can gather around with friends, transform it into a team effort and take turns to try to complete the stage. 

The Most Challenging Games to Play in 2023

Celeste

“Celeste” is another highly challenging, single-player platform game. You’re helping the lead character, Madeline, get to the top of the Celeste mountain, in what has turned out to be a surprisingly touching story that teaches the player about the pressures of modern life. 

There are eight chapters, which are a series of rooms that have lots of opportunities for discovery and gradually progress toward the peak of the mountain. Secret doors and secret paths create intrigue in the game, and the B-side cassettes, if you find them, unlock alternative versions of the chapter, providing you with even more challenges and engagement.

The gameplay is smooth and, just like “Super Meat Boy,” the controls are simple: jump, air dash, and climb. At the same time, however, there are some nice little nuances to them in so far as the longer you hold down the button, the angle at which you jump and the timing of a dash can all change where you end up. 

If you’re looking for a challenge in your gaming, the games above won’t allow you to complete them in just a few days and then force you to find something different. They’ll challenge you hard, and when you complete the challenges, you’ll feel immensely satisfied.