#level types

The swamp levels are often atmospheric and can prove to be quite a challenge. These levels usually contain poisonous water, dangerous plants, and gross enemies. They tend to be dark and hard to navigate, much like the real life counterpart. So here are some sublime swamps you can find in various video games!

The Bog of the Forgotten – God of War II One of the many locations Kratos ventures through on his quest for revenge. The Bog of the Forgotten opens with a battle against one of the most important people of Kratos’ mortal life, the king of the barbarian and the reason why Kratos swore servitude to the original god of war. After a long brutal battle, he can explore the swamp properly. In order to get into Euryale’s temple, which is located within the swamp, Kratos must navigate through the dense foliage, ruins and poisonous pools to find the key and return to the entrance. This isn’t a long level, but its atmospheric for sure.

Southern Swamp – Majora’s Mask This swamp is home to the Deku people, who are very seclusive and aren’t fond of outsiders. The waters of the swamp have been poisoned by the corrupted woodfall temple. This swamp is home to giant lily pads, large plants, giant octoroks, and a boat ride that circumnavigates the swamp. This swamp can be troublesome to traverse, but can be rewarding, some mask await you here, and a handy potion shop! Now once Woodfall is cleared, the swamp will no longer be toxic, allowing for easier exploration, so that’s good.

Mz. Ruby’s Swamp – Sly Cooper A delightfully evil swamp deep in Haiti, this place is a hive of voodoo and dark evil magic. Jump from island to island, avoid falling into the deadly bog. The clues are well hidden here so make sure to be a curious yet cautious explorer. Look out for traps and the undead hoards that guard the swamp. Of course, giant bugs make their home in these swamps so keep that cane handy. Also be ready for a harrowing chase against a giant snake that really wants you for lunch. Eventually, after conquering all the zones, you can go up against one of the people responsible for the main character’s father’s death.

Boggy Swamp – Jak and Daxter This lovely level in Jak and Daxter is a dangerous one, deadly obstacles and enemies lurk in the murky waters and muddy caves. In this swamp, you got to use yellow eco, which is basically ki energy, to shoot through certain areas. Blue eco is also needed to jump from one segment to another. Its going to take time to complete this level 100%, because some of the collectibles can be a pain to get, all in all this is one of the harder levels in this game.

Deep Darkness – Earthbound A dark swamp maze that must be navigated. The murky depths are full of poisonous enemies, and being in the waters themselves are bad for your health. The deep darkness is impossible to cross without the hawk eye. Crossing the deep darkness will gain access to Tenda Village. Make sure to watch out for sentient piles of puke!

Great Marsh – Pokemon Diamond, Pearl and Platinum The great marsh is Sinnoh’s safari zone, here you have to use bait and rocks to catch rare pokemon if you want to add them to your team. The great marsh is a swampy area with pools of mud and patches of tall thick grass. Being a swamp, it is home to many water and ground type pokemon, such as Wooper or Marill, and is a good place to look for fallen items, be careful though, your on a timer, so make sure you know which part of the zone you want to go to.

Point Lookout – Fallout 3 One of the most memorable dlc for the Fallout series, at least in my opinion, point lookout is a swamp on the coast of Maryland and is home to many oddities. Redneck mutants wander the swamp and are very hostile to outsiders, packs of ghouls wander about, there’s a long forgotten military camp, and an inconspicuous house that is home to an eldritch horror that is beyond human comprehension. An age old rivalry keeps you from leaving just yet as well… Be ready for a lot of fighting, and exploring the swamp in this post nuclear wasteland, but remember, you’re an outsider, and they don’t like outsiders.

Blighttown – Dark Souls Often regarded as the most infamous location in Dark Souls, Blighttown is a poisonous swamp that many players dread visiting. For most players, they will have to descend a rickety series of towers suspended high above the swamp, a misstep can mean death. They will have to make a tricky descent, avoid crazed hollows, fire breathing dogs, club wielding ogres and other awful monsters. Then there’s the base, the actual swamp. A wide-open expanse full of poisonous movement slowing mud, down here even more monsters await as you make your way to the area boss, or the secret area. Very little light enters this swamp, but luckily, a shortcut can be taken to leave. Be on the look out for some important treasures! Just beware, for they may be guarded…

Swamp Fever – Left 4 Dead 2 One of the main campaingns of Left 4 Dead 2 takes place deep in a swamp. Expect hoardes of zombies coated in mud to attack you. Youll have to make your way across boardwalks suspended over the murky waters as you try to reach your destination, a plantation. Beware, for water will slow you down, but not the undead hoard. This is one of the quieter levels in the franchise, as there is a lack of artificial noise such as car alarms, keep your guard up!

Swamp Biome – Minecraft One of the more dangerous surface biomes, the swamps are home to lily pads, trees covered in vines, and the occasional witch hut. Beware of slimes, for they love to spawn here as well. This biome does not have the highest resource value, but holds plenty of mushrooms and clay, make yourself some stew or go look for a cauldron, just be careful out there, especially at night…

Doom’s Mire – Brutal Legend Doom’s mire is a stage and a important historical piece in the music themed world of Brutal Legend. This stage is set in a dreadful swampy area were many lost souls reside. Some time ago, humanity raised a revolution against the demonic beings, but were slaughtered on this very ground. The swamp is dark and murky, the ground almost black and all trees seem to be dead, a very dreary place. This bleak land serves as a multiplayer map as well.

Crocovile Swamp – Spyro: A hero’s Tail. A huge swamp full of deadly pitfalls and foes. Everything here can be dangerous, pools of toxic water, tentacles, and of course the friendly inhabitants. Watch out for the plant life, they love to eat dragons, and your looking mighty tasty. You’ll have to platform through caves, trees, and even a temple that should be explored. Overall, a good swamp level, its colorful and appealing to the theme of a swamp.

Kokari Wilds – Dragon Age Origins One of the first locations of the game and the place where the grey wardens conduct their ritual. These wilds are a swamp like land full of animals and dark spawn. The area isn’t too difficult to navigate and the more swampy sections are mostly aesthetic as opposed to gameplay settings. There lives a powerful witch here as well.

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The jungle, a very dense place full of wildlife and plants, exotic and dangerous. A maze of sorts that can span for miles, beautiful yet treacherous. In video games, the Jungle can serve as both a great level or span an entire game given how vast they can be. Jungle levels often have exotic music and beautiful environments but can also be full of danger. The Jungle level can interconnect with other level themes as well, with the most common themes being ruined themed levels and occasional swamp themed levels. Pack your supplies, put on your adventure hat and get ready to brave these jungles.

Kongo Jungle (Donkey Kong Country) This vast jungle is home to the kong family, found on Donkey Kong Island, the Kong’s live peacefully here and have a habit of hoarding bananas. This jungle has a tendency to get invaded by enemies who are obsessed with stealing the banana horde. In the original Donkey Kong Country, this game functions as the first world, it establishes the tropes and what to expect in the game. Bounce on enemy heads, swing from ropes, ride animal friends and try to get as many collectibles as possible!

Rook Island (Far Cry 3) The main setting is a beautiful tropical island, of course its full of bloodthirsty pirates, hardened mercenaries, and deadly wildlife. On this island the main character has to rescue his friends from said pirates, a myriad of weapons and vehicles can be used. On top of that a huge number of secrets and collectibles dot the island, making it a wonderful open world experience! Just avoid the many, many things that want the main character dead.

Lost Jungle (Sonic heroes) This stage is more of a swamp than a jungle, but it holds the word Jungle in its name so it counts. This stage is comprised of various islands and giant trees suspended over water. Care should be taken into consideration while patforming. Giant frog inhabit this jungle and can impact the plant life in both positive and negative ways, hindering or allowing an easier climb. Vines grow and can be used for sliding, and large flowers allow for prolong flights. Beware though, for a giant gator lives in this jungle swamp, and they seem to be rather hungry.

Kurast (Diablo II) Kurast is the capital city of Kehjistan and is surrounded by lush jungles. The city itself is a dark and dreary ancient tribal like location. Due to some rather unfortunate events, it is a dangerous place full of unsavory people. The jungle that consumes the city is rather demonic in nature and it serves as a tale of a fallen civilization. It is best to explore this place at your own peril.

Jungle Biome (Terraria) One of the prettiest, and subsequently one of the most dangerous biomes in Terraria. The jungle is huge and deep, with underground trees, lakes, and all other sorts of plant life and fauna. This biome holds 3 specific bosses, and most bosses in this game are not biome specific, making this home to the most biome specific bosses. There are giant beehives that can house one or more giant queen bee bosses, there is a special fruit that can give you more health, a giant plant boss, and a giant underground temple that can only be accessed late game and is necessary to reach the final boss. There will be a lot of difficulty in this beautiful biome, but it will be worth it.

Lush Jungle (Pokemon Sun and Moon) An isolated jungle located on route 8. This tropical jungle is home to one of the island trials and is known for producing ingredients used in various meals. A totem pokemon dwells here as well as several other species, mostly bug and grass type pokemon. However, later on, this tropical jungle becomes home to one of the ultra beast, Xurkitree.

Jam Jungle (Kirby Squeak Squad) One of the few jungles in the Kirby series, Jam Jungle is a large and dense jungle found in Dream Land. Inside this jungle lies some ancient ruins full of traps, and even an old long abandoned factory. A giant mech rampages in these parts as well. This world has 5 stages, each one has treasure in it, so be on the lookout!

The Amazon (Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune) The opening of the first uncharted takes place in a jungle. This jungle is lush and full of ruins. Exploring it can be perilous but can also be a blast. Take down pirates, jump from pillars and crawl along cliff edges. You will go through an ancient temple, find a desolate ship up on a waterfall, and make a harrowing get away from a boat load of pirates. While most of the game takes place in a separate jungle on an uncharted island, this opening hour perfectly sets the stage on what to expect from this game.

The jungle (Contra) The first level of Contra takes place in a lush jungle, dotted with cliffs suspended over water. Tons of enemies and wall turrets stand between the player and the goal. The bridges explode while crossing and a heavily defended fortress wall lays in wait at the end. This level is nothing too special, the jungle theme is mostly aesthetic, but it does serve as the beginning of one of the most famous run and gun games out there. So in a way it is iconic.

Jungle Outpost (Tekken 7) One of the stages in Tekken 7, it is set in the Philippines and is considered to be a beautiful location which is preserved. The stage starts on a wooden balcony, but this balcony can break causing the fighters to fall to the jungle floor. Carved rocks and vines are plentiful here, as well as plane crash, furthering the deep jungle theme. Some huts can be seen as well, and of course, expect lots of wildlife. Try not to get distracted while fighting.

The Congo (Tarzan) For the majority of this game, Tarzan explores the various areas of the Congo. The scenes range from high in the trees, to the jungle floor, escape stampedes, and slide down vines. The game takes after the movie, so many of the famous scenes from the film are conveyed into levels in this game. Most of the enemies are hostile animals, with humans coming later on. All but one of the levels in this game take place directly in the jungle, with the exception being on a boat.

Water levels are usually a bad experience. A bane to players both old and new. What makes them so bad? The awkward controls? The pacing? The need to breath? Sometimes the best water levels never even involve going for a swim. Here is a collection of levels that take place in the water. Hopefully these will shine some light on the otherwise murky darkness of the water level trope.

Down the Tubes – Earthworm Jim This underwater base is home to one of the biggest joke bosses in game history, Bob the goldfish. While the boss is easy, this level is not. A series of tubes and rooms located under the ocean. Deadly cat guards roam the halls and will beat Earthworm Jim to a pulp if they get their hands on him. For some weird reason you can ride giant hamsters through some of these tubes as well. The level also includes submarine sections where you must navigate a reef and avoid breaking the sub, this part is where most of the difficulty of the level comes from.

Iron Whale – Shovel Knight The lair of Treasure Knight is a submarine. This large whale shaped vessel is full of enemies and traps. Platforming is tricky due to the water physics, platforms of bubbles, walls of sand and deadly sea creatures impede your path. Eventually you’ll explore the dark depths below the sub, where even more dangerous monsters await. At the end of the Sub awaits a large treasure chamber where mounds of gold litter the background, and guarding it all is Treasure Knight, who wears a diving suit and fights with an Anchor.

Rapture – Bioshock series Now this is kind of a cheat, as this isn’t a level but an entire setting for not one but two games, but it would be a crime not to include it. This underwater city was once a Utopia before it all came crashing down, and the player only gets glimpses of the city it once was through flashbacks and recordings. The whole city is under the ocean, and we get wonderful views through windows and interconnecting pipes. The beauty only hides the dangers, as the city is crawling with deranged mutants, traps and turrets and deadly behemoths called Big Daddies. The city has taken its toll, and some parts have become flooded with sea water. The player only gets to explore the outside areas in Bioshock 2.

World 2-2 – Super Mario Bros This is the original water level, the first of many to come. This level functions like any other Mario level where the goal is to simply avoid enemies and reach the end of the stage. However, there is a twist, being in water means Mario has the ability to move up and down freely as opposed to just left and right. Since you are in an aquatic area, the enemies are different too, essentially you have your underwater goomba called the cheep cheep, and the Blooper which will actively chase you. If you don’t have a fire flower, you are basically defenseless.

The River – Emperor’s New Groove Here is a fun one. This level takes place in a river, while in the movie this scene is like 15-second-long, in this game it acts as a full world with multiple levels. The concept is basic, the player needs to navigate the log to the end of the river. You will go through rapids, avoid whirlpools, turtles, gators and other obstacles. While the control can be awkward at times, this is one of my favorite levels in the game. Beware, your going to fall down a few waterfalls, but fret not, you wont take damage.

The Fishing Hamlet – Bloodborne, the old Hunters. Arguably the most dangerous place in the old hunter’s expansion, and with the exception of the cursed chalice dungeons is probably the most dangerous place in the whole game. A small fishing village with a lighthouse that has been overcome in a plague of eldritch horrors. This Lovecraftian cursed town is home to mutated fish people, and they are not pleased to see you. It takes great tenacity to even get here. The town has a flooded square that is home to some of the nastiest enemies in gaming history. The shoreline is littered with horrors and monstrosities. There is a cave system under the town home to horrifying monsters and at the end rest the hardest boss in Bloodborne, the orphan of Kos. It takes great skill and perseverance to conquer this hamlet.

Aquatic Ruin Zone – Sonic 2 This zone is one of the good water zones in the Sonic series. These flooded ruins are found deep in what appears to be a jungle. Enemies hide in wait, wanting to ambush you, pillars crumble and traps shoot arrows when you activate them. What makes this zone so good is the fact that a skilled player will rarely find themselves submerged. Being underwater sucks in a sonic game since it makes you go so slow. This level is a nice counterpart to the more hectic chemical plant zone, and is my favorite water level of all the classic genesis era sonic games.

Aquas – Star Fox 64 How about a water world? Aquas is a world completely covered in water. The sea life here can be dangerous. Since this is an underwater world, the arwing cannot be used. Fox will instead be using a submarine to navigate the waters in search for a deadly Bio-Weapon. This world would make a return in some other star fox games. While navigating the oceans, be ready for clam turrets and giant squids…

Great Bay – Majora’s Mask One of the four major areas of Majora’s Mask is the great bay. A large expanse of water that houses the Gerudo fortress, the Zora hall, various secrets and the great bay temple. The temple sucks so we aren’t talking about it. This bay is the perfect place to test out and use the abilities of the Zora mask. This place is home to an unfortunate tale of a mother who lost her babies, a cursed house of spiders, and a reef of deadly giant eels. The music is eerie and has a hint of an otherworldly vibe. Overall this is one of the most expansive places in Majora’s mask.

The canals – Half Life 2 The canals are a set piece of Half Life 2, it takes up some chapters in the game. A drastic chase, escaping from the combine, Gordan Freeman must navigate sewers, fight combine soldiers, meet up with some rebels and then make a desperate escape on board an air boat while being gun downed by dozens of metrocops, tanks and helicopters. Best be careful, because if all these guys shooting at you went enough, the water itself is polluted and deadly. This is one of the most tense water levels out there.

Grand Pagoda Library – Starbound The great library of the Hyloti. This serves as one of the main dungeons of the game and houses the first appearance of the main antagonist. Now what makes this a water level? Why that’s because the library was built underwater! You’ll have to navigate the maze that is this large place, some rooms are flooded, some are dead ends. Expect to meet some xenophobic cultist on the way down!