How Some Games Troll Players on Purpose

In the world of video games, developers often strive to create immersive, enjoyable experiences that keep players engaged. However, some games take a different approach—intentionally trolling players for comedic effect, to subvert expectations, or simply to keep them on their toes. These mischievous design choices can range from subtle pranks to outright cruel tricks, leaving players both frustrated and amused.

Fake Difficulty and Illusory Challenges

One common way games troll players is by presenting seemingly impossible obstacles—only to reveal later that the solution was absurdly simple. For example, Dark Souls is notorious for its brutal difficulty, but some of its most infamous moments are actually psychological traps. A narrow pathway might make players cautiously inch forward, anticipating an ambush, only for nothing to happen. The real troll? The player’s own paranoia.

Other games take this further by including fake “hardcore” mechanics. Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy taunts players with slippery controls and punishing falls, but the real joke is how the narrator mocks the player’s suffering with philosophical musings. The game isn’t just difficult—it’s designed to make players question why they’re even trying.

Fourth Wall Breaks and Meta Humor

Some games troll players by breaking the fourth wall, acknowledging the player’s presence in unexpected ways. The Stanley Parable is a masterclass in this, constantly mocking player choices and offering sarcastic narration when they try to defy the game’s script. If players follow instructions blindly, the narrator ridicules them; if they rebel, the game finds new ways to mess with them.

Similarly, Doki Doki Literature Club starts as a cutesy visual novel before descending into psychological horror—and part of the trolling involves manipulating game files and pretending to “glitch” in ways that unsettle the player. The game doesn’t just scare players; it makes them complicit in its mind games.

Unfair Mechanics That Play With Expectations

Certain games include mechanics that seem deliberately unfair—until players realize the joke. I Wanna Be The Guy is a cult classic built around “troll” obstacles, such as innocent-looking apples that suddenly crush the player or invisible traps that punish exploration. The game revels in its cruelty, but it also trains players to expect the unexpected.

Even mainstream games like Elden Ring include moments where the environment itself trolls the player. A treasure chest might teleport them to a high-level area with no easy escape, forcing them to either fight hopelessly or run for their lives. These moments are frustrating, but they also create memorable, shared experiences among players.

Conclusion: The Art of Playful Cruelty

While trolling players might seem mean-spirited, these design choices often enhance the experience by creating stories worth sharing. Whether through fake difficulty, meta-commentary, or outright unfair mechanics, these games remind players not to take themselves too seriously—and sometimes, the best moments come from being tricked. After all, if you can laugh at your own suffering, you’ve already won.