10) Losing To The Champion – Pokemon
Kicking off our list is the ultimate downfall of any aspiring Pokemon Master: losing to the reigning champion at the end of the Pokemon League. What makes this defeat so heartbreaking can vary dependent on the version of the game, but it’s nevertheless always tough to take.
The frustration stems from the sheer volume of work it takes to get to that point, followed by the gut-punch players experience after a defeat at the hands of the champ; the game forces players back to the start, meaning all of the Elite Four have to be beaten again before a new challenge can be mounted.
What can make this worse, though, is a question of just who the champion is. Perhaps most upsetting of all is when such a defeat ends the player’s challenge in Red/Blue versions, where the champion is none other than the player’s smarmy, long-time rival from Pallet Town. Losing to him at any stage of the game is frustrating, but on the grandest stage of all the loss is truly staggering.