Although they're often a necessity, tutorial levels in video games can be a real pain. This is especially the case if the game's tutorial is poorly designed, as excessive help screens and forced, unenjoyable hand-holding can kill the anticipation of a new game in an instant.

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Moreover, in some cases, tutorials levels can be so bad that they'll put players off a game entirely, with a notable example being the infamous Driver tutorial. For this reason, it's worth giving credit to games that do tutorials well, so we've decided to shine a light on some great tutorial sections over the years.

7 Northern Undead Asylum - Dark Souls

The Northern Undead Asylum from Dark Souls 1

In a game as infamously difficult as Dark Souls, it's vital that players have a full understanding of the gameplay mechanics to give them the best chance at success against the numerous tough bosses. Consequently, the Northern Undead Asylum was an important section for FromSoftware to get right.

The game beings by teaching players the basic controls with messages on the floor and gives them some simple enemies to try out attacks on. However, the tutorial's main strength is how it subtly teaches players the game's level design, with Dark Souls' emphasis on shortcuts to bonfires and bosses being a full display. The game also teases a boss that players can escape from, giving them a false sense of security before soon forcing them to plunge back into its arena - foreboding the unforgiving challenge that is set to follow.

6 Kokiri Forest - The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time

Link in Kokiri Forest

Kokiri Forest is a nostalgic area for many people and is one of the most recognizable tutorials levels in gaming history. The humble beginning to Ocarina of Time perfectly introduces the coming of age story, with Link being told that it is his destiny to leave his simple home life in the forest and travel to Hyrule Castle.

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The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time tasks players with figuring out how to obtain a sword and shield before having to complete the game's excellent introductory dungeon, "Inside The Great Deku Tree."

5 N. Sanity Island - Crash Twinsanity

Crash twinsanity - looking over at island

Following on from Dark Souls and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, two of the most beloved games of all time, is the infamously unfinished Crash Twinsanity. Although the game is packed with glitches and has a handful of cut levels, the game does have a cult following that sings its praises, with the tutorial stage being considered a particular highlight.

N. Sanity Island perfectly introduces players to the significant differences that Crash Twinsanity has with previous entries in the series, as the game swaps the franchise's iconic corridor platforming in favor of an open-level design similar to platformers like Jak and Daxter and Super Mario 64. N. Sanity Island is bursting with color, has a wide range of hidden gems to find, and ends with one of the best boss fights in the entire Crash Bandicoot series.

4 Starting Area - The Witness

the witness' starting area

The Witness' starting area is on this list for very different reasons to the other entries and is also very spoiler-heavy, so proceed with caution. The Witness throws players straight into the game, with no opening cutscene or text screens to contextualize where the player is or what they're doing. This "show don't tell" approach continues when the player starts solving puzzles, as they're given no help or advice as to how puzzles are solved or even what the goal is - making the game brutally difficult at times.

Although the small starting area serves its purpose as a tutorial, it's the area's overall design that lands it a spot on this list. At some point in the game, most players will realize that puzzles aren't just on grids but can be found all over the environment. If the player returns to the starting area after learning this, they'll be treated to a plethora of smartly hidden puzzles and even a secret ending that is all incredibly rewarding to find and epitomize the game's wonderful design.

3 Prologue - Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

Dark Vader in The Force Unleashed

On the flipside of The Witness, which makes this list with its meticulous and ingenious design, is Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, which makes this list for simply giving the player Darth Vader and letting them wreak absolute havoc with him.

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Unlike most games, which reward players for progressing by gradually giving them more skills, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed gives players every ability right off the bat before suddenly stripping them away, making players desperate to progress and earn the skills back like they're suffering from withdrawal. The tutorial is action-packed, memorable and instantly gives players motivation to progress in the campaign.

2 Carnival - Bioshock Infinite

BioShock Infinite - Columbia

2010's BioShock 2 had the tricky task of following the highly-regarded BioShock. The developers decided to play it safe with the entry, which backfired as many players felt that it was too similar to the original game. BioShock Infinite was a clear response to these criticisms, as the game took players out of the dreary, underwater city of Rapture and brought them to the floating city of Columbia. The game's tutorial takes players on a visually spectacular journey through the city, which rivals the first trip to Rapture in terms of visual spectacle.

The player passes through a carnival in Columbia, where they can partake in a handful of games that function as well-disguised tutorials. The section ends with the floating city's beauty being overshadowed by a sudden and disturbing change in tone that is hard to forget.

1 The Great Plateau - The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild

legend of zelda breath of the wild environment overlook feature

Ocarina of Time isn't the only Legend of Zelda game with a great tutorial stage, as Breath of the Wild gives it a run for its money. Both games begin with Link waking up, though unlike Ocarina of Time where Link is met with the familiar comfort of home, Breath of the Wild's Link awakens with no idea where he is or why he's there.

Breath of the Wild's tutorial stage is The Great Plateau, a huge area that players can freely explore. The player is guided in the tutorial by a mysterious old man, who tasks players with completing various tasks, which will teach players everything they need to know before obtaining the paraglider and exploring the dangerous post-apocalyptic Hyrule.

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