Editing Avernus

{{IB-Level
 |image      = Avernus.png
 |id         = 89496627
 |creator    = Bo (host); PockeWindfish (host and publisher); Kyhros (co-host); Woom and El3cTr0 (former hosts)
;Contributors
TriplasH, Zipixbox, Zentraa, SyQual, Nidro, Deadlox, GD Iris, RealVet, and Loolycat
 |verifier   = [[Zoink]]
 |created    = [[Update 2.1]]
 |difficulty = {{ExtremeDemon}}
 |stars      = 10
 |length     = 1m 18s (Long)
 |objects    = 163,936
 |copytype   = Password (30607)
 |downloads  = 3.07M
 |likes      = 77.9K
 |rating     = Star-rated
 |artist     = [https://f-777.newgrounds.com/ F-777]
 |music      = [https://www.newgrounds.com/audio/listen/91656 Dark Dragon Fire]
 |musicid    = 91656
}}
'''Avernus''' (formerly '''The Inferno''' or '''The Gates''') is a [[Update 2.1|2.1]] Extreme Demon mega-collaboration level hosted by BoBoBoBoBoBoBo (Bo) and PockeWindfish and co-hosted by Kyhros, verified by [[Zoink]] on 22 March 2023.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16Zh8jssanc</ref> It is the 'antagonist' to [[The Golden]], and is known for its intense difficulty with fast-paced waves, mode switches and precise timings.

Avernus was placed at #2 on the [[Demonlist (Pointercrate)|Demonlist]] before being shifted to #1, surpassing Acheron and becoming the hardest-rated level in [[Geometry Dash]]. Though generally well-liked nowadays, Avernus was heavily criticized upon release for its supposed poor optimization, unfair gameplay and fixed hitboxes,<ref group="Notes">Hazards with adjusted hitboxes to match their physical footprint.</ref> which gave the level a negative reputation among top Demons.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebXs-Q5Rtw0</ref><ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsZwytAF7A0</ref><ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RGXaf0StT0</ref> PockeWindfish's response to criticism of neglect as host was widely seen as immature and unacceptable by the community.<ref>https://x.com/pockewindfish/status/1713986499379654786</ref><ref>https://x.com/pockewindfish/status/1712571703627305222</ref><ref>https://x.com/pockewindfish/status/1712510912270070266</ref><ref>https://x.com/pockewindfish/status/1719478399876440305</ref>

==Story==
The story of Avernus involves the player searching the volcanic crater of the same name to find the gates to the Underworld. This story closely resembles The Golden, where the player navigates a jungle in search of the legendary city of El Dorado. The level's decoration appears to depict a volcanic crater, with the entrance to the Underworld at the very end, marked by a cube section with pillars, and the end screen. The plot is inspired by Roman mythology, which holds that the gates to the Underworld lie beneath the crater Avernus, a real place. The story also makes more sense because the original name for Avernus was The Gates.

==Description==
*'''0-7% (Bo):''' Avernus begins with a ship segment where the player must navigate through narrow spike gaps, some with fixed hitboxes. Next is a brief UFO section, followed by a wave segment that briefly becomes dual.
*'''7-16% (TriplasH):''' The player briefly returns to a cube at double speed before jumping into a ship portal into the next segment. The player must switch gravity midway through this brief ship segment before entering a ball portal with a pink orb inside, followed by another ship segment containing fixed hitboxes. The player becomes a mini-cube at normal speed, then transforms into a UFO, returning to normal size midway before entering a wave segment that is extremely tight and speeds up to double speed. This part concludes with brief cube and ship sequences.
*'''16-25% (Zipixbox):''' The player must traverse through a tight yet brief dual segment, with double-speed and size portals thrown in. Soon, both icons switch game-modes, one being a ship and the other a wave. The player briefly returns to a cube before entering a UFO segment, where gravity changes multiple times and reverts the player to normal size midway. The player enters a ship segment that briefly becomes dual before transitioning to a ball section, which then turns them back into mini. The part concludes with a brief wave segment, during which the player returns to their normal size.
*'''25-36% (Kyhros + Woom + Zentraa):''' A brief UFO segment leads into a mini-ship that switches gravity mid-way, followed by a brief ball that briefly becomes mini in between. Next is a ship segment and cube section, after which the screen briefly turns black. After this, two jumps as a cube must be performed, followed by the level's name flashing in the background, leading to the drop.
*'''36-48% (El3cTr0):''' Similar to The Golden, Avernus' drop starts with a very difficult triple speed wave where the player must navigate through tight gaps with size and gravity changes in between. At 42-43%, the player becomes a dual wave.
*'''48-59% (SyQual):''' After the wave segment is a UFO with some size changes that constantly change gravity, requiring quick precision as the player maintains a fast speed. After this, there is a ball, followed by another wave with some auto-cube transitions in between. This part ends with three cube jumps on pink orbs.
*'''59-67% (Nidro + Deadlox):''' The gameplay slows as the player must navigate through a ship section with some teleportation portals and a mini size change from 61-62%. At 63%, the player becomes a UFO and must navigate gravity portals before briefly becoming dual, then a section as the ship.
*'''67-76% (GD Iris):''' The gameplay speeds up to double speed as the player must pass a mini-cube section before briefly returning to normal size and having to pass a quick but precise section. Next is a ship that changes size and gravity midway, followed by a single mini-UFO timing, then some timings as a normal-sized UFO.
*'''76-87% (RealVet):''' With the gameplay speeding up to triple speed once again, the player must pass through a tight wave with the usual size and gravity changes. Between this, the player must also pass through two cube sections with timings, the first being completely mini and the second being both sizes.
*'''87-96% (Loolycat):''' This part is a tight ship with size and gravity changes, some orbs the player must hit, and a dual lasting only at 92%.
*'''96-98% (Kyhros + Bo):''' The final part is an auto cube with a single precise jump at the end.
*'''98-100% (Bo, End Screen):''' The level's end screen features a fiery landscape consisting of a castle, a collapsed bridge, a lava lake, and some bone remains on the ground. On the upper left, the level's name is visible, and below it are the names of Kyhros and Bo.

==Gameplay==
{{VC|BBlGMr26rFU}}

==First 10 victors==
{| class="wikitable"
 !Victor #
 !Player
 !Date Completed
 !Total Attempts
 !Furthest Fail
 !Video
 |-
 |'''Verifier'''
 |'''Zoink'''
 |21 March 2023
 |27,732
 |91%
 |[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16Zh8jssanc YouTube]
 |-
 |1
 |Diamond
 |5 January 2024
 |233,986
 |96%
 |[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEFB-ZrhMmM YouTube]
 |-
 |2
 |[[Trick]]
 |7 January 2024
 |?
 |91%
 |[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWyNtYYpjy8 YouTube]
 |-
 |3
 |[[wPopoff]]
 |11 June 2024
 |~10,000-15,000
 |85%
 |[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ynbIhRflw8 YouTube]
 |-
 |4
 |Light
 |25 August 2024
 |?
 |98%
 |[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRH1sfEDOok YouTube]
 |-
 |5
 |SerVax
 |21 December 2024
 |37,649
 |88%
 |[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4LJd1WsPos YouTube]
 |-
 |6
 |Arshadow
 |10 January 2025
 |?
 |98%
 |[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBiI9dbn-cg YouTube]
 |-
 |7
 |mo1ik
 |13 January 2025
 |76,000
 |?
 |[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXgcuhWiThE YouTube]
 |-
 |8
 |A6
 |31 January 2025
 |48,888
 |98%
 |[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FifpSVGGq1U YouTube]
 |-
 |9
 |Abdieldevil
 |5 February 2025
 |~62,000
 |84%
 |[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqJW42qq-7c YouTube]
 |-
 |10
 |[[Taiago]]
 |10 February 2025
 |?
 |84%
 |[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSSr_W9CUFs YouTube]
|}
{{Togglebox
 |header = Notable completions
 |body   = <nowiki />
*[[wPopoff]] beat Avernus in six days.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ynbIhRflw8</ref>
*After crashing at 98% on Avernus, Light did not immediately quit the game; he eventually beat the level despite not uploading his completion onto their YouTube channel. Instead, he sent it to his friend.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRPAyd-8P0k</ref>
*[[Zoink]], the verifier, used to have the lowest attempt count of 27,732 on Avernus.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16Zh8jssanc</ref>
**nickname has the lowest attempt count of 21,859.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rUlpxhCv10</ref> He also has the biggest fluke of 62%.
**Diamond, the first victor, used to have the highest attempt count of 233,986.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEFB-ZrhMmM</ref>
***Johnlikediamond now has the highest attempt count of around 270,000.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OfAhxeqlp8</ref>
}}

==Trivia==
*Avernus was rated on 15 April 2023 and placed at #2 on the Demonlist on 23 April 2023, above [[Slaughterhouse]] and below [[Acheron]]. 
**This addition pushed [[Zodiac]] out of the Top 25, untitled unmastered into the Extended List for the second time and Ddiamond into the Legacy List.
**On 16 October 2023, Avernus switched positions with Acheron, claiming the #1 spot.
***Avernus is regarded as the 42nd instance of the hardest rated level in the game's history.
**On 18 February 2024, [[Tidal Wave]] dethroned Avernus, ending its 102 days of reign as a Top 1.
**On 15 June 2024, Avernus was moved from #2 to #4, below Acheron and [[Silent clubstep]], marking Avernus as a false Top 1, similar to its antagonist, The Golden.
***Additionally, Avernus is part of the player-made 'GRP trilogy', along with The Golden and [[Amethyst]].<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SNmJEyDItc</ref>
**On 23 December 2024, Avernus was moved back up to #2, reinstating it as a true former Top 1.<ref>https://x.com/demonlistgd/status/1871077794924609960</ref> However, this decision was made due to mixed opinions about the level's difficulty and acknowledging it as harder than the other former Top 1, Acheron.<ref>https://reddit.com/r/geometrydash/comments/1hmc07r/why_avernus_back_at_number_2/</ref>
***Additionally, the placement of Anathema onto the Demonlist occurred on the same day.
***This is the current hardest hell-themed level.
**Avernus was the last Top 1 level rated in Update 2.1 to remain in the Top 10 before it was pushed by [[Flamewall]] on 24 October 2025. It also makes it the last hell-themed level rated in Update 2.1 to be pushed out of the Top 10.
*Avernus was the final Top 1 in Update 2.1.
**Tidal Wave was verified in Update 2.1 but did not receive its rate until 18 February 2024, when the [[Update 2.2]] had already been released.
*If the player waits at the end-screen for 17 seconds after completing Avernus, a message appears: 'he congradulates [<nowiki/>''[[Wikipedia:Sic|sic]]''] you.'
*Although Avernus was criticized for its supposed 'unbalanced gameplay' and fixed hitboxes, the level's victors have expressed great enjoyment playing it.
**Avernus is the top 1 level with the highest average enjoyment rating.
*The original hosts were Bo and El3cTr0; however, Woom and Kyhros replaced them due to inactivity. PockeWindfish later took over as the new host.
*Woom and Kyhros held a creator contest for the final part of Avernus, with Salamander initially winning. However, Loolycat's part replaced it in the final version.
*[[Wikipedia:Avernus|Avernus]] was an old name for a volcanic pit near Cumae, Italy, within the area of Campania west of Naples. It is part of the Phlegraean Fields, a volcanic region, and has a circumference of approximately 3.2 kilometres and contains Lake Avernus.
**Avernus is also the name of the plane where the five-headed dragon goddess Tiamat lives.
*Every object except for the fixed hitboxes is on the same layer, making it nearly impossible to make edits or changes.
*Avernus held the record for the longest time to receive a first victor after its verification, taking nine months between Zoink's verification and Diamond's completion, surpassing [[Bloodbath|Bloodbath's]] seven-month record after more than eight years. It was surpassed by [[Nullscapes]] on 20 June 2025, which had no victors until 23 October 2025, over a year after its verification.
*On 2 December 2024, PockeWindFish showcased the layout of the official sequel to the level called Tethys. It is set to be the third and final instalment of The Golden and Avernus series.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXRT9hlDGWE</ref>
*Avernus is the only level in its trilogy with The Golden and Amethyst to be a true Top 1, as The Golden is currently not considered harder than Tartarus, and Amethyst was verified on the same day as Thinking Space II, a few hours after, which is ranked above it on the Demonlist.
*The placement of Ultra Paracosm on 5 August 2026 pushed Avernus out of the Top 20 of the Demonlist.

==Notes==
<references group="Notes"/>

==References==
<references />
[[Category:Demon List levels]]