Menace
Menace is a 2.2 Extreme Demon level by Arraegen (formerly MannyHeffley),[1] verified by Whizkid05.[2] The level, which includes an original song by Arraegen, explores the concept of abandoning morality and its consequences. It includes original writings by the creator interwoven throughout. Its development began in early 2024, with the full layout debuting on the creator's channel on 5 April 2024 and the final decorated version following on 30 April. Whizkid05 verified the level on 14 July after 45,000 attempts and spent over a month working on it. The level received praise for its technical effort and for being one of the first top Demons to prominently feature elements of Update 2.2. Its difficulty consists of unconventional timings, gimmicks, and quick dual segments, frequently featuring icons on the same gravity.
There is a spiritual sequel to Menace called Glass Chapel, a projected Top 5 level, set to be verified by iIiLaseriIi.
Description
Menace begins with a challenging robot section that features jumps off spike edges and precise orb timing. It then accelerates into a ball segment, presenting similar timing challenges. Following this, a mini-cube with three spider orb timings appears, then an automatic transition to a robot section at 10%, where the player must cling to floating blue pads to remain airborne. The level decelerates into another mini-cube segment with complex block shapes and challenging orb timings, similar to Black Blizzard. Finally, the following UFO section features challenging timings and tight spaces, building tension for the drop.
After the level's title is displayed, the drop begins, with the first half featuring a fast-paced sequence and frequent game mode changes. It features difficult asymmetrical duals and unique mechanics, such as a same-gravity swing dual at 29%. A notable segment at 34% focuses solely on robot gameplay. The second half of the drop begins with a dual-ship transition in which the two ships appear to be approaching each other. It then accelerates to quadruple speed, displaying robot and spider timings. A cube with the same blue pad gimmick as the 10% robot section follows. The level then quickly switches between game modes, each containing 1-2 clicks, before moving on to a swing section, three repeated cube timings, a longer cube section and additional robot timings. Then, there is a wave segment with a gravity-flipping dash orb leading to a short cube section that completes the drop.
After the drop is a long cube section completely slowed by a time warp trigger, with a size switch halfway through and unusual timings, such as jumping off sides of block towers and spike edges. It concludes with three orb timings, where the third launches the player into a difficult swing section that tests endurance and swing control. There are a few fake paths, such as routes inside gears. Towards the end of the section, it builds tension by accelerating to double speed before the second drop.
When the second drop starts, the level introduces a dual-cube gimmick in which both cubes must repeatedly hit a dash orb to navigate through a moving, invisible spike gap, repeated four times. The gimmick is then repeated four more times in a straight-fly ship section. Then comes a complex asymmetrical dual-cube part with size changes and invisible collision blocks, followed by a difficult same-gravity dual-ship segment. The level then presents a brief symmetrical cube dual, an asymmetrical wave, and an asymmetrical swing segment. The finale alternates between game modes, including a timing-heavy robot part, two difficult wave clicks, a ship segment that tests vertical control, and a final robot segment with six dash orb timings and four spider orb timings.
The end screen displays an eyeball artwork with the title, creator, playtesters, font and verifier.
Gameplay
Transcript
According to Arraegen, his writings attempt to answer the question: 'Should I let go of morality, and if I do, what will I become?' The text is interwoven throughout the level.[3]
Present reality is not aligned with what was preordained
but
Do not paint me a believer of deities
Meaning exists without the divine
Meaning equates to truth
and
The only truth is that there is no truth
The dictation of perception belongs to us
and us alone
This does not mean that meaning fluctuates
from one conscience to another
Meaning is constant
Meaning equates to truth
and
The only truth is that there is no truth
A pursuit of freedom is in vain if one chases something
larger than themself
All things beyond conscience are fiction
True freedom does not exist in circumstance
It exists in thought
however
Neither is of more significance
For thought is circumstance
And circumstance to those unaltered
By existential disquiet is frightening
The only truth is that there is no truth
And that truth is parallel to our meaning
Existing without the divine
This is my only belief
One of verity
One of freedom
One of a menace
First 10 victors
| Victor # | Player | Date Completed | Total Attempts | Furthest Fail | Video |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verifier | Whizkid05 | 14 July 2024 | 45,077 | 94% | YouTube |
| 1 | Thnnder | 27 August 2024 | 17,521 | 93% | YouTube |
| 2 | Zoink | 9 September 2024 | 8,083 | 93% | YouTube |
| 3 | Netermind | 11 September 2024 | ? | 93% | YouTube |
| 4 | Dovi | 28 March 2025 | 91,737 | 96% | YouTube |
| 5 | Flavyola64 | 10 May 2025 | 53,729 | 91% | YouTube |
| 6 | mariner | 1 September 2025 | ~81,000 | 93% | YouTube |
| 7 | wPopoff | 24 December 2025 | ? | 94% | YouTube |
| 8 | bims | 1 January 2026 | 36,301 | 96% | YouTube |
| 9 | Ahwiin | 18 January 2026 | 76,554 | 68% | YouTube |
| 10 | KrNati | 11 February 2026 | 64,568 | 93% | YouTube |
Trivia
- Menace was rated on 15 July 2024, one day after verification, and placed at #11 on the Demonlist on 15 August 2024, above Firework and below KOCMOC.
- This addition pushed shimmer into the Extended List and Plasma Pulse Finale into the Legacy List, ending its nearly seven-year reign on the list.
- Had Menace been initially placed more accurately in its current placement, it would have ended up as a Top 5 Demon.
- Menace was nominated for Best Extreme Classic in the Geometry Dash 2024 Awards.
- Menace is currently the second hardest level verified in completely vanilla Geometry Dash, as Mega Hack and Geode were not yet available in Update 2.206 by the time of Whizkid05's verification.
- He also used exclusively Practice Mode throughout the verification process, due to the Start Position trigger causing camera bugs and desync issues.
- The placement of Society on 24 June 2026 pushed Menace out of the Top 20 of the Demonlist.