NintendoKnow: Final Thoughts - Video Game Difficulty Throughout the Years

Lately I've been reminiscing through the memories I have of growing up as a gamer, and the difficulty of the games that went along with it. I remember being 5 years old and my game collection consisted of Super Mario World, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Super Metroid, and Donkey Kong Country. Nowadays I can play through Super Metroid and Donkey Kong Country in under two hours each, but back when I was little these games were absolutely massive to me. It would take me months to work my way through just one of them. Most would simply mark this down as me mastering the game over countless years, as well as how I most likely have better gaming skills now than I did back way back then.

I don't find all games from yesteryear easier now than they were then, however. Take, for example, many 8Bit games such as Battletoads and SilverSurfer. To me, these games are just as hard as I remember growing up, if not harder! However, to be fair, a lot of the difficulty of games from that long ago simply stems from the technological and design limitations of the day.

And then we have games from today. While there are exceptions, for some reason many new games being released today don't seem to have that ultimate challenge that I remember growing up. This could once again be chocked up to me simply being a better gamer now than I was at five. However, there are exceptions, such as Retro Studios' Donkey Kong Country Returns and Shin'en's FAST Racing League that make me question otherwise. It's games like these that make me wonder what if there's more differentiating some of today's game design from that of yesterday. Maybe some games are simply being made easier than they once were.

Just to be clear, I'm not referring to the "casual game", which is tailored suited to the gamer that might not want the most thumb blistering challenge. And also, I have no gripe whatsoever with the newly implemented SuperGuide Nintendo has been putting in many of it's recent games, as it's completely optional. Which is really a great thing, as it makes it more accessible to casual gamers, while still keeping the challenge that seasoned vets crave.

All that aside, it still feels as though some "hardcore" games these days seem to hold the player's hand as they make their way through them, creating an overall experience that's more and more passive, and giving it an almost cinematic feel at times. I don't want to always already know where to go; sometimes I want to have to figure out where to go. Consequently, I don't always want to simply "find" a hidden power-up that's coincidentally placed right in front of me; sometimes I want to have to actually search for it. I mean, I could be wrong, but isn't that the point of something being hidden in the first place?

I'm not saying games should leave gamers completely clueless, just simply loosen up the grip a little. If someone wants their hand held throughout a game, great. More power to them. They should have that choice, but it shouldn't be mandatory. I like variety, and forgive my starkness, but so does everyone. Some games give me this option, and so should all. I feel as though I could liken the heart of a "hardcore" gamer to that of a lion. It doesn't want to simply be fed; it needs to hunt. A lion wouldn't be a lion if hunting wasn't a part of it's lifestyle.

                                           That's right, I'm a gamer.

Of course, this is all just one opinion. That's why I wanna know what you guys think. Do you feel as though games these days hold your hand more than they use to, or do you feel as though new games being pumped out today are just as challenging as those older games were the very first day you picked up a controller? Feel free to sound off in the comments, I'll see you all in a few short hours...