difficulty: normal

I have noticed that as of late, video games aren't as difficult as they used to be. Why not? I guess I don't actually remember games being all that difficult (except for Top Gun, TMNT, or Kid Icarus to name a few). Actually, now that I think about it, i remember the games being extremely difficult...guess i just forgot. Anyways, a couple of months ago, i played the original metroid game...it took me 10 minutes just to get past the first screen. It is extremely tough. The trick for most of those old games was perfection. You had to do it just right. Take Battle Toads for example. I haven't thought of this game in a while, but it was awesome (one of Rare's first games i think). Anyways, there was this level where you rode around on these jet ski type of vehicles. It was the hardest part in the entire game if I remember correctly. You had to speed along the path and not miss a beat, or you would die and have to start over. I'm not kidding, it had to be one way...and perfect!

Has anyone played a game like this recently? Probably not. I don't remember when was the last time I played a game where I had to memorize my exact actions to pass a level. Jump here, shoot that guy 3 times, move to the left, shoot him 2 more to finish him off, dodge the asteroids (left) jump, jump again, double jump, duck down, shoot the switch, dodge the traps, and run before the explosion behind you catches up. No...things aren't that way anymore...well, hardly. I played the newest F-Zero the other day which was no perfection, no pass. I hated it. Which brings me back to the common response of all people who have gotten frustrated over a video game. I have said this out loud as well as thought it and I am sure many others have as well...you think, "i want to write a letter to the company and tell them that they all suck," or "I want to write them and ask why they made this part so hard (or stupid or fill in the blank)." As frustrated as I got, my vocal and mental response was never to try harder and be persistent, it was to write a letter and complain that the game was not the way I wanted it. funny.

Here's the point. Why am I not threatening to send any company any letter anymore? Well, games just aren't as difficult as they used to be. Or at least the difficulty is on a different plane. Maybe now the difficulty is that instead of 2 red buttons, you have up to 4 times that many buttons and anolog controllers, and non-linear storylines/action sequences. If you are not a "gamer" and try to pick up one of todays games...i think you'd find it difficult to just manage the character. After all it used to be press the direction you want the plumber to go, press A to jump, and B to shoot fireballs. Simple. Still, the developers could make the games more difficult to progress through but they don't...why? Well, my guess is that people no longer play video games for the challenge. Sure, it is nice for parts to be challenging so that you get a sense of accomplishment, and so that you don't get bored, or you don't feel like you are playing a fluff game. But, they difficulty is not exactly what keeps people like me going. It is the story or the action or the anticipated visual quality or enhanced gameplay and control or getting new weapons, or meeting new people, or learning new magic spell, or leveling up your player. It isn't all about how hard the game is, it is about how the story unfolds. This is why I don't like sports games...there is no story. Sorry, adding a draft, create-a-player, different game modes, watching stats, and all those additions to sports games do not make a story. Story is what drives video games these days. Why spend extra hours making sure the game is difficult when you should be working on making the game have a good story. I am glad that games aren't as hard as they once were. Tonight i am going to try to play the original prince of persia...it will be hard...i will get mad...i will write a letter!