Is Nintendo right? Are games too hard for the casual consumer?

Some of us (including myself) have complained that Nintendo's games have become rather, well, easy. We say they cater towards to the casuals, and hey if that's the case....so be it.

I was upset with the difficulty of Twilight Princess, and Mario Galaxy as well. I never understood how people thought these games were hard? I mean seriously, all you do is run and jump (when it comes to Mario), right? A series that anyone can pick up and play! Well I remember hearing that Miyamoto was concerned at one point with the difficulty, before it's release (Mario, just so we're on the same page)

Well, I recently was watching my daughter (7 yrs old), and figured she'd have a blast as well as an easy time playing Mario Galaxy. A rather simple title, to pick up and play.

She actually became frustrated, and didn't want to play anymore because she thought the game was difficult. She's younger, so I figured I would try to have my friend play it as well (24 yrs old). He said the same thing, and didn't want to play.

So..... is Nintendo right? Are games getting too hard (for casual consumers) and causing frustration? I was shocked, and couldn't believe people thought this game was hard. I could understand that the commet missions would be harder, but the normal game? I honestly think that Nintendo has something here.Though, you might not agree... think about if you never play games, or haven't played in 20 years. Games like Mario or even Zelda would most likely be hard for you. My daughter loves Wii Sports, as well as my friend... because of the "hassle free" play.

What do you think about? Do you agree?I think I do.....:?

I think it all depends on who's playing really. Us gamers that have been playing Mario and Zelda games for so long have pre-determined expectations on what each new game will be like. We know how Mario works and moves. We know how to kill each boss and what type of thinking and tricks we need to solve the puzzles in Zelda. Some new people who never played any of those games in the past that try now often get frustrated because it's basically foreign to them.

At least that's what I think.

I think it all depends on who's playing really. Us gamers that have been playing Mario and Zelda games for so long have pre-determined expectations on what each new game will be like. We know how Mario works and moves. We know how to kill each boss and what type of thinking and tricks we need to solve the puzzles in Zelda. Some new people who never played any of those games in the past that try now often get frustrated because it's basically foreign to them.

At least that's what I think.

FFCYAN

very true

new games/old gamers (who haven't played since NES/SNES days) most likely would find these games harder. I never understood this until I saw it first hand.

that would be like Nana and Pup Pup playing Mario. I'm sure they would need to take a break lol

Yes they are. I too was a tad shocked at how some label SMG as "hard".

No. If my 9Year Old sister can Play Wario Ware Smooth Moves, and New Super Mario Bros., with no diffuculty, then No.

absolutely nintendo have a point - but of course the casual gamer isn't the only audience the wii has. but ive seen plenty of my friends/family have trouble with games such as SMG, mario kart, and more seemingly simple games. a complete newcomer might even have trouble navigating menus. i think devs need to decide if a game is for a casual gamer or an experienced gamer and go with that completely - instead of making a kind of hybrid that is a little frustrating for newcomers and not completely satisfying for gamers.

yes, they are too hard for the newcomer...but even moreso, it is that it just isn't intuitive enough. remember when you first started controlling characters with analogue sticks. it took awhile. how far do you press before that walking turns into running. how do you handle momentum. and then adding in button presses that require timing, managing a camera to keep your eye on the enemy and then even knowing HOW to dispose of the enemy. it is a lot to take in. it is second nature to long-time gamers, but all of these things have to be LEARNED by the newcomer and cause frustration because it isn't immediately intuitive or immediately rewarding. i think newcomers (or as you say, "casuals") prefer the wii sports-type experience because it is intuitive and it is immediately rewarding. you don't have to trudge through an entire level just to get your one reward. you don't have to sit through minutes of dialogue to start to catch on to a story with characters you don't know from adam. instead, you bowl and you get a strike. quick, easy and instantaneously rewarding. i do think; however, that if you put those same gamers in a room by themselves with one of the more traditional, "hardcore" games, and they knew they had an entire weekend that no one would be looking over their shoulder (that no experienced gamer would be telling them what to do...what they are doing wrong), that these newcomers would work through these immediate frustrations and find a rewarding experience that we all have on a daily basis with games nowadays. but, that's just me...agrippi

I honestly believe that some people just have an easier time when it comes to "picking things up."

Yes, I grew up starting with the NES and have had the leisure of getting used to each controller as they come. Many haven't, again... I think that a certain few people just "get it" easier than others.

When it comes to the "others," I feel that things like Wii Sports/Resort are great. Children like my daughter will obviously be able to play these type of games better compared to Mario, and even Pup Pup could bowl a 300!

Nintendo has opened the door for people that don't enjoy some games that become complex (like you mentioned). On the surface, they have no depth, but when you actually look at it... they are very deep, experiences. Especially for people who are newcomers

absolutely nintendo have a point - but of course the casual gamer isn't the only audience the wii has. but ive seen plenty of my friends/family have trouble with games such as SMG, mario kart, and more seemingly simple games. a complete newcomer might even have trouble navigating menus. i think devs need to decide if a game is for a casual gamer or an experienced gamer and go with that completely - instead of making a kind of hybrid that is a little frustrating for newcomers and not completely satisfying for gamers.

jukitup

In most cases, I would agree that they would need to decide... let's face it, you usually can't have the best of both worlds.

But, in cases like Wii Sports/Fit/etc. People can enjoy them whether they've been gaming for years, or are brand new.... anyone can play them.

I think games like this take extreme "thinking outside of the box" and handeled differently.

This is how I like to have my games. It's in fractions.

1/5 Very easy, getting used to controls.

2/5 Alittle more difficult but still getting used to controls.

3/5 Longest part of game when it's fun medium difficulty and with fully mastered controls.

4/5 BANG hard stuff comes!

5/5 huge boss battles that take long to defeat.

Halo, Yoshi's Island, and GTA are games like above

I'm not going to get into this hardcore vs casual nonsense, epspecially when it comes to game difficulty. Sepewrath

lol that wasn't the point of the thread.

But I do agree with you.

I think it all depends on who's playing really. Us gamers that have been playing Mario and Zelda games for so long have pre-determined expectations on what each new game will be like. We know how Mario works and moves. We know how to kill each boss and what type of thinking and tricks we need to solve the puzzles in Zelda. Some new people who never played any of those games in the past that try now often get frustrated because it's basically foreign to them.

At least that's what I think.

FFCYAN

This.

Some games are too hard for the casual consumer, but then again those same games are too easy for hardcore gamers. So who do you want to satisfy? I, for one, am for hardcore gamers!

Its not that games are hard, its that they aren't acessible. 3D games in general aren't acessible because there are tons of mechanics that NEED to be in place for a 3D game to work. That's why 2D is the best way to get people intogaming. Because the simple dimensions are a lot more accessible. Also, people just starting gaming don't have the patience and don't want to put in the effort to get better. In order to learn to play games well you need to have patience, a good teacher and determination to learn. That's why I think co-opis a great addition to many games.

IDK really...My mom will only play Zelda games, and she beat all the Zeldas no problem! Nintendo games can be hard, but they are really easy to learn IMO. I can see how a casual gamer would have troubles with an FPS and all that stuff, Nintendo games are simple enough to where they can be hard but you can enjoy them. Heck! My sister beat OOT and Majoras Mask no problem...She didn't play the other Zeldas because she hates how the graphics look! If that doesn't scream ultimate casual than what does? Nintendo i think is looking at other hard game that are harder to learn for it's casual thing.

I think they are right but only to an extent, i mean games should be accessible to everyone that's a given and its only smart for them to make them that way. The problem i have with it is that once they gain that audience that may not be long time gamers like us did Nintendo ever think that perhaps if those new users became avid gamers would they still want to be walked through things easily or will they want a challenge after a while? I think they could solve this whole problem by adding difficulty levels, i could be wrong but it really couldn't hurt for them to give it a try, or at least give players an option.