Games should be playable for everyone.

I totally hear you on that. All button mashing is, well, button mashing. Everyone can do it, and I think we are getting past the days of irrelevant button mashing.

On the other side though, developers may continue to make games with this concept. I understand if you have arthritis, though where do we draw the line? You say"physical chore". I mean, we are sittign down already, and we are ONLY moving our fingers, is it really that strenuous? Yeah, if you have arthritis I can see, but for the majority of young gamers, I doubt they have that problem, right? So should large developers go out of their way to create games catered for those whom have arthristis or broken thumbs? I doubt they would do that, at least not any time soon. We'll likely still see many action/adventure games with this gameplay element implemented, unfortunatly.

What you can do however, which may or may not help you, but my uncle does, is not strive for ferousciousness when you tap a button. I remember those miny games my friends and I would play, where the winner was whoever tapped x the fastest. We'd raise our thumbs incredibly high, and then dive them at high speeds back into the x button, and then have them sore out again, repeat, repeat. Lets be realistic here. Does hitting the x button harder do ANYTHING? Not even slightly, and isn't the button sensitive enough? (If the controller isn't broken). My uncle would often beat us at these games. How? He simply, very softly, pressed the button repeadidly, but his thumb never even left contact with the button. By the time our thumbshad sored and crashed into the x button for one powerful press, which we thought was quick and effective, he had already got in 2 or 3 presses. My suggestion is to just press it easy, You'd be surprised to at what games have there "button speed" thats required is.. well not that high at all. A just steady contant repeated press can get the job done.

Have fun gaming!

Let me give you a small advice on button mashing. It works wonders for people who have muscle pains.

Always keep your thumb closest to the face of the button and don't go nuts mashing with all your strength. Hell, just tap them repetedly without having a mm of space from your thumb and the button. Just tap slightly and speedy. This way it will never give muscle strain and will always ensure success in button mashing.

I have an injured muscle on my palm so I developed this technique and it has work wonders for me. RE4 isn't a relatively heavy button mashing game. Other action games which occurs insane button mashing like DMC3 are no major problems with this technique.

yeah i hated that thing in GoW too.why cant we just hold onto the button to lift a damn door?

button mashing can be quite fun SOMETIMES,when u feel like just mashing on the button(s) to perform something.but only one button to mash can be painful.

Hi. Has anyone else noticed the increasing number of games which feature sections of repetitive high-speed button pressing? I'm thinking specifically of Resident Evil 4 on the PS2, where quite early in the game one must avoid a rolling boulder by hitting the X button as rapidly as possible for a sustained period. I'm in my 40's and after only a few attempts I have to take a break because of sharp pains in my forearm, wrist and finger tendons. (surely a guaranteed recipe for Repetitive Strain Injury!) I eventually succeed, but the point is that I know several gamers with mild arthritis or other disabilities who would love this game but find themselves unable to play it simply because of these unnecessary and infuriating sections. Why would Capcom wish to alienate a sizable percentage of their fanbase by turning an otherwise excellent video game into a trial of physical strength and stamina? Your thoughts, please. Best wishes, Peter.hedge45

What about those born without arms, or even hands? Or those that lost their arms in a war? You don't see them on here ranting.

I agree. The "mash the button as fast as you can" gameplay mechanic has got to die. It was stupid with the old Track and Field games on the NES, and it is STILL stupid today. A part of me dies inside every time I have to go through one.

Really? You really want to base this ENTIRE segment off a gameplay mechanic from 1985? Really Capcom? Really?

And somehow in Marvel Ultimate Alliance they got the bright idea to change this mechanic into the "shake the controller as fast as you can" mechanic. Pure stupidity.