Casualization

How many game series are "Casual-ties" now?

It seems they are making games simpler much to their detriment.

I think Super Smash Bros Brawl is the best example of this - they added tripping and completely imbalanced all the items, so all my friends who suck at playing games love it, and all my friends who are halfway decent (including myself) hate it. It feels like the game plays itself half the time and I have no control over anything.

What other franchises have become casual like this, and why does it happen?

Mario Kart, Items are far too imbalanced in the latest iteration.

I find it really funny that the first two games mentioned in a "casualization" thread are Smash Bros. and Mario Kart. Really h4rdc0re series there. :lol:Cherokee_Jack

I don't know, as far as smash goes I find that those who were crap in Melee still suck at Brawl and vice cersa. I don't think it was casualized more so then just downgraded, not that I honestly care since I still love it. Mario kart :lol: They've all been casual, nothing has changed (except the crap item balance as already mentioned). I would say nothing has really been casualized this gen besides like............................ I don't even know honestly:?

I think World of Warcraft has undergone extreme casualization, but in that case, I don't think it's such a bad thing.

[QUOTE="Cherokee_Jack"]I find it really funny that the first two games mentioned in a "casualization" thread are Smash Bros. and Mario Kart. Really h4rdc0re series there. :lol:TheElfChild

[QUOTE="TheElfChild"][QUOTE="Cherokee_Jack"]I find it really funny that the first two games mentioned in a "casualization" thread are Smash Bros. and Mario Kart. Really h4rdc0re series there. :lol:Cherokee_Jack

[QUOTE="Cherokee_Jack"]I find it really funny that the first two games mentioned in a "casualization" thread are Smash Bros. and Mario Kart. Really h4rdc0re series there. :lol:TheElfChild

[QUOTE="Cherokee_Jack"][QUOTE="TheElfChild"]Fair enough, but I argue that Brawl cannot be played competitively as it is.Tylendal

To Cherokee:
While I agree that only the less casual types would notice it, if they didn't add it for the casual crowd, why did they put it in?

To Tylendal:
Tripping is a pain in the neck. I had a night where I died because of tripping 5 times in different games.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Amq0KhRleDQ

Stuff like this happens, and it's incredibly cheap. Some of my old tactics include a stupid 1% risk factor. For instance, I was going to inturrupt one of my friend's smash attacks with a quick swing from Marth's sword, but instead I tripped and fell straight into his attack.

As for the items, they used to be a fun optional random element, now I cringe when the items are on and something like the smash ball appears -- they're game breaking and dramatically change the course of the battle instead of marginally as it used to be in Melee.

MMOs are getting pretty casual, but that's actually helping the genre.

How many game series are "Casual-ties" now?

It seems they are making games simpler much to their detriment.

I think Super Smash Bros Brawl is the best example of this - they added tripping and completely imbalanced all the items, so all my friends who suck at playing games love it, and all my friends who are halfway decent (including myself) hate it. It feels like the game plays itself half the time and I have no control over anything.

What other franchises have become casual like this, and why does it happen?

TheElfChild

Mario Kart, Items are far too imbalanced in the latest iteration.

Wikipedian

hmm, well other then the ones already given.... um, I gotta say I guess Id have to go with Guitar Hero and Rockband, while they were never totally extremee before they are now (especially rockband) slowly moving to the casual side of things which isnt bad since Ive never been good at either of them :P

meh, nintendo's strat involves turning non-gamers into gamers over time, i have more issue with MMORPGs becoming casual and staying that way because releasing lazy content is easier and casuals use lazy content.

wii is a home console, i dont mind so much since either since it is meant to be pure fun for everyone, and it still has a large range of good games (now anyway, was a lack of them at some points of course)... while something like MMORPGs are meant to be hardcore (see Evercrack) but are now just is glorified social networking mixed with peggle.

but yes, i do agree mario kart's items are overpowered, less skilled involved in the wii version... still a decent game though... SMBB is a bit the same, but still keeps a lot of its complexity IMO even though it is easier for new players

[QUOTE="Wikipedian"]

Mario Kart, Items are far too imbalanced in the latest iteration.

FORZAGT5CASUAL

As for the items, they used to be a fun optional random element, now I cringe when the items are on and something like the smash ball appears -- they're game breaking and dramatically change the course of the battle instead of marginally as it used to be in Melee.TheElfChild

[QUOTE="TheElfChild"]As for the items, they used to be a fun optional random element, now I cringe when the items are on and something like the smash ball appears -- they're game breaking and dramatically change the course of the battle instead of marginally as it used to be in Melee.IronBass

This post is "casual" but this thread is so "hardcore".

Biggest one for me is the COD series. Cod 1 and 2(plus UO expansion for 1) were amazing games, had a great community for mods, took team work and skill to play well(ecspecially in realism mod servers), and were just over all great games. This gen intrdouced us COD in a casual state. Perks and other abilities were nice additions on some fronts, but on others it was just rewarding the bad players. The gameplay speed was upped and made it a spray and pray game, diminishing the experience overall, and the community for the PC is nothing compared to COD 1 or 2.

I remember when Rayman used to be a platformer and a good one I might add now it's nothing more than a party game..... Samething with RE when it was an actual survival horror and now its just a shooter. Also SF4 is just a more casual friendly game than 3rd Strike. Other example are a bunch of PC franchises that get casualized once the series becomes available on consoles.....kage_53

This. Its a shame what happened to Rayman.

I agree about Mario Kart. Not saying the game wasn't casual to begin with, it was. Mario Kart Wii dumbed it down even more. I mean seriously I have never seen more blue shells in one race in any other Mario Kart game, ever.

MMOs are getting pretty casual, but that's actually helping the genre.

Espada12

Let's just say games like WoW were once amazing, and are now not good in any way due to casualization. Gear means nothing, progressing means nothing. Why play unless you're a casual that sucks at video games?

[QUOTE="Cherokee_Jack"]I find it really funny that the first two games mentioned in a "casualization" thread are Smash Bros. and Mario Kart. Really h4rdc0re series there. :lol:TheElfChild

I'm surprised (and relieved) that there's a lack of Fallout 3 complaints (like how apparently Bethesda "Ruined" the Fallout franchise).

ON-TOPIC: Banjo-Kazooie Nuts & Bolts. Ok, maybe it wasn't "Casualized", but Rare ruined Banjo & Kazooie (mostly Kazooie). I'll admit that BK N & B was an OK game, but it's still a HUGE disapointment.

I find it really funny that the first two games mentioned in a "casualization" thread are Smash Bros. and Mario Kart. Really h4rdc0re series there. :lol:Cherokee_Jack

While I agree that only the less casual types would notice it, if they didn't add it for the casual crowd, why did they put it in?TheElfChild

The point is, it's not casualization unless it's meant to make the game more accessible to casuals. I don't know why Nintendo added what they did, but I don't think they sat down and said "Hey, soccer moms and seniors love tripping. Let's put it in the game so they'll want to play it."

I find it really funny that the first two games mentioned in a "casualization" thread are Smash Bros. and Mario Kart. Really h4rdc0re series there. :lol:Cherokee_Jack

Smash Bros. isn't a hardcore fighting series?

It's great to hear people that don't know about competitive Smash brand the series as casual and kiddy. They don't know that there's a huge hardcore fanbase that has made Melee the 2nd largest tournament-based game of last gen (behind Halo 2). Brawl may have been dumbed down like the TC said, but it's still a fighting game with balance and a potential for competitive play. And if that doesn't suit you, then, well... there's always BrawlPlus.

[QUOTE="Cherokee_Jack"]I find it really funny that the first two games mentioned in a "casualization" thread are Smash Bros. and Mario Kart. Really h4rdc0re series there. :lol:Ontain

But they're still casual-friendly games. I didn't say they couldn't be played seriously.

This also goes for the above poster. Don't get so defensive.

[QUOTE="Espada12"]

MMOs are getting pretty casual, but that's actually helping the genre.

Let's just say games like WoW were once amazing, and are now not good in any way due to casualization. Gear means nothing, progressing means nothing. Why play unless you're a casual that sucks at video games?

[QUOTE="Mr_Nordquist"]

[QUOTE="Espada12"]

MMOs are getting pretty casual, but that's actually helping the genre.

princeofshapeir

Let's just say games like WoW were once amazing, and are now not good in any way due to casualization. Gear means nothing, progressing means nothing. Why play unless you're a casual that sucks at video games?

They've got their customers by the balls.

"I'm not addicted. I can quit whenever I want. I just don't want to"

[QUOTE="Ontain"]

I find it really funny that the first two games mentioned in a "casualization" thread are Smash Bros. and Mario Kart. Really h4rdc0re series there. :lol:Cherokee_Jack

But they're still casual-friendly games. I didn't say they couldn't be played seriously.

This also goes for the above poster. Don't get so defensive.

[QUOTE="princeofshapeir"][QUOTE="Mr_Nordquist"]

Let's just say games like WoW were once amazing, and are now not good in any way due to casualization. Gear means nothing, progressing means nothing. Why play unless you're a casual that sucks at video games?

They've got their customers by the balls.

"I'm not addicted. I can quit whenever I want. I just don't want to"

[QUOTE="Ontain"] Smash Bros is played in tournaments. Mario Kart has world records online that i doubt anyone here has gotten. "hardcore" mario kart is in the time trials.

But they're still casual-friendly games. I didn't say they couldn't be played seriously.

This also goes for the above poster. Don't get so defensive.