Miyamoto: Games should feel like games.

Shigeru Miyamoto recently stated that games don't need to be difficult in order to deliver a good experience. Source.

Miyamoto, legendary game designer and creator of Mario and Zelda said that casuals and vets have more in common than you might think.

"The fact is, I don't think there is such a wall between both audiences," he said. "While there are indeed games designed for core and casual markets, core users are also enjoying casual gaming. I think the future is games that are not difficult and yet very fun to play."

"We need to release more games which feel like games. It is important that people who are playing them feel that the games are indeed fun to play. That concerns Super Mario Galaxy. Should it be fun by only playing it a short time, this indicates already it has a big value as a product. It is very important that the full fun of the game is being felt in the first stage 1,1."

Do you guys like games that are easy or do you prefer a challenge in your games? What do you guys think?

I want more games to be difficult like Prime 2. TP only disappointed me because it was so freaking easy.

usually i like easier games, but sometimes a challange is good.. as long as its not frusteratingly hard.

I think there are places for both types. Mario Kart is fantastic fun, but so is something like Ninja Gaiden.

Some people get frustrated over challenges, some people get inspired. Each type of person will desire a different experience, and perhaps people hunger for each experience at different times (I certainly do).

Is this supposed to be a bad thing? GamerForca

I dunno. From what I can tell he's saying that all the games are going to be easy, well most of them will be. I loved NSMB, but my main problem with the game was that it was in fact, too easy.

What I think Nintendo should do with games like SMG, NSMB 2, is make the game easy to start off, but when you get into it, it should get really challenging. I actually find that more fun.

[QUOTE="GamerForca"]Is this supposed to be a bad thing? the-very-best

I dunno. From what I can tell he's saying that all the games are going to be easy, well most of them will be. I loved NSMB, but my main problem with the game was that it was in fact, too easy.

What I think Nintendo should do with games like SMG, NSMB 2, is make the game easy to start off, but when you get into it, it should get really challenging. I actually find that more fun.

Yeah, I agree. But games like GeoW and Zelda TP were great despite their lack of difficulty. I'm fine as long as he's not saying "Gamers want shorter games" like he did before.

Games have been getting much easier as time goes on, play some games on the NES, Genesis, and SNES to see what I'm talkinga bout.

Right...more Miyamoto talk, should've seen him in the 16-bit era.Panzer_Zwei

Anyone with a SEGA Icon shouldn't be talking about smack talk, especially with SEGA of America. :P

"I think the future is games that are not difficult and yet very fun to play." I suppose we should all throw NGS in the bin and fire up Minesweeper?Dualshockin

WTF Minesweeper is harder then Ninja Gaiden.......I'm seriously not kidding turn it on and play.

I like games of both standard.

Sometimes some hardcore Metroid Prime is funn.

And sometimes some laid back Mario sports game. A little of both. And you took his quote out of context. and I lsitened to his interview and he didn't say that exactly.

Thus this doesn't count!

[QUOTE="the-very-best"]

[QUOTE="GamerForca"]Is this supposed to be a bad thing? GamerForca

I dunno. From what I can tell he's saying that all the games are going to be easy, well most of them will be. I loved NSMB, but my main problem with the game was that it was in fact, too easy.

What I think Nintendo should do with games like SMG, NSMB 2, is make the game easy to start off, but when you get into it, it should get really challenging. I actually find that more fun.

Yeah, I agree. But games like GeoW and Zelda TP were great despite their lack of difficulty. I'm fine as long as he's not saying "Gamers want shorter games" like he did before.

First of all he never said that, it was just in some blog.

Second of all that is VERY true.

Most games that sell now are way under 20 hours, hell some even under 10 like Gears.

Just look at this top 50 selling list from last year, only 3 or 4 games exceede 20 hours.

http://vgchartz.com/ayearly.php?year=2006

I want more games to be difficult like Prime 2. TP only disappointed me because it was so freaking easy.

dieworm

Games have been getting much easier as time goes on, play some games on the NES, Genesis, and SNES to see what I'm talkinga bout.[QUOTE="Panzer_Zwei"]Right...more Miyamoto talk, should've seen him in the 16-bit era.Gunraidan

Anyone with a SEGA Icon shouldn't be talking about smack talk, especially with SEGA of America. :P

WTF Minesweeper is harder then Ninja Gaiden.......I'm seriously not kidding turn it on and play.

Gunraidan

I agree. As much as I hate to admit it, Minesweeper is frustratingly difficult for me on "Expert".

games like bioshock and mass effectare the future

miyamoto is a has been he doesnt have what it takes in the next generation gaming

kiddy games like mario, are a thing of the past

i like challenging, difficultand fun games.

WTF Minesweeper is harder then Ninja Gaiden.......I'm seriously not kidding turn it on and play.Gunraidan

I've been disagreeing with Miyamoto more and more lately. I don't want a game that my Niece can master in a day, I want a challenge. The wall he says doesn't exist is very large and I don't cross it often.Ibacai

I've been disagreeing with Miyamoto more and more lately. I don't want a game that my Niece can master in a day, I want a challenge. The wall he says doesn't exist is very large and I don't cross it often.Ibacai

games like bioshock and mass effectare the future

miyamoto is a has been he doesnt have what it takes in the next generation gaming

kiddy games like mario, are a thing of the past

tidus222

I think games should be inherently easy. Hardcore players are the ones who finds ways of making games harder than they are. Which means people running through with minimal items, or speed runs, or going for high scores.RahnAetas

I disagree I want CHALLENGING games not HARD games. The difference? Hard is just something like "Oh let's turn down your hit points and put more enemies on the screen", CHALLENGING is something like you have to know the enemy and figure out tactics and unleash your skill to beat him. Most games of today just lean towards hard.

[QUOTE="Ibacai"]I've been disagreeing with Miyamoto more and more lately. I don't want a game that my Niece can master in a day, I want a challenge. The wall he says doesn't exist is very large and I don't cross it often.Panzer_Zwei

Personally I find all gaming philosophies stupid.

To me Microsoft, SONY, and Nintendo's way of gaming are all ridiculous in my opinion.

Gaming should be about fun,skill, and expressing yourself while challenging you to the fullest, not trying to be a movie, or trying to be some real-life simulator, or some pick up and play garbage. Well that's my opinion at least.

I want a philosophy that focus's on level design, challenge, and core game mechanics instead of how realistic something is, presentation, or mass-market appeal.

[QUOTE="Gunraidan"]WTF Minesweeper is harder then Ninja Gaiden.......I'm seriously not kidding turn it on and play.Dualshockin

Here's a tip for those that suck at Minesweeper: Remember to use right-click on spaces that you know contain a mine.

[QUOTE="RahnAetas"]I think games should be inherently easy. Hardcore players are the ones who finds ways of making games harder than they are. Which means people running through with minimal items, or speed runs, or going for high scores.Gunraidan

I disagree I want CHALLENGING games not HARD games. The difference? Hard is just something like "Oh let's turn down your hit points and put more enemies on the screen", CHALLENGING is something like you have to know the enemy and figure out tactics and unleash your skill to beat him. Most games of today just lean towards hard.

All games, be it video games, board games or whatever should ALL strive to be simple to learn. Not easy to beat. I think that's what shiggy was trying to say.

"I think the future is games that are not difficult and yet very fun to play." I suppose we should all throw NGS in the bin and fire up Minesweeper?Dualshockin

Do you even know how to play Minesweeper? I asked that question before and only a few people knew how to in System Wars.

[QUOTE="Ibacai"]I've been disagreeing with Miyamoto more and more lately. I don't want a game that my Niece can master in a day, I want a challenge. The wall he says doesn't exist is very large and I don't cross it often.Panzer_Zwei

Exactly, I know what you mean. And it's getting annoying. I like games, but it's just like, "You don't have the reflexes of a superhuman, you fail", kind of like in Snatcher the first playthrough, I hated the final shooting scenes. However, requiring the player to plan an attack, by making a distraction, quickly running through the room, take cover, wait until they run by, jump up here, watch out for this guy, two guys, make them seperate, get one, then the other, then go to the objective. While making it difficult via strategy, as in, you have to be smart. But too many games are just reflex challengers, the hardest part about MGS2 on Extreme was the button mashing part at the end.
wemhim

Ah so another Snatcher fan. :)

And yes the ending was BS.

If a game can be simple or easy to play, yet still be fun, then I don't see what the problem is, since that's why I play games in the first place: to have fun. But if the ease of game takes away from the fun, then I can see the problem.DaAznSaN

My thoughts exactly, I agree with him of games trying to be games, games nowadays are nothing but tech. demos that try to simulate real-life as possible. WTF I don't want you to simiulate a damn city battlefield, I want it to be sur-real with great level-design so it will be fun to walk around in. I mean the point of videogames was to escape from reality and have fun not to return to it.

All games, be it video games, board games or whatever should ALL strive to be simple to learn. Not easy to beat. I think that's what shiggy was trying to say.

goblaa

If that's what he means I totally agree with him. Hell most simple to learn games are often the most skillful such as shoot-em-ups, Street Fighter, etc.

However some games need complexity like Disgaea for example, but I agree some games have too many damn buttons to memorize.

Here's a tip for those that suck at Minesweeper: Remember to use right-click on spaces that you know contain a mine.Technoweirdo

All games, be it video games, board games or whatever should ALL strive to be simple to learn. Not easy to beat. I think that's what shiggy was trying to say.

goblaa

Pick up and play games? I don't really agree with him. Learning how to play a hard game makes it so much fun. Beating Ninja Gaiden is much more satisifying than Starfox 64.

[QUOTE="Dualshockin"]"I think the future is games that are not difficult and yet very fun to play." I suppose we should all throw NGS in the bin and fire up Minesweeper?cametall

Do you even know how to play Minesweeper? I asked that question before and only a few people knew how to in System Wars.

[QUOTE="goblaa"]

All games, be it video games, board games or whatever should ALL strive to be simple to learn. Not easy to beat. I think that's what shiggy was trying to say.

CJL13

Pick up and play games? I don't really agree with him. Learning how to play a hard game makes it so much fun. Beating Ninja Gaiden is much more satisifying than Starfox 64.

The challenge of a game shouldn't be trying to memorize the game controls or attack combos or whatever; it should be in the content of the game. You shouldn't have to think about controls; you are one with the game and you just worry about what's happening on screen, not what's happening with your fingers. If StarFox 64 was harder in content, yet still simple in controls, wouldn't that be more satisfying to beat?

Any professional game designer will tell you that all games should be as painless as possible to get into. If you design a game with a high learning curve, you have simply designed a bad game.

Just because a game has a low learning curve does not make it easy in any way.

If you design a game with a low learning curve that is easy, you have once again, designed a bad game.

[QUOTE="CJL13"][QUOTE="goblaa"]

All games, be it video games, board games or whatever should ALL strive to be simple to learn. Not easy to beat. I think that's what shiggy was trying to say.

DaAznSaN

Pick up and play games? I don't really agree with him. Learning how to play a hard game makes it so much fun. Beating Ninja Gaiden is much more satisifying than Starfox 64.

The challenge of a game shouldn't be trying to memorize the game controls or attack combos or whatever; it should be in the content of the game. You shouldn't have to think about controls; you are one with the game and you just worry about what's happening on screen, not what's happening with your fingers. If StarFox 64 was harder in content, yet still simple in controls, wouldn't that be more satisfying to beat?

I like games with harder controls, beating a game with hard controls like Stuntman or DBZ: BT is so much satisfying knowing you are one of a few. Harder content does make a game better, but I like controls that really force me to get into the game.

Exactly, I know what you mean. And it's getting annoying. I like games, but it's just like, "You don't have the reflexes of a superhuman, you fail", kind of like in Snatcher the first playthrough, I hated the final shooting scenes. However, requiring the player to plan an attack, by making a distraction, quickly running through the room, take cover, wait until they run by, jump up here, watch out for this guy, two guys, make them seperate, get one, then the other, then go to the objective. While making it difficult via strategy, as in, you have to be smart. But too many games are just reflex challengers, the hardest part about MGS2 on Extreme was the button mashing part at the end.
wemhim

There's only one shooting scene in the whole game that's remotely challenging, and come on, it's not hard to beat.

You must've played the game via emulation or something for you to have had any sort of difficulties.

It depends, I find 'challenging' and annoying to be 2 different things.

Ninja Gaiden and Devil May Cry are awesome because of how hard they are. You need to know where you are, what is going on around you. Already on your guard, and always moving.

Now take a warriors game, being surrounded by hundred of enemies just trying to get to one guy, or have to run back and forth the battlefield to save your weak allies? That isn't hard at all even though it made seem like it. Its a annoying pointless challenge.

Any professional game designer will tell you that all games should be as painless as possible to get into. If you design a game with a high learning curve, you have simply designed a bad game.

Just because a game has a low learning curve does not make it easy in any way.

If you design a game with a low learning curve that is easy, you have once again, designed a bad game.

goblaa

I like games to have a challenge in them. I don't want to run through a level in a few xseconds.

That having been said, I want games to feel more like games. Now they seem to be more like interactive movies.