Okay, I'm posting this blog because I just got worked up on the misconception that platformers are 'casual games'. Now, I have talked about the stupid non-existant gap of casual and hardcore before and I have angered and perhaps accidentally insulted some people and their gaming habits.
This will be another delivering, controversial blog from Cajun Chicken.
First of all, I LOVE the platformer, the platformer is indeed going the way of the Beat 'em Up this generation, its obviously fading away into non-existance. The platformer is a great way to escape into another place, full of colour and fantastical colours, the closest we will ever get into a interractive cartoon and its dying in front of our very eyes.
Right, lets get down to it. I aim to sort out the arguement and the misconception of platformers being casual once and for all. This is my understanding;
Whenever I read upon 'Casual Games', I read upon games that anyone can play, that the first 5 minutes of the game you experience are the ONLY game mechanics ever introduced with very simple input with controls at that.
Due to the shovelware which is released on the Wii and DS, casual has been thrown around at anything that doesn't fit in with the 'hardcore qualifying rules' (Sorry, Wii and DS fans, there are good titles, but you must admit, sometimes most developers just can't be bothered and its now spreading to HD consoles for quick cash ins.)
Here is my list of games that I think fit in with the division of casual games:
Singstar series, Lips, Eyetoy series, You're in the Movies, Buzz series, Puzzle games such as Tetris, Lumines, Guitar Hero, Rock Band, FloW.
Why those games? And why don't I think platformers deserve to be in the division of casual games you ask?
I'll explain why in four easy points;
1.Do you just press a few buttons judging by colours on screen, shake a stick, sing, match something up or press
something at the right time in order to play and complete a full platform
game? No.
2. Does a platform game have a narrative, development of game mechnanics and level progression? Yes.
3. Do the games I see as casual games I mentioned actually stray any
further than the original game mechanics introdued from the first 5
minutes of play? No.
4. Does a platform game actually 'end'? Yes.
Did you notice that basically, platform games basically broke all the common rules that 'casual games' are set under?
Good lord! Does that mean they are hardcore? I mean, cutsey, cartoony games can't possibly be hardcore, right?
Well, not exactly, but I think they are 'Core' as anyone can play them, but have to put a bit of thought into them its not as simple as just diving in, also many platform games introduce different game mechanics on different levels altering how you think and play the game, 'casual games' don't. You still sing, match or press buttons echoing whats on a screen in casual games and that doesn't end even when you get to the last level, casual games play and are exactly the same until the end.
Do I just play platformers?
NO! I play all types of games except really JRPGs and RTS, many of those that don't fit in with the 'casual' demographic with are more 'hardcore' apparently, like fast paced FPS, Adventure games and TPS that want you dead all the time, but I don't play any of the (what I think) casual games I listed above, well except for a good puzzle game that gets the brain and hand eye co-ordination working.
But I really like the occasional platform game, classics like Crash Bandicoot, Ratchet, Ape Escape, Jak series and even Spyro.
Its funny that once the platform game was basically the only 'hardcore' game out there and now its been shoved along games where effectively, you have very little input in the game you are playing.
From what I understand 'hardcore' games seem to involve adult content, shooting, dark themes, adult characters, addictive, online community, not as simple as a case of good VS evil and anything that is 'difficult' to complete or survive in.
Maybe my writing and points will stop people claiming Platform games are 'casual'. A generation ago maybe they could be classed under that, but now...no.
Not the way how the industry has thrown the word around in the last few years, its nothing but an insult to a well developed, good level design in mind, solid game in a certain genre, just because it isn't as dark or addictive as a hardcore game.
So if you want platformers to be put under something and stupidly pigeonholed like all other game genres are, lets just say 'core'. But platformers are certainly not 'casual' not compared to those other games.
So argue. discuss what you think of my opinons. Yes, you read that right, I just said Guitar Hero is casual, not hardcore. Go ahead and defend why pressing coloured buttons at the right timing on screen to a rock soundtrack is so hardcore and platforms apparently games aren't. Hopefully some platform game fans will unite on the comments of this here blog and put in their input.
If not. I'm going to have some angry Guitar Hero fans.
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LittleBigPlanet actually reminds us of that. Beating the story mode is hard, very hard.
I agree with some of the things you said, but not everything.
For one, it should be judged on a case by case basis. And who's to say that a casual game cannot also be hardcore?
I mean, the perfect example is the original Super Mario Bros. for NES. That game was extremely casual. It had an ending, yes. It had a narrative, technically. But really, it only involved moving left to right, holding one button to run, and pressing another button to jump. It is ridiculously simple when you think about it. The run button lets you shoot fireballs if you get a power up. That's the full extent of its complexity.
The game was very casual-appealing then, and it's still very casual. I mean, it launched a revolution in gaming and made Nintendo the most popular and well-known videogame maker on the planet. That's casual.
Now, it's also hardcore. Very hardcore. To beat the game requires very high levels of skill, precision, reflexes, timing, coordination, and memorization. I would staunchly defend it as a casual game AND as a hardcore game. So, really, what's the point in making distinctions?
All genres have merits. Different games appeal to different people, for whatever reasons.
I would like to know where you stand on titles like LBP, "Lego" series, Super Mario Galaxy, Super Smash Bros and many other games that blur the line between casual and platformer(Bar smash bros, Thats just an example of blurring HC and Casual).
I think the reason they all get lumped together is the newer gen. Me and you are from old school NES and Atari days man, When Donkey Kong Country or Super Mario 3 were so astounding nobody knew games could get better looking. When Earthworm Jim was as cartoony as you could imagine... Games evolve as do the players and the generations. One day we'll be watching kids in glass balls blowing zombies heads off with VR goggles on actually feeling blood splash and body parts hit them as they blow up... Thinking back to duck hunt will be weird and we will be outcasts...
I love platformers. The ones I mentioned and others like Ratchet and Clank TOD and Uncharted(Not sure if this is TPS or Action adventure/Platformer.... Good mix anyway) What in your mind qualifies a platformer? God of War? Ninja Gaiden? Devil May Cry? Normally I see little difference between GOW and Ratchet... Enemies spawn, you kill them with something you aquired throughout the course of the game, Puzzles, Story, Character Development and an ending... Some replay value. What changes it from Beat em up/ Platformer/ Action adventure/ Something else?
Then again is mass Effect a Platformer? It's not a JRPG and it seems as though it could be classified as a platformer unless there is a real definition of what is what... What makes it that much different from something like Fable 2? What is fable 2 for that matter?.. I feel if you play through the game and beat it you have a platformer but if you go through and re do a bunch of quests it could qualify as a RPG... Fine line once again...
Basically I feel most of the younger gamers these days can't see a game being fun without something they feel is essential i.e. Realism, Gore, Adult theme's... To me it's all about fun and a game like Lego indiana jones is a ton of fun. Me and my girl could play it and just keep going with it. Too many people are hung up on Graphics or Tech to worry about what makes a game good. As Paul Barnett said to his team when they were making Warhammer AOR "FUN YOU F#@$ERS!!!!"
Too many people get lost in the things that aren't fun to add challenge. Prince of Persia the new one was fun. Easy, Short, Repetitive but still fun and beautiful. Worth a look for sure, Maybe not a buy but still. A solid platformer that could have been more fleshed out but still enjoyable...
Also I once read an article about a guy who was so hardcore into MMO's that one day he sat down and started up ICO. He played the game from start to finish in one sitting and as he saw the credits roll he thought to himself "I could have spent the last 6 1/2 hours working on an enchant for my helmet that would have given me barely any kind of advantage in the scheme of things...." There is something to be said about fun and too many have lost it or are lead by others to a more HC route.... Hence why I think Platformers in general aren't doing as well as a game like COD4...
I agree, platformers are AWESOME!
donkey kong country,2 and 3 are unbelievable
earthworm jim was awesome
sad,cause they will never made games like those(except lbp which is unbelievable)