BY FRANKLIN: Many adult gamers say that modern video games are easier than the classic retro games we played when we were younger. Some feel that that joy of overcoming the odds and finally completing a difficult level is a thing of the past. Are developers becoming lazy with simplistic game designs or are there are factors?
Join me as we look at some of the reasons that retro games were more difficult than modern video games.
Generally they weren't. As kids, we beat most of these games several times over. The problem is that we have adapted to a new control system and games with archaic controls (plus a lack of a forgiving save function) makes them harder to play now.
I remember one of the developers of the Lion King mentioning that Disney told them to make the game harder so that players couldn't beat the game during the course of a rental. That's why you see the difficulty spike during the "I can't wait to be king" level (level 2 or 3, I can't quite remember).
I assume many of the publishers at the time may have had the same thoughts on that.
different mindset. Today everything is about story and characters. back then the story was a small detail to give your character context. the challenges weren't leveling up your character and modding all your loot - the challenges were literally jumping, timing things out and button mashing. They were more a contest of skill than a story you play - so the contest part was priority.
Because they used Arcade game design philosophy. Arcades were designed to suck quarters. Games were designed around this logic plus the idea of artificial length since games were very short, to make up for it, they were difficult.
Because every time a Sekiro or Cuphead releases journalismists cry wanting to be excepted into the group of people that can play. They then wage Twitter war against the developers for not being accepting of all levels of gamers in this inclusive era of pandering to the lowest common denominator.