Are games getting easier?

Some people might look at the advances in video games over the years and think that games have gotten harder on average. But does more complexity equal more difficulty? Let's take a look.

In the 1980s and 90s, games began to take on the form resembling those of this next generation, but there are many differences between the NES, SNES, and Genesis games and those of the new millenium. First of all, 20 years ago there was no saving a game. If you wanted to beat Mario you would either do it in a single sitting, or pause it and leave the system on while you took a break. Now we can save our progress and come back to it whenever we want. Another huge difference that arose with games since the rise in saving progress is the death of the "game over". Sure you'll still see those words every once in a while, like after being killed without a fairy while fighting Ganondorf, but big deal.

Because your game was saved 15 minutes before the fight, you barely lose any progress. If you died fighting Dr. Robotnik in the 8th level of Sonic the Hedgehog, that was it. You were starting over at Green Hill Zone. This is a big part of the reason why most of these older games had such a longer life than newer games, often giving 50+ enjoyable hours of single player, where as a game like Fable offered maybe 20 hours if you were slow.

Another huge change in games is the loss of any kind of scoring, and with that, the loss of a high score. How proud were you the first time you got the high score on Pac-mania at the roller rink? With newer games like Halo 2 and Gears of War, and even not so new games like Ocarina of Time, the goal is to complete the game, but how fast or how well you complete it doesn't make a difference. How can one tell the difference between one player's completed file of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and another's. One thing I enjoyed as a kid was comparing my new high score with my friends and relishing the moment when I was the dominant player.

Does mean that games have gotten worse? I certainly don't think so. There are plenty of good things about newer games, such as their enhanced multiplayer capabilites, cinematic quality, and their use as a social tool. Are games easier now than they were? Who knows? But I'll keep playing my NES for years.