Topic: Does Game Difficulty Really Matter?

This is a topic I've been meaning to address for a while now. Over this last console generation, I feel people have been making a bigger deal of the difficulty of modern games, often claiming they're too easy. Games like Donkey Kong Country Returns and Dark Souls were highly praised upon release for having a high difficulty level while games such as Kirby's Epic Yarn or The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess were often criticized for being too easy. But does it really matter whether a game is challenging or not?

My personal opinion on the matter is that games don't need to be extremely challenging as long as they're fun to play. I highly enjoyed Kirby;s Epic Yarn despite not being able to die in the game because it was well made and very enjoyable to play. It also provided it's challenge in a different manner, as getting all of the collectibles could be quite difficult in it's own right. Other games like Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons aren't particularly challenging per say, but provide an experience instead and draw you into their world. This is just me, but I tend to get more frustrated when I get stuck on a particularly challenging part of a game and I don't find it enjoyable.

The basic point is that I don't feel games need to provide rock hard challenges to the players in order to be great. That's one of the reasons I don't feel retro games are vastly superior to modern ones but that's for another time. What are your opinions on the matter?

I agree, but that's exactly why the difficulty matters, in my opinnion, games that are too hard will turn people away and easy games with 0 challenge will do the same.
the difficulty matters but it doesn't need to be high it must be enjoyable not too easy and not too hard

I put having fun over difficulty, but if a game can be really fun and really difficult, that's the best kind of game to me!

...but on the flipside, if a game is just difficult, it probably won't be very enjoyable.

It depends on the game or series to me.For example, I've come to expect Zelda games to only have a slight challenge in certain areas. I expect at least one puzzle to stump me in a Zelda game and that's usually the case. Same goes for the bosses. They are fun and I enjoy them regardless.

Now.. I would be pissed if they released a Dark Souls that was easy. It's just not what I've come to expect from the series and I LOVE the series. I need it to give me a challenge because that's what I play it for. I play most games on hard difficult if given the option. Mass Effect 2 on insanity was amazing. I have never played some game series just because they don't seem challenging at all, IE the Kirby series. Don't get me wrong, I liked some of the games when I was younger, but I just haven't played one in a long time. I might actually check out Triple Deluxe though and I expect it to be fun regardless of the challenge. I loved DKCR, especially the hard levels.. the ones unlocked from the KONG letters being the best, especially trying to beat the speed runs. It made the game that much better for me.

A game that was RUINED for me because of the fighting being so mind-numbingly easy was Fable 2 or 3? I can't remember which. I tried to play it but it literally took no effort to win fights. I can't stand that. I guess it depends on the genre of a game. If there is sword combat / magic, I expect some depth in the combat to add a challenge. Games that take no effort and feel like a cake walk suck and ruin the game.. especially if it's what the game is centered around. Maybe it's just because I was raised on NES classics that would beat me down repeatedly that's made me a masochistic gamer.

Games don't HAVE to be difficult, but certain ones should be. That's my point I guess.

Depends, some games I like to be challenged and pushed whilst other's I want to enjoy the game. Something that has annoyed me about Donkey Kong Country Returns is that it's a hard game so when I'm playing it on the 3DS on a rush hour train I can't focus as much as I would playing it in a better surrounding whilst I found Yoshi's Story was ruined by being far too easy.

Yeah, I have been tending to choose hard difficulty levels when given the option, recently!

...and DKCR... oh boy... it's got a punishing difficulty level, but I knew what I was getting into, and I've been loving it!

There is such series like Etrian Odyssey, known from it's rather unforgiving gameplay. I played EOIV, and I very, very, enjoyed the game (so much that I'm going to buy Etrian Odyssey Untold: Millenium Girl as soon as it arrives to Europe). But most of the time I played under Casual mode (thankfuly they added it to the game) because Normal mode was too difficult and unforgiving, with a lot of grinding, losses and hard&harsh battles.
I think the game is a good example where difficulty does matter - from nearly unplayable (unless you have countless hours to grind and test your tactics) to a challenging but entertaining dungeon crawler. (Some people do like such demanding games with high difficulty; I admit I'm not good on Normal mode, I enjoy the dungeon exploration more than boss battle preparations. I think of Normal mode as challenge, something like eg bonus levels or additional score)
While from the other side of the scale, let's take the newest pokemon games (XY). They are so easy (for me at least) that they are nearly boring (not only the easiness of those games makes them boring though) and I ended with level 70 after like second or third gym, without even grinding. So the rest of the game was just - defeat a gym leader - move further to E4 - repeat till you reach E4.

But generally I agree with the topic creator. As long as you enjoy the game, the difficulty doesn't matter. Various factors make a game enjoyable, diffuclty level is just one of them.

Depends on the game, the type of game specifically.

It depends on the game.

It feels so rewarding to complete a task in something difficult like VVVVVV or Mega Man, but I also enjoy relaxing with something more casual like Family Tennis 3D or Alleyway.

On a side note, TP is considered too easy? It's not what I'd call challenging, true, but it's exactly on par with most other Zelda games, as far as I've played.

gotta agree with you(I love Family Tennis 3D AND Megaman xD )

It all depends on what type of game it is. Personally, in games like Pokemon or Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, I would have liked more challenge. In Dark Moon I only died like five times, (I think like three of those were on the games only gimmicky boss) and in Pokemon I never lost a single battle. In games like those I'd like for things to tense and exciting a lot more often. Dillon's Rolling Western, I think, is a good example of a good game difficulty, it keeps me on my toes, but I haven't lost yet. (I haven't placated very much though, I really need to finish it) That said, I really enjoyed both of those games, so it's not necessary for a good game, but some people would prefer it. Then you have certain games that you're just kind of meant to enjoy, like Little Inferno or Animal Crossing. Those games shouldn't be challenging, it just wouldn't work. I at least think more games should have difficulty settings though, that way anyone can adjust the game to their liking.

I'm playing Wind Waker HD for my Wii U for the first time and I put it on Hero Mode. Man... its hard and fun at the same time

Have a good challenge, as long as it's fair, and the difficulty isn't broken.

I find that "difficult" videogames (or specific parts of videogames) fall into 1 of 2 categories based on how I feel after failing to complete something.
1) I failed because I screwed up or I'm not quite good enough.
2) I failed because the game is poorly designed or is asking too much of me.
I prefer challenging games, but only when they fall into the 1st category. I'm okay with sections of games that fall into category 2 if they are optional or bonus levels, etc.

On the other hand, easy games feel like a chore to play since they provide no mental stimulation whatsoever.

Yes, very much so. If the game feels unfair or frustrating, I'm not gonna put up with it. In fact, I doubt a lot of people would want to put up with a game that's cheap.

For everything else, everyone has their own tolerances. Some people prefer a challenge, and find it immensely satisfying, and some games would be ruined by making them too easy, since the satisfaction of overcoming a challenge is the very point of the game. Others prefer to not let a difficult section keep them from the story, and too much difficulty would ruin the experience that certain games are going for as well (such as Heavy Rain). But difficulty definitely matters, and that's why it's important to have games with varying levels of challenge.

I believe challenge is important but far from necessary. I died 3 times playing a Link between worlds (2 times on the final boss) but still greatly enjoyed the game. Yet, most games have things you can do to make it more challenging. For example, beating the game in New Super Mario Bros U is pretty easy but collecting every star coin is not. Difficult, as long as it is not cheap, adds length and depth to a game. Too easy and its not for me, but kinda easy and fun is alright by me

Nope, I love a good challenge.

It definitely varies, but I really like when games are potentially difficult. I have two games which, in my opinion, are decent examples of this. Pikmin 2, and DKCR. In Pikmin 2, if you know what to do, you can satisfyingly defeat any monster without losing Pikmin. But if you don't know what you're doing, the game is real difficult and you lose lots of Pikmin. Then for DKCR, yes some of the levels are difficult by themselves cough perilous passage cough, but I how the game says, "hey, you can just run through the level and beat it. Or you can go above and beyond by trying to collect all the puzzle pieces and KONG letters." I tell you, DKCR would not be a great game for me if there were no collectibles for added challenge and exploration.

I honestly think I must have played this game the wrong way, I ended up dying 32 times! 0.o

I only died once and on the final boss.. I am purposely doing it in the "wrong' dungeon order this time around, if there is such a thing. I was waiting to come to a dungeon where I'd get killed a couple times and it never happened. I heard that if you go to the turtle dungeon first that it's definitely a lot harder. I also did a ton of exploring before I really started any dungeons and collected all the heart pieces I could find.. it felt easy, but I wasn't disappointed with the game. I think the hardest Zelda game I've played of recent years was probably Spirit Tracks, lol. Just because of the funky controls.. I really liked that game though, possibly more than ALBW.