Author Topic: Are Mario Games, Getting Easier? Or Are We Just Getting Better? (Read 13147 times)

ZGDK · « **on:** August 09, 2007, 06:52:04 AM »

I remember three summers ago I got Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3, I was probably nine or ten, and this was my third Mario game (Now out of my 50 games Mario makes up 20 of those games 0_o), so anyway, I remember being EXTREMLY challenged, after two weks I beat Bowser and saved Peach. Same thing happend when I borrowed Super Mario 64 from my friend, and bought Super Mario World. Let's fast forward two years. I now own about 14 Mario games, I finally decided to get a DS and NSMB, I beat the game in less than a week, I can beat it in a day if I want to. Then I bought Sunshine, same thing. Then I finally bought my own copy of Mario 64, same thing. Every game up to Super Paper Mario has not challenged me one bit. Now I ask you, are the games getting easier or are we getting better?

ShadowBrain · « **Reply #1 on:** August 09, 2007, 09:41:02 AM »

You're probably just better. Granted, not all (Mario) games are alike (difficulty-wise), but times change. Personally, I've been perpetually sick of the fact that almost no one can seem to make a decent, full-length DS game, but in retrospect, not a whole lot of GBA games had much meat on them either, figuratively speaking. Looking through the rear-view mirror, I guess, or whatever...

Robert · « **Reply #2 on:** August 09, 2007, 09:43:14 AM »

Yeah, I think the Mario games are getting to be a bit too easy. However, some of it could also be contributed to our years of Mario practice and experience. For example, I managed to beat NSMB in about two days. However, once I got everything, I noticed the levels got a bit more... difficult.

At least NSMB had those Mushroom coins and secret worlds and levels to extend it's mileage.

ShadowBrain · « **Reply #3 on:** August 09, 2007, 09:54:58 AM »

^ You tried Challenge Mode yet?

MEGAß¥TE · « **Reply #4 on:** August 09, 2007, 10:45:56 AM »

A bit from column A and a bit from column B.

Robert · « **Reply #5 on:** August 09, 2007, 05:13:38 PM »

Quote from: ShadowBrain on August 09, 2007, 09:54:58 AM

^ You tried Challenge Mode yet?

Yeah, I did, but it doesn't really bring much more challenge to the levels other then that you can't move the screen to the left. I would have preferred if it did stuff like change the level level designs slightly, gave shorter time limits for levels and added more enemies.

Really, I think the real problem with NSMB isn't because it's too easy, but because it's too short. IMO, the level maps were much longer in the original Mario games then in NSMB, which added to NSMB short length (Not to say that it's a bad game).

Chupperson Weird · « **Reply #6 on:** August 09, 2007, 05:15:01 PM »

The SMA remakes are easier. At least partly because of the ridiculous amount of lives you get and ability to start so close to where you lost.
ShadowBrain and Robert, were NES and SNES games longer than GBA games and NSMB? It's just that 3D console games have gotten longer, I think.

BP · « **Reply #7 on:** August 09, 2007, 10:17:41 PM »

The remakes are undeniably easier than their original incarnations.
I'll compare Super Mario Bros. and New Super Mario Bros. to answer the question. NSMB is a lot longer than SMB, and it's much harder to 100% the game (partially because you can't really 100% SMB). Some levels in NSMB are more tediously challenging than any in SMB and can cost you lots of lives. NSMB provides way too many chances at 1-Ups, balancing out those tedious levels. In two levels you can have as many as you'd collect after three worlds in SMB. I've never gotten a game over in NSMB (unless I did intentionally, to see what it looked like... don't remember if I did). I have, of course, gotten better at older Mario games; I can beat SMB without getting a game over, too. But, I could have beaten NSMB with much less experience than needed to beat SMB. Saving makes newer games worlds easier than older ones. Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros 3 had the saving system right. You should be able to save anytime, but not continue from that save point indefinitely. Obviously, some saving has to be involved for a long game like NSMB to be beaten at all...
Conclusion: If there weren't so many freaking 1-Ups, NSMB could be harder than SMB. I like a good challenge, and hope Super Mario Galaxy delivers... I understand that easy games are more appealing to anyone, and Nintendo aims for the whole family, but what about us hardcore fans? Hard mode, please!
In the case of Super Paper Mario... I died here and there, got stuck at some places because I'm stupid and blind, but the boss battles were cake.
Edit: This topic has made me want to play Super Mario World. I have one goal to find in this save...

Kojinka · « **Reply #8 on:** August 09, 2007, 10:35:09 PM »

I'd say we're getting better. I go back to a part of a game that I was struggling in months earlier, and find that I'm having an easier time with it. Happens a lot with me and most Mario games.

Metric · « **Reply #9 on:** August 10, 2007, 02:23:59 AM »

New Super Mario Bros. is just easy, I don't even own it and I can beat it in less than two hours. In my opinion, Mario sunshine is the hardest Mario out, as I am still missing 3 blue coins on a file I started almost 3 weeks ago. And this is the closest I've ever been to 100% beating Sunshine. I have no clue how you can beat it in a day.
Now, I can beat Mario Bros, Lost Levels, Mario Bros 3, and Mario World with loosing less than 5 lives each time... in that aspect I definitely got better, but are Mario games getting easier as they come out? I don't think so. I think NSMB was, and the Paper Marios are always easy, but the cannon ones always give me some challenge when I first pick them up, although I do know all of Mario's jump already, but each game has those very difficult parts that make them Mario games.

Kimimaru · « **Reply #10 on:** August 10, 2007, 02:10:17 PM »

I think we're getting better. Sunshine WAS a lot harder than Super Mario 64 to me. I've always quickly adapted to the controls and mechanics of games, and when I play more and more, I get better and better. Super Mario Bros. was harder than SMB2, however. Only that SMB2 wasn't a real Mario game... Whenever I play a Mario RPG, the sequel is always harder to me(except Super Mario RPG because there was no sequel). So my overall thought is that we are all getting better at Mario games because I've seen some new gamers have a lot of trouble with a recent Mario game.

Nintendoobsessed · « **Reply #11 on:** August 10, 2007, 07:29:43 PM »

Yoshi's island DS was a little more difficult (or maybe much more) than most Mario games these days...

ShadowBrain · « **Reply #12 on:** August 10, 2007, 08:02:03 PM »

^ I hate those games that compensate for being short by being obscenely difficult (that game wasn't even made by Nintendo, anyway).

Another factor for the portable ports seemer shorter/easier--besides the ridiculous amount of lives (I know YIDS is hard, but 200 lives? I try NOT to win the roulette games!): You can carry them with you everywhere, so you'll likely play 'em more.

Glorb · « **Reply #13 on:** August 11, 2007, 08:28:38 AM »

I think the games are getting easier. When I got SMS, my sister was a pro at it, even though she had never played any prior Mario games.

Tingrio · « **Reply #14 on:** August 12, 2007, 11:53:23 AM »

I think that I'm just getting better at them, but some games like Super Princess Peach among a few others seemed to be a bit on the easy
side for me (I still love them). To earn everything and beat YI DS is diffcult (looking past the lives) and challenge mode of NSMB tells me that games aren't whimping out just yet...(I hope they don't).

ShadowBrain · « **Reply #15 on:** August 12, 2007, 06:35:56 PM »

If everything gets too easy, just stop buying the games and hopefully, they'll wise up.

MaxVance · « **Reply #16 on:** August 12, 2007, 06:41:39 PM »

I don't think the average person here is going to stop buying Mario games.

reece1504 · « **Reply #17 on:** August 13, 2007, 04:31:39 AM »

We are all getting better; you see, when I was say 4, It took me something like a copuple of years to figure out how to beat the game. You know how I learnt this stuff about how to beat the game; E X P E R I A N C E!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Reading · « **Reply #18 on:** August 13, 2007, 12:26:12 PM »

I definitely think we're getting better. When I got SM64, it was my first video game, and it took me about 3.5 years to get all 120 Stars (and a few weeks just to figure out how to get the first one). When I got SM64DS, it took me about a month and a half to get all 150 Stars, and I probably could've done it even sooner if I hadn't gotten Kirby & the Amazing Mirror and The Thousand-Year Door at the same time.

The only Mario games I'd complain about being too easy are the Advance games, which are made way too easy (except for Advance 3, I really liked the Secret levels).

Shyguy92 · « **Reply #19 on:** August 15, 2007, 07:07:48 PM »

Quote from: Nintendoobsessed on August 10, 2007, 07:29:43 PM

Yoshi's island DS was a little more difficult (or maybe much more) than most Mario games these days...

!!!!!! I beat it in 2 days. I was disappointed, but now I realize it may just be me. It took me 2 months to beat the first one.

Chupperson Weird · « **Reply #20 on:** August 15, 2007, 08:47:48 PM »

YIDS is easy if you don't try to get 100s. It's boring if you do.

Kimimaru · « **Reply #21 on:** August 19, 2007, 08:29:36 AM »

I had fun getting 100's. I also had fun trying to beat all the people on a website in Time Trials. Yeah, I actually managed that for a few levels!

Vidgmchtr · « **Reply #22 on:** August 19, 2007, 08:57:38 AM »

I'm still unable to get 100s in the first Yoshi's Island game. :P

I don't think I'm going to try for 100s in YIDS just yet.

M4r1om4st3r · « **Reply #23 on:** August 20, 2007, 04:30:35 PM »

yeah they are gettin way to easy. :P

silverstarman · « **Reply #24 on:** September 24, 2007, 06:07:41 PM »

I think they're getting easier. I was able to beat NSMB in two days. Don't worry, this probably won't last too long.

Chupperson Weird · « **Reply #25 on:** September 24, 2007, 08:57:27 PM »

I can beat Super Mario Bros. in 10 minutes. Your point?

silverstarman · « **Reply #26 on:** September 25, 2007, 12:52:22 PM »

Quote from: Chupperson Weird on September 24, 2007, 08:57:27 PM

I can beat Super Mario Bros. in 10 minutes. Your point?

The point is saying "these games are getting easier." I still can't beat SMB3, but NSMB suddenly becomes a breeze?

goodie · « **Reply #27 on:** September 25, 2007, 01:19:43 PM »

SMB3 is easy.

silverstarman · « **Reply #28 on:** September 25, 2007, 02:19:02 PM »

Quote from: goodie on September 25, 2007, 01:19:43 PM

SMB3 is easy.

Well, I beat it once. It wasn't that easy.

BP · « **Reply #29 on:** September 25, 2007, 05:31:24 PM »

Nah man, SMB3 is super easy. Except for that one fortress in the dark zone of World 8. I hate that fortress.
Edit: It's all in the wrists.

Chupperson Weird · « **Reply #30 on:** September 25, 2007, 05:40:47 PM »

My point was that the games aren't actually any easier. I didn't say I could beat New Super Mario Bros. in 10 minutes. I could beat it pretty quick if I tried, but yeah.

silverstarman · « **Reply #31 on:** September 25, 2007, 05:54:29 PM »

Quote from: Chupperson Weird on September 25, 2007, 05:40:47 PM

My point was that the games aren't actually any easier. I didn't say I could beat New Super Mario Bros. in 10 minutes. I could beat it pretty quick if I tried, but yeah.

Ahh, I get your drift...

Boo Dudley · « **Reply #32 on:** September 26, 2007, 12:41:10 PM »

I managed to get 100 percent in Yoshi's island advanced without dying once.

Granted it took alot of reseting(too many to count) and memorization of levels. But it was all worth it to see the game tell me I'm the first yoshi on yoshi's island.

P.S. Just yesterday, I finally beat Metroid: zero mission on hard mode with only 15% collection rate!

MaxVance · « **Reply #33 on:** September 26, 2007, 02:22:31 PM »

Quote from: Boo Dudley on September 26, 2007, 12:41:10 PM

Granted it took alot of reseting(too many to count)

That means you died a lot of times. Cheater. Oh, and "a lot" is two words.

BP · « **Reply #34 on:** September 26, 2007, 07:08:48 PM »

Boo Dudley · « **Reply #35 on:** September 26, 2007, 07:56:38 PM »

Quote from: MaxVance on September 26, 2007, 02:22:31 PM

That means you died a lot of times. Cheater. Oh, and "a lot" is two words.

GRAMMAR WATCH!

Quote from: Black Mage on April 27, 2007, 07:14:32 AM

This applies to spelling and grammar as well. Solidshroom makes a valid point, and though I'm not singling out Bird Person for this (As I, many years ago, often did the same) we need to stop harping on the spelling and shorthand usage. This is an online forum, and we're all members, moderator or not. We've got better and more important things to do than be elitist jerks.

Rulkiewicz · « **Reply #36 on:** September 30, 2007, 08:09:50 AM »

I think the games are getting easier. Proof is when you go back to play Mario 1, 2, 3, etc, and notice that they didn't necessarily get 100% easier. Sure, as we're older we can be more responsive, but there are certain aspects in games that are just *hard*. With newer games like Mario and Zelda, you can always fall back on asking in the game, or some other type of in game help. That didn't exist back with the first Zelda.... if you picked the game up after a month or two of absents, and didn't know where to go, you were in big trouble, unless you have a walk through of some type.

Chupperson Weird · « **Reply #37 on:** September 30, 2007, 10:54:12 AM »

I don't agree with your statement that some aspects are "just hard". Being more responsive is one thing, but the other thing is memorization, because 99% of the things that happen in, say, the NES Mario platformers happen every single time. And once you memorize whatever happens in NSMB it becomes not hard also, because it's designed the same way.

Trainman · « **Reply #38 on:** October 01, 2007, 06:28:21 PM »

Eh... I beat NSMB when I first got it within 4 days.... or less. Then I beat it again when I got bored like... a week later. I got everything in about 4 hours of playing if i get bored at Meagan's.... then I did it again..... now i'm doing it for the 4th time and in about two hours I've gotten everything everywhere... except World 7 because I hate World 7.

Sunshine I got done in 8 days when I first played it playing about 2 hours or so a day.

MK:DS..... about a day or two to beat all the stuff... then about 3 days on the missions.... guh maybe everything is too easy. They need Lost Levels + NSMB graphics/etc. and that'd be a game right there!

Chupperson Weird · « **Reply #39 on:** October 01, 2007, 07:19:16 PM »

A ... rehash game! Really, no graphical improvement is necessary for SMB2J, especially now since there's a Fami-perfect emulation on VC. ROCK

silverstarman · « **Reply #40 on:** October 01, 2007, 07:52:30 PM »

Eh, I bought sin and punishment instead. Emulators have done a good thing for the world, lol.

Chupperson Weird · « **Reply #41 on:** October 02, 2007, 01:08:16 AM »

Like you have to choose! Also, like you couldn't play Sin and Punishment on an emulator!
Anyway, playing on a console on a TV is vastly better than playing on a PC-based emulator. (Even if VC is just a bunch of emulators too.)

silverstarman · « **Reply #42 on:** October 02, 2007, 12:54:39 PM »

Actually, no, I can't. My computer doesn't have enough power to handle N64 games. I can play SMB2J just fine, so there's really no use of paying for a game that I can already play.

carsr4carpeople1 · « **Reply #43 on:** October 24, 2007, 08:36:29 PM »

I think i'm getting better, everyone else thinks there hard.