The Younger Generation of Gamers
PlayStation 3
The more advanced the technology being implemented in video games, the further we tend to stray from the type of games that created the video game industry. The younger generation of gamers play games in which there is a friendly learning curve, everything is spelled out for them, and platforming and strategy is at a minimum. Oh retro gamers, what do you think is necessary for the gaming experience of a modern day gamer?
Gamers need to experience the requirement of ridiculous intuition and fast paced gaming, which can be experienced in games such as Contra and Sonic the Hedgehog 3. These classic titles, often credited with keeping the video game industry alive and pumping, are often re-released on later consoles in order to pay homage and allow modern gamers to experience the troubles the retro gamers went through.
Sonic The Hedgehog 3 is a game pedaled towards children, but catered to gamers of all ages. In this game, you are Sonic, an insanely fast blue hedgehog, whom runs around looking for the emeralds. The level design in this game is some of the best in a platformer ever made. You will find that the level is intricately designed for your demise at almost every turn. When you get a power-up, such as a bubble shield or the flame-enhancement, you will find that once you run off-screen, you will be sent flying into spikes, an arbitrary monster, or some other trap the clever developers laid out for you.
The developers seemingly knew that once you get a power, you try and jet out of the area as fast as possible. So they will often set a spring, spike-trap, or enemy at a position during which you would be running full speed. At this point, the only way you would be able to avoid being stripped of your skill is if you have some insane intuition or reflexes.
Contra is constantly hailed as one of the hardest games ever created. It is a side-scrolling 2D shooting game that is renown for its harsh treatment towards players. In this game, in the old days, one hit would result in your death, and the loss of all your lives would result in starting all over from the beginning. Contra was an extremely unforgiving game that demanded the greatest of talent to defeat.
These two games are the embodiment of what I think games should start doing to players again. Games now-a-days lack the intense difficulty that were once provided in hardcore and childish games alike. Games tend to spoon feed gamers everything which requires very little interaction on their part. Not to say that easy games do not succeed, but to cater to the hardcore gamers, I think the developers can be a bit more unforgiving.
What do you think modern gamers are missing? What do you think the younger generation of gamers should experience before they can truly be considered gamers?