Difficulty-- SS or TP

[SpiritGerudo]

So Spirit of Rutela's thread on Skyward Sword's difficulty inspired me to make this thread as well as a conversation with my cousin. He played Twilight Princess first and thought that it was easier than Skyward Sword. I played Skyward Sword first and I thought SS was easier. While I'm pretty most people here played TP first, I just want to know: Which of these games did you play first and which was easier? For the poll, it goes: <game played first>;<game you thought was easier>

EDIT: As a side-note, I played on the Wii version of the game (as did my cousin-- we traded games if you're wondering), so please also say in your post which version you used

 

[Ventus]

I played Twilight Princess first, and I had an amazing run through that game. Overtime, I began to harbor a kind of hate for the game(wasn't pure hatred), but after examining my reasons for hating the game, I realized I was cold against really minor parts of the game.

Which game I thought easier? Easily Skyward Sword. TP was a very easy game, still IS, but Skyward Sword was just beyond easy for me. There weren't any real tricks or turns that a veteran Zelda player wouldn't be able to catch onto, and in that respect, SS was an easy game. TP allowed you to button mash against most enemies, and the enemies hardly dealt any damage to you in the first place. But, SS' enemies were beyond simple; the way to defeat them was spelled across their face, I suppose. Both games had easy puzzles and easy bosses for me, but SS was more easy than TP in my opinion.

 

[Spirit]

I played TP first and while i was never really challenged by the game I did find myself close to death and in some very close call battles quite a few times.

Fights such as the one with the enemy from which you claim the ball and chain where you have to use the hookshots to get behind said enemy was a particularly close battle for me. Argorok took me a while to put down too after a few failings at getting to his back. Unlike other Zelda titles, i felt that TP's dungeon puzzles weren't as obvious as past and future installments that surround TP, for example the LakeBed temple gave nothing away to me as i explored it and it was simple genius to use the rotating stairs as a water slide, but the idea really didn't call out to me until i realised that one switch that i hadn't aimed my hookshot at yet.

Snowpeak was particularly head scratching for me too and again it took me ages to get to the end of it because the puzzles weren't entirely obvious.

Overworld collectables, while not really hidden well, still took a lot of tools to get to and were used in more natural feeling sequences than SS's forced use-everything-before-you-get-anything approach.

SS was more of a straightline with puzzles laid out more obviously than any other home console game i had played before it. Not once did i get stuck, not once did i miss a collectable and not once did I die. The hardest part of SS as a whole for me was figuring out which room was best to shoot the timeshift stone on the Sandship, but then, i only had a few choices since not every room had a convenient barred opening in the ceiling.

So, Twilight Princess played first, Skyward Sword second, Skyward Sword easiest of the two.

 

[DarkestLink]

Depends if you include sidequests in the equation.

 

[JuicieJ]

Ah, crap, I picked the wrong answer. I meant to choose the first poll option. <_<

Well, whatever. Skyward Sword and Twilight Princess are in two completely separate leagues when it comes to difficulty. Twilight Princess is fun, but there are so many times where it's so easy and bland that it's not stimulating in the slightest. The only time this ever happened in Skyward Sword was during the Ancient Cistern (with the exception of the boss and miniboss).

Skyward Sword is more conniving and engaging than Twilight Princess in both combat and puzzles. Enemies in TP basically consist of pressing a button a few times without ever having to worry about not landing a hit. Plus, the auto block function assures you never have to worry about being hit -- which never matters, anyway, since enemies only take off 1/4th of a heart. Skyward Sword? Pay attention to defenses and attack according to them, otherwise fail to land a hit. That automatically makes the enemies more advanced and challenging, but the 1 heart damage ratio takes it to the next level.

Puzzles in Twilight Princess... well, let's just say that the best dungeons in TP are as hard as the overworld puzzles in SS. Seriously, I'm not exaggerating.

Again, these games are in completely separate leagues. It's not even fair comparing the two.

 

[Mors]

I played the gamecube version of TP. I voted the first option because I really didn't get stuck in any part of that games, save for some problems with a twilight zone here or there. In SS I had a few more problems, playing Zelda on the Wii for the first time didn't help either. I had trouble doing the right movements with the Wii controller in the boss battles. Yet the trials were very easy, especially the one where you find those glowing things. (Sorry, forgot the trial's name, haven't played SS for some time now.)

 

[JuicieJ]

(Sorry, forgot the trial's name, haven't played SS for some time now.)

Silent Realms.

 

[Mors]

Ah, thanks. Yeah, I loved running the Silent Realms. C:

 

[ZeldaTeacher]

Played TP first, working on SS. Haven't finished either, but played enough to decide that SS is somewhat easier. I have them both for the Wii. I do think the Silent Realms are harder than the Twilight Realm.

 

[Random Person]

I played Wii TP first and I've always felt that TP was easier. However, now I'm wavering. I was gonna keep this post short... but reading some of the other posts gives me a need to break it down.

Main Puzzles
Both Twilight Princess and Skyward Sword had really obvious puzzles. Even if you did get stuck, your partner could help you by giving obvious clues. However, I think the award for easiness here goes to SS because it had the biggest variety of help options. There were some puzzles in TP that even Midna would not help you with, but in SS you could always ask Fi... or a gossip stone... or dowse...or press 2...etc...

Side-Quests and Mini Games
Both TP and SS had easy to find, easy to figure out, easy to do side-quests. Again, SS had a variety of ways of finding and TP gave you the fortune teller. The generally agreed on challenging ones are the TP Cave of Ordeal and the Lanryu Boss challenge (on Hero Mode for me). The mini-games in both games vary from easy to medium. However, I think we all can agree that the TP roll game is PURE EVIL HARD! (And by "we all" I mean "me, myself and I") And it is because of that obviously difficult game that I say SS is easier in this category. While you can argue which mine game gives what kind of challenge, the roll game wins.

Enemies/Bosses
TP gives you the power to cut through your enemies with 75 million different ways to do it. All of SS enemies require timing of the Wii-Mote and/or nunchuck. TP's bosses all had an obvious weak points and easy to figure out, easy to accomplish strategy. SS's bosses had obvious weak spot with easy/medium to figure out, easy/medium accomplish strategy.

Yeah, TP is easiest in this category hands down.

Treasure Finding
TP had a fortune teller, but then again, so did SS. You know what TP didn't have? Dowsing, gossip stones that talked, a map that showed where all the chests were in the overworld, and various amounts of ways of finding your treasure. TP provided some rather interesting hiding spots for their treasure including many underground caves. SS had some interesting places as well, but all that goes out the window when you include its various ways of telling you where they are. SS is the easiest in this category.


Wow, I honestly thought (and still kind of do think) that TP was the easiest of the two. But breaking it down proves otherwise. I guess I'm not sure where I stand, but looking at these categories it appears that SS is the easiest.

 

[JuicieJ]

Even if you did get stuck, your partner could help you by giving obvious clues. However, I think the award for easiness here goes to SS because it had the biggest variety of help options. ...in SS you could always ask Fi... or a gossip stone... or dowse...or press 2...etc... Dowsing, gossip stones that talked, a map that showed where all the chests were in the overworld, and various amounts of ways of finding your treasure.

As you even mentioned yourself, these help features are options. The game does not force you to use them, meaning you can choose not to in order to solve everything on your own. Saying that these features make the base difficulty of a game lower is like saying a walkthrough makes the base difficulty of a game lower. Optional features cannot be brought into a discussion involving a game's difficulty. There's not really any arguing this.

Also, what do you mean the map shows you where chests are in the overworld? The dungeon maps show you the locations of treasure chests, but that's due to the compass being taken out (which was fine by me, I wanted that thing to be merged with the map for years).

 

[DarkestLink]

As you even mentioned yourself, these help features are options. The game does not force you to use them, meaning you can choose not to in order to solve everything on your own. Saying that these features make the base difficulty of a game lower is like saying a walkthrough makes the base difficulty of a game lower. Optional features cannot be brought into a discussion involving a game's difficulty. There's not really any arguing this.

Walkthroughs are not part of the game...except for SMBW...and yes, they did make the game easier. Tanooki suits make the game easier. Hidden skills make the game easier. Fierce Diety's mask makes the Final Boss easier.

I mean, what if I took this the other way and say "Whhhaaaat? Twilight Princess isn't easy! The green tunic and normal boots are optional. You didn't have to use them. You could have used the blue tunic that's weak against fire and ice as well as the iron boots to keep your speed down. Oh and the Master Sword is option, you could have just used the Ordon sword."

I could go on and on, picking every optional thing that can (and does) make the game easier. Heart pieces, bottles, sidequest rewards, you name it. Except at least some of these, you did need to go a little out of your way to use. Fi was right there near the start. Just because a game doesn't force you to use something doesn't mean the game isn't easier. It just means you can try to impose a challenge on yourself if you want. But that's you, not the game.

 

[Dragoncat]

TP was easier to me. It took me awhile to get used to SS' swordplay, I often died because it matters which direction you slash in, unlike TP where you can just target and flail your arm around like an idiot, and the enemy is dead as a doornail. Even now I find TP easier for that reason. I'm used to having to slash in a certain direction, but I still die more often in SS. Maybe that's because I'm playing hero mode though...

 

[JuicieJ]

Walkthroughs are not part of the game...except for SMBW...and yes, they did make the game easier. Tanooki suits make the game easier. Hidden skills make the game easier. Fierce Diety's mask makes the Final Boss easier.

I mean, what if I took this the other way and say "Whhhaaaat? Twilight Princess isn't easy! The green tunic and normal boots are optional. You didn't have to use them. You could have used the blue tunic that's weak against fire and ice as well as the iron boots to keep your speed down. Oh and the Master Sword is option, you could have just used the Ordon sword."

I could go on and on, picking every optional thing that can (and does) make the game easier. Heart pieces, bottles, sidequest rewards, you name it. Except at least some of these, you did need to go a little out of your way to use. Fi was right there near the start. Just because a game doesn't force you to use something doesn't mean the game isn't easier. It just means you can try to impose a challenge on yourself if you want. But that's you, not the game.

I know all this stuff, but that doesn't change the fact dowsing, calling on Fi for help, the Shiekah Stone, and the 2 button were put in the game as additional aid. Zelda games are designed for you to get things like bottles and Heart Containers and to use the new sword and use certain tunics at certain times and... the list goes on and on. Only once is the dowsing actually flat-out required -- to find the Sandship -- and calling on Fi (emphasis on the calling part), Shiekah Stone, and 2 button (uuuuuuuuugh, pointless complaint) are features specifically designed for those in need of aid. Like I said, it's like a guidebook. They make the game easier when you use them, but they're not forced into gameplay elements like the auto block in TP to make the game instantly easier whether you like it or not.

 

[Zorth]

I know all this stuff, but that doesn't change the fact dowsing, calling on Fi for help, the Shiekah Stone, and the 2 button -- which is really lame to complain about, as it was effectively an in-game instruction manual -- were put in the game as additional aid. Zelda games are designed for you to get things like bottles and Heart Containers and to use the new sword and use certain tunics at certain times and... the list goes on and on. Only once is the dowsing actually flat-out required -- to find the Sandship -- and calling on Fi (emphasis on the calling part), Shiekah Stone, and 2 button (uuuuuuuuugh, pointless complaint) are features specifically designed for those in need of aid. Like I said, it's like a guidebook. They make the game easier when you use them, but they're not forced into gameplay elements like the auto block in TP to make the game instantly easier whether you like it or not.

Everybody is in need of aid in every game they play, The thing is that in most games you actually have to use your brain for a few minutes to try and connect the dots.. But in SS there is a tool that does it for you.