General Modern Do You Think That Zelda Games Are Getting Easier or Harder?

[GreenLink101]

A few months ago, I started to wonder why Zelda games "Seem to be getting easier", I concluded that the reason that these games are easier is that we get more freedom on the N64-Wii U. What do you think is why Zelda games are getting easier or harder?

 

[Ventus]

I honestly think Zelda games are getting much easier. Nintendo themselves stated that they're trying to reach out to a larger playerbase by making more appealing games, and part of the appeal to the casual (larger) fanbase is an easy time.

It wouldn't surprise me if Nintendo was intentionally making the games easier; it's just convenient for them to make games accessible to many rather than a few.

 

[A Link In Time]

Ever since the inception of the 3D era in gaming Zelda games have generally gotten easier with Majora's Mask posing as a clear outlier. Nintendo appears to be reversing the trend, however, as even after the fine tuned motion control novice factor is removed, enemies deal a heart of damage a piece and solving dungeon puzzles requires creative thinking and a variety of puzzles. My only regret with Skyward Sword is that the bosses don't do more damage.

The optimal method to please both less experienced players and veterans is including difficulty options which few Zelda games thus far have done. Skyward Sword's Hero Mode was nice but all it offered was foes dealing more damage. What I'd like to see return is a feature similar to Ocarina of Time's Master Quest-an enhanced version of the original game with altered enemy and puzzles locations and tougher enemies doling out more pain.

 

[ShadowDiety]

They're definitely getting easier overall, but I'd also say that some of it comes from the fact that Zelda players know what they're doing by now. I mean, to me Skyward Sword was the easiest game in the series besides getting used to motion controls, while my sister, who is just getting into the series, has a hard time with it.

 

[Igos du Ikana]

They have definitely become easier than the 2D games, but I don't think they've become any easier since OoT, at least not on a noticeable level. I think it's a thing of accessibility; when a game has bad controls it is generally hard. When a game has good controls, like the newer Zelda games, they have the illusion of being easier. It would be nice to have a difficulty option, but it's not really needed.

 

[EternalNocturne]

I personally feel like the games are getting easier. Much easier. Since Ocarina of Time, the series has gone downhill in terms of difficulty, which each new installment being easier than the last. I don't really have much to say about this other than it would be nice if Nintendo could give us harder fights without going the route of SS's Hero Mode where all they changed was the fact that you take double damage.

 

[DarkestLink]

They were getting easier, but have been getting harder recently. But make no mistake, they are still nothing compared to the older games in terms of difficulty. Honestly, the only reason I think the older games were harder is because technology was limited.

 

[JuicieJ]

They got easier for quite some time. Ocarina of Time was a slight downgrade in difficulty, but it was unoffensive. The Wind Waker is where it really became too easy. That was without a doubt the easiest Zelda game to date. Twilight Princess and Phantom Hourglass were slightly more difficult, but not very much.

However, with the release of Spirit Tracks and Skyward Sword, Zelda's difficulty has been brought back to its rightful place. The difficulty in these games was absolutely ideal for Zelda. If you pay attention and remain focused, you'll get through pretty smoothly, but if you loaf around and treat things like a joke, you're going to get punished, no questions asked. I'm not exaggerating when I say that minimalist running Hero Mode in Skyward Sword is one of the toughest things I've done in any Zelda game because of this. I really like seeing video games have difficulty levels like this. It makes things to where if you get hit, it's your fault, not the game design's. There's no cheapness in either of these two games, but they still require intense levels of concentration to get by unscathed. Let's hope this kind of difficulty persists in the future. (As well as difficulty levels for the difficulty *****s.)

 

[Igos du Ikana]

They got easier for quite some time. Ocarina of Time was a slight downgrade in difficulty, but it was unoffensive. The Wind Waker is where it really became too easy. That was without a doubt the easiest Zelda game to date. Twilight Princess and Phantom Hourglass were slightly more difficult, but not very much.

However, with the release of Spirit Tracks and Skyward Sword, Zelda's difficulty has been brought back to its rightful place. The difficulty in these games was absolutely ideal for Zelda. If you pay attention and remain focused, you'll get through pretty smoothly, but if you loaf around and treat things like a joke, you're going to get punished, no questions asked. I'm not exaggerating when I say that minimalist running Hero Mode in Skyward Sword is one of the toughest things I've done in any Zelda game because of this. I really like seeing video games have difficulty levels like this. It makes things to where if you get hit, it's your fault, not the game design's. There's no cheapness in either of these two games, but they still require intense levels of concentration to get by unscathed. Let's hope this kind of difficulty persists in the future. (As well as difficulty levels for the difficulty *****s.)

Not sure about that last word, but, I feel like I'm the only one who thinks they've stayed largely the same. Granted TP/TWW were the easiest, their difficulty isn't all that much different then say the Oracle series.

 

[Sir Quaffler]

Pretty much in exact agreement with what JuicieJ said. If the difficulty remains as is is in ST and SS I'll be a happy man. I don't want it to be insultingly easy like WW or TP for that matter, but I also don't want it to be frustratingly vague and difficult like the NES games were. The series has seemed to find its ideal difficulty for the regular player, so I'd like to see this become the norm.

But also include challenge modes and/or difficulty meters for masochists like myself.

 

[DarkestLink]

Twilight Princess was way too easy overall. It's only redeemed by the fact that there's Cave of Ordeals and Roll Goal.

Wind Waker was just...insultingly easy. The parrying alone was nearly invincible, but then there was the fact that enemies would drop their weapons in...one hit. This is practically a 1h kill. Then there's the fact that the enemies often destroy each other for you. That's where I draw the line. That is just....ridiculous.

 

[KawiNinjaZX]

I think they need to have a difficulty selection before you start, the harder the difficulty, the more damage and less recovery hearts. Also, after you beat the game there should be a 3 heart run option which has no heart pieces or boss heart drops.

The games have definitely been getting easier.

 

[Sinharvest]

I don't agree with this trend from Nintendo at all. OoT and MM were not so bad, but I felt WW is when this started. If there is a challenge, battles are tense and satisfying, you get a rush from trying to survive. When your half asleep button mashing, its not thrilling at all.

 

[DarkestLink]

I think they need to have a difficulty selection before you start, the harder the difficulty, the more damage and less recovery hearts. Also, after you beat the game there should be a 3 heart run option which has no heart pieces or boss heart drops.

The games have definitely been getting easier.

I would suggest that they just make enemies smarter, but I am beginning to think they can't. Either way, there's two problems with your suggestion.

1) This isn't really making the game harder. You could make the enemies 10x strong and it doesn't make a difference. They didn't hit me with their normal damage and they aren't gonna hit me now.

2) This is technically possible. Doing a 3 heart challenge is pretty much the same thing as boosting enemy difficulty. So why waste time and resources implementing something that can already be done?

 

[MsNerrrrd]

Yes, they are notably more easier, compared to the older ones. I think that Nintendo should raise the difficulty- level quite a lot. Nonetheless, I wouldn't stop playing the games nor supporting the franchrise, even if they'd be even more easier from here on, even though, I don't want that to happen.