I use to think that many Nintendo games are in fact too difficult for most of the "hardcore gamers" out there: when i was workin' in a "multimedia" shop, i talked with many gamers, and i realized many were critizing Zelda or Metroid or Mario, but in fact couldn't finish any, or often needed a walkthrough to get some help...
Many people judge Nintendo's games by the look, and think they're easy because they're colourful, or because they have a kind of "universal appeal"... but they forget that you need some real platforming skills in Mario Bros, or some real racing skills in Mario Kart, or that you need to be smart to solve most of the Zelda's puzzles, or that you need to be fast and precise when opposed to a Metroid Prime's boss...
In fact, the gameplay in most FPS and "mature" games is quite simple and very easy to get, and these are actually the games made for the casuals and the "mass market" of today... the "casual hardcores", as you could call them: shoot, shoot, shoot... yeah, "hardcore"...
Now, with Mr Everybody or with most kids or women out there (aka the "casuals"), they will maybe not finish some tough Nintendo games at 100%, because of the difficulty... but the 50% or 70% they'll play will give them 100% of fun and good time, some occasional frustration... and great memories in most of the cases... :)
But of course, you are right, Rol: many games are easier today... to be sure to please everyone... the only solution is i think different difficulty settings (easy, normal, hard)... i hope it will be the case in Zelda Wii, by example: not for the puzzles, but for the fights, it would be a welcomed addition...
Now, NSMBWii isn't out yet here in Europe, so i still don't know if it's really tough, or really too easy, or just in-between... but i'll know for sure in a few days... :)
"A beautiful drawing in 480i will stay beautiful forever...
and an ugly drawing in 1080p will stay ugly forever..."
