Why isn't Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz considered hardcore?

[bluesinG]

The term "hardcore game" seems to be applied to two different types of games:

1. Games that are difficult.
2. Games that are targeted at males 13-25 years old (often violent and/or sexualized).

Sometimes these two things go together:

1. Devil May Cry 3 is a difficult game that is targeted at males 13-25 years old.
2. Backyard Football is an easy game that is not targeted at males 13-25 years old.

But often they don't:

3. Super Monkey Ball is a difficult game that is not targeted at males 13-25 years old.
4. Heavenly Sword is an easy game that is targeted at males 13-25 years old.

Distinguishing among these four combinations of difficulty and target audience provides more information than does simply labeling #1, #3, and #4 as "hardcore." In fact, if you distinguish among the four combinations, there's really no need for the term "hardcore" at all.

Personally, I think a lot of males 13-25 years old use the term "hardcore," and (intentionally or unintentionally) conflate its two meanings, in order to make themselves feel proud of finishing an easy but "hardcore" game:

1. I finished Heavenly Sword.
2. Heavenly Sword is violent and sexualized (i.e., targeted at males 13-25 years old).
3. Therefore, Heavenly Sword is hardcore.
4. Therefore, Heavenly Sword is a difficult game.
5. Therefore, I finished a difficult game.
6. Only skilled gamers finish difficult games.
7. Therefore, I am a skilled gamer.