Modern action games aren't that difficult if you're used to the control scheme and play them from start to finish in a short period of time.
They are pretty complex to newcomers though. Right of the bat you need to control movement with one hand while controlling the camera with the other. Just reverse up-down, left-right movement for the camera to see how a newcomer feels. Then you have fire primary, secondary, switch weapons, grenades, duck, jump, get in/out cover, sprint. All 2nd nature by now for most of us and thankfully mostly the same accross different games. Throw a command wheel on top of that, some special actions or sections where you are driving and shooting at the same time. Sure to frustrate anyone new to videogames. (Never mind they don't have a clue where x or y is when the game prompts you to press it, look at the controller and you're too late or dead)
I find it hard to come back to certain action games after a while too. Trying to figure out what everything did again.
NSMB is a lot easier to pick up and play, run, jump done.