Zelda was never intended for the casual audience. Not every game can be for everyone. Some will be more casual friendly and some will be more hardcore friendly, but the system needs to have enough of both.

I actually find 3D Zeldas impossible. I have bought OoT, WW and TP and couldn't ever get past the first dungeon in each after hours of trying (due to bosses or getting completely lost).

I am good at 3D Mario games though, even since my first playing of SM64 (can react quickly to new/unknown levels and mechanics).

So, despite a usual definition of "hardcore" for me, Mario is way too easy and Zelda is way too hard.

I think that the Wii is about everyone getting to enjoy their own experience not what their manufacturer says it should be. I encourage every kind of game on the Wii because really a variety of games is the philosophy.

Very good insight, Grey Acumen. I wish to subscribe to your news letter.

You are right Galaxy is more inline with the Wii's innovation philosophy however I would not in any way claim that that is the right direction to go in. I prefer classics and the familiar gameplay however I do like new games too.  To be honest I am liking the idea that Nintendo is still giving us at least some classical familiar franchise based games.

 

I don't want an innovative Zelda, StarFox. Infact I would even prefer a more familiar Mario. However I think the direction of creating new franchises like Pikmin  and Animal Crossingis the best way to go. Give us innovation through fresh and creative franchises but don't change the existing ones!

I'd also like to comment on something else you said in your original post, which I very much agree with.

Every game with RPG elements has a perverse tendency to adjust difficulty downwards for more skilled players. The skilled player is more likely to find all of the heart pieces, or to find that hidden Sword+5, or to be willing to grind a bit in order to level up.

However, I don't see a way around it. What sort of reward can a game offer players except for rewards that are useful in-game? Even games like Oblivion, which scale enemies as you level, can't avoid this entirely. First, we note that many players don't like this aspect of Oblivion, and it clearly removes a lot of your incentive to level up. Second, the skilled player then just relies on maximizing his capabilities at a given level, so there's a lot of focus on working on skills that don't level you up.

More skilled players are going to be better able to get the game's rewards, and those rewards will make the game easier.

Joelcool7 said: You are right Galaxy is more inline with the Wii's innovation philosophy however I would not in any way claim that that is the right direction to go in. I prefer classics and the familiar gameplay however I do like new games too.  To be honest I am liking the idea that Nintendo is still giving us at least some classical familiar franchise based games.   I don't want an innovative Zelda, StarFox. Infact I would even prefer a more familiar Mario. However I think the direction of creating new franchises like Pikmin  and Animal Crossingis the best way to go. Give us innovation through fresh and creative franchises but don't change the existing ones!

I'm going to have to disagree. If Nintendo didn't innovate with each new release of it's major franchises, a new Mario game would be about as exciting as a new Mega Man game. ie: not exciting at all. Sometimes, it's controversial (Star Fox Assault/ "Cell-da" Wind Waker) but I will always prefer change over stagnation. Look at SMB3 as opposes to the original- Mario was a friggin' flying raccoon! Now that's innovation.

Both Zelda and Mario games are relatively easy to begin with and then get harder as the gamer becomes more experienced. I do not see how Zelda and Mario are any different in this regard. The only fundamental difference which makes Zelda less assessable to gamers than Mario is that Zelda games are typically substantially longer. Length tends to be a way to discriminate against the casual gamer.

your post makes sense.

but i myself want a harder zelda for the next installment lol. Sorry but i need it haha. I dont mind mairo being easy cause u knwo its mario i will buy it just on name.

However I need my zelda games to challenge me TP was a bit of a let down here.

Cobretti said: your post makes sense. but i myself want a harder zelda for the next installment lol. Sorry but i need it haha. I dont mind mairo being easy cause u knwo its mario i will buy it just on name. However I need my zelda games to challenge me TP was a bit of a let down here.

Actually, that's exactly what I was talking about, Mario Galaxy has many easy moments, but many EXTREMELY challenging moments too. I couldn' find any really challenging points in Zelda except for the Knights, and they became easy once you figured out their pattern.

I'd kind alike a slider for teh difficulty, Easy, Medium, Hard, Expert etc. and not just something that changes how much damage you take, but something that actually makes the enemies stronger and smarter too. 

 

I agree with your point to some extent, but the puzzles/battles in Zelda have never been OVERLY hard in my opinion, and quite a few of the levels in Galaxy were. I think they're just trying to bring all their games closer to the line of decent difficulty, and as long as it doesn't ruin the game or make it overly easy, I don't mind seeing Nintendo bring in a new market.