I think there are other considerations going on here - a game which develops a reputation for difficulty may deter some younger players in particular, or a frustrating experience may make them ignore other entries in a series, so for financial reasons I think a lot of games include this sort of help to stop this happening.

Also I think that for most games which aren't aimed at kids, switchable difficulty is a good compromise which allows anyone to pick their level. However, I do agree that this sort of thing has no place in online MP - you need an equal playing field and also the sense of achievement is (for most games) most valuable in these modes

Quick delete this post before you give them the ideas!

I greatly dislike super guide and all of these cheats.

FIGURE THE DAMN GAME OUT!!

I had to draw a fucking map for Legend of Zelda and Metroid with items I found. No one held my hand and guided me. I couldn't afford to call the Nintendo help line and didn't get Nintendo Power until after I had beat many games anyways.

Now my kids play for a bit, get stuck and go to youtube. I call them a bunch of babies and tell them to figure it out for themselves. My oldest is starting to do better.

I can't say I've never looked for help, but its a rarity now.

At least superguide just showed you an example of how to complete it. The suit sounds like its just a warp to the next level.

I am at work and cannot listen to audio. Can someone confirm if the white suit box shows up after you die, say, 10 times in a row? Or is just there from the beginning on every level or in the middle of a level, etc. I'd hate to grab it on accident thinking it was a mushroom.

I have no problem with it, let everyone be a winner. if you want to feel accomplished by all means ignore the suit. I'm sure nobody using the suit gets any special completion awards but it does stop them from breaking there disk and saying "FUCK VIDEO GAMES"

The fans of the industry is the more the merrier. all gamers that contribute the skilled the average and the weak are all equally important to keeping gaming alive.

I disagree. Giving inexperienced/young/plain bad gamers the ability to see the entire game they've paid for isn't wrong. Besides, using the cape in SMW you could literally fly over many levels, which is even more OP. The Tanooki suit may be invincible, but you still need to do all the platforming.

This is a better concept than the Super Guide too, since you actually need to play the levels now - the Super Guide would just zip past them for you IIRC. Sure, the level won't be shown as beaten on the World Map, but that's only a difference of color. Anyone in need of the Guide wouldn't give a fuck about that anyways.

That's a great observation!! Never thought of it that way, but it's true. Although, I don't know how long it's going to continue. For instance, COD4? It made FPS alot easier for people than Halo 3. We went from having to shoot people in the head over and over again while they jumped 20 feet, dodged and their shields dropped to being able to drop someone with 3 bullets aimed at their feet lol. There's also the whole grinding aspect to COD where anyone can slowly get better guns and armor. In Halo, you use to have to memorize the weapon locations, get to them, and then know how to use them. One you died, they were gone and you had default weapons.

Hopefully it doesn't get too bad, but if there's a way for devs and companies to lessen the barrier, they will. There's more money to be made that way. People like to win. Winning is fun. Very few of us can handle losing for a month straight before getting good at a game.

That white tanooki suit is a slap in the face. It popped up on me on one level and I was like "Hey, fuck you Nintendo. I don't need your pity!" and I beat the level without it. Now, if people want to use it, more power to them. It's about playing the game your own way.

That suit was also on 3D land! I never used it though, it's optional.

Besides if you use it in Super Mario 3D Land you lose the shiny profile stars!

Oh so its like real life now.