9000?!?!?! NINE THOUSAND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have fond memories of the times when I lugged my old Game Boy around with me, a pack of four AA batteries, the crappy AC adapter as a backup source, and a collection of the classics. I would then proceed to feverishly play Super Mario brothers in the car, in the mall, and even on the crapper. Difficult parts you could not get by would cost you lives and eventually, it would bring you all the way back to the beginning of the game. You could say this was frustrating but it definitely made the game more challenging and rewarding.
A huge debate questioning the difficulty of games broke out a few months ago on Double True. I for one agreed that games now a days were getting a tad easier with the many options (infinite lives, etc) or cheats you could implement. Nintendo now takes this one step further by allowing users the option to use a secret “Help” feature. This option will be built in to future Wii titles – an option that allows the computer to take control of the game and help the user get by difficult parts just by a click of a button. The company argues that this option will allow the younger audience a chance at having a fun experience.
I however see this “Help” feature as a tragedy. Kids around the world (or big newbz) will not get to experience the rewarding feeling of capturing an Onyx with a regular poke ball, jumping to the top of the flag pole at the end of a Mario level or killing that bad guy in Ninja Turtles.
Brian
Double True 