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90% of Gamers Suck at Super Mario

Fisher

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Nintendo CEO: 90% of New Gamers Unable to Finish Level 1-1 in Original Super Mario Bros - HotHardware
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“It may come as a shock to some of you that most gamers today cannot finish the original Super Mario Brothers game on the Famicom,” he said. “We have conducted this test over the past few years to see how difficult we should make our games and have found that the number of people unable to finish the first level is steadily increasing.”

At this point, a whopping 90% of participants couldn’t finish the level.
 
One of my favorite games! I'm so old school when it comes to games, I got a Commodore 64 and Super Nintendo emulators and mostly play those. I got my daughter playing the Barbie c64 game and she loves it just like I did.
 
Nintendo CEO: 90% of New Gamers Unable to Finish Level 1-1 in Original Super Mario Bros - HotHardware
......

“It may come as a shock to some of you that most gamers today cannot finish the original Super Mario Brothers game on the Famicom,” he said. “We have conducted this test over the past few years to see how difficult we should make our games and have found that the number of people unable to finish the first level is steadily increasing.”

At this point, a whopping 90% of participants couldn’t finish the level.

They couldn't beat the first world of SMB? Crazy. That's easymode.

Wanna know a true gamer from my day? Metroid with the best ending (Samus Aran bikini-chick ending), Contra without the up-up-down-down-left-right-left-right-B-A-start cheat for 30 lives, and the granddaddy - beating Ninja Gaiden 1.
 
They couldn't beat the first world of SMB? Crazy. That's easymode.

Wanna know a true gamer from my day? Metroid with the best ending (Samus Aran bikini-chick ending), Contra without the up-up-down-down-left-right-left-right-B-A-start cheat for 30 lives, and the granddaddy - beating Ninja Gaiden 1.

There's already another thread about this. Apparently the initial source is probably an Onion-style (i.e. fake) article.
 
Nintendo CEO: 90% of New Gamers Unable to Finish Level 1-1 in Original Super Mario Bros - HotHardware
......

“It may come as a shock to some of you that most gamers today cannot finish the original Super Mario Brothers game on the Famicom,” he said. “We have conducted this test over the past few years to see how difficult we should make our games and have found that the number of people unable to finish the first level is steadily increasing.”

At this point, a whopping 90% of participants couldn’t finish the level.

Glad I'm in the 10%!
 
There's already another thread about this. Apparently the initial source is probably an Onion-style (i.e. fake) article.

Frankly, even if it were a legitimate study, it wouldn't prove much of anything. Side scrolling platform games require a very particular skillset, which is applicable to basically nothing else in a person's day-to-day life, let alone the products turned out by the contemporary gaming industry.

Why would anyone expect unpracticed modern gamers be to be any good at them?

I'm pretty sure that 90% of modern math students don't know how to use an abacus either. :lol:
 
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There's already another thread about this. Apparently the initial source is probably an Onion-style (i.e. fake) article.

Well crap, I missed it. Can't believe I'd miss a retro video game thread.
 
I like that old Techmo Bowl football game they had. I have played SMB, but it is kind of boring to me.

I like those old arcade games too. I had a disc of a gazillion of them. Combat was probably my fav from them.
 
Frankly, even if it were a legitimate study, it wouldn't prove much of anything. Side scrolling platform games require a very particular skillset, which is applicable to basically nothing else in a person's day-to-day life, let alone the products turned out by the contemporary gaming industry.

Why would anyone expect unpracticed modern gamers be to be any good at them?

I think the issue the article is getting at is that modern gamers have gotten used to having their gaming experience spoon fed to them (i.e. not bothering to read the manual, no need to save the game frequently or really be cautious at all, etc). Sure, sidescrollers require a fairly specific skill set; but c'mon, that first level of Mario was easy as hell. The whole thing kinda reminds me of this article:

5 Crucial Lessons Learned by Watching Kids Play Video Games | Cracked.com
 
I think the issue the article is getting at is that modern gamers have gotten used to having their gaming experience spoon fed to them (i.e. not bothering to read the manual, no need to save the game frequently or really be cautious at all, etc). Sure, sidescrollers require a fairly specific skill set; but c'mon, that first level of Mario was easy as hell. The whole thing kinda reminds me of this article:

5 Crucial Lessons Learned by Watching Kids Play Video Games | Cracked.com

No argument there. I still can't fathom how the modern industry has managed to brainwash people into buying titles that contain all of about 2 hours of gameplay, no challenge, and no replay value for $60 or more. :doh

I simply think that old school RPGs and "point and click" adventure titles like Myst would probably make the "dumbing down of the gaming industry" point better than comparatively brainless twitchfests like Supermario Brothers. Some of those games went all out, and actually require a significant amount of critical thinking to beat.

They didn't take the "well'p... here's the answer" approach taken by more modern games like Skyrim, or Dragon Age 2.
 
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No argument there. I still can't fathom how the modern industry has managed to brainwash people into buying titles that contain all of about 2 hours of gameplay, no challenge, and no replay value for $60 or more. :doh

I simply think that old school RPGs and "point and click" adventure titles like Myst would probably make the "dumbing down of the gaming industry" point better than comparatively brainless twitchfests like Supermario Brothers. Some of those games went all out, and actually require a significant amount of critical thinking to beat.

They don't take the "well'p... here's the answer" approach taken by more modern games like Skyrim, or Dragon Age 2.

Agreed. Although I think there's probably a balance to be found somewhere in the middle. A good rpg (pretty much all I play aside from strategy games like Civ or the Total War series) should be challenging, but it shouldn't be challenging for bull**** reasons. For example, I remember in the old school Ultima games, it wasn't uncommon to be completely screwed now and again because you've just discovered that you absolutely positively need such and such key in order to get to such and such treasure/boss/waypoint, but as it turns out, you got the key 15 hours ago (in a totally unrelated location), and dropped it somewhere because you thought it was useless at the time, or because it looked just like the key you just used to unlock something else entirely. That kind of thing is far more "pointlessly, aribitrarily frustrating" than it is "challenging."
So I'm glad that modern RPG's do a better job of identifying quest items and generally making it clearer what's important and what's not. However, it does take some of the fun out of a game when you can literally ignore all of the backstory and just follow the white arrow to the objective you're supposed to get. I though Mass Effect 3 struck a pretty good balance with such things by generally having a pretty easy to follow map, but occasionally shutting it off and forcing you to hunt around for your objectives and engage in some problem solving (e.g. how do I get up to that next level with the elevator out of operation? Which combination of items in this room will provide the clues I need to find X?).
 
Agreed. Although I think there's probably a balance to be found somewhere in the middle. A good rpg (pretty much all I play aside from strategy games like Civ or the Total War series) should be challenging, but it shouldn't be challenging for bull**** reasons. For example, I remember in the old school Ultima games, it wasn't uncommon to be completely screwed now and again because you've just discovered that you absolutely positively need such and such key in order to get to such and such treasure/boss/waypoint, but as it turns out, you got the key 15 hours ago (in a totally unrelated location), and dropped it somewhere because you thought it was useless at the time, or because it looked just like the key you just used to unlock something else entirely. That kind of thing is far more "pointlessly, aribitrarily frustrating" than it is "challenging."
So I'm glad that modern RPG's do a better job of identifying quest items and generally making it clearer what's important and what's not. However, it does take some of the fun out of a game when you can literally ignore all of the backstory and just follow the white arrow to the objective you're supposed to get. I though Mass Effect 3 struck a pretty good balance with such things by generally having a pretty easy to follow map, but occasionally shutting it off and forcing you to hunt around for your objectives and engage in some problem solving (e.g. how do I get up to that next level with the elevator out of operation? Which combination of items in this room will provide the clues I need to find X?).

Totally. I'm not asking that all games turn into Dark Souls all of the sudden, but not being treated like a total mental invalid at every turn would be nice. :lol:

I actually thought that Morrowind found a rather nice balance in this regard. It was ultimately up to you to hunt out the truth of what happened and Red Mountain, and make your own judgment as to what course of action was best.
 
The first thing my nephews do when they get a new game is go online and figure out all the cheats. They get really pissed if there isn't something that gives them tons of lives or unlimited something or the other and then are bored with the game in a matter of a week.
 
This was my post from the other thread:

I think one of the problems with Super Mario Brothers is because, if I remember correctly, there's no way to save the game. Games now have save points all over the place. That makes it hard to beat a game if you have to sit there for hours until you finish it. Don't think I'm lame, but the hardest game I ever played was "Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland." Now laugh all you want, because it sounds like a kid's game, but that game was freaking impossible to beat. Hell, I never once got past level 3 without using a Game Genie. Once I used the Game Genie and finished level 3, I went through all 7 levels. Before the Game Genie, I thought that, because level 3 was so hard, it was the final level. *buzzer* Nope. Not even close.

Other than Nemo, every single game I've ever played, I've beaten. I won't give up on a game until I finish it. I even beat Doctor Mario (remember that game with the pills? Kind of like Tetris?) I beat Dr. Mario on level 3, speed high. My friend called bull**** until I showed him. He'd never seen anybody beat it in high speed. Back then, I had pretty good hand/eye coordination.

Adding to this thread: I can't play a lot of current games, especially anything first person. I get motion-sickness really bad, and I can't even really walk by somebody playing it, because it'll make me all swimmy-headed and I'll get sick. :( I would be so into some of these newer games if I could.
 
This was my post from the other thread:

I think one of the problems with Super Mario Brothers is because, if I remember correctly, there's no way to save the game. Games now have save points all over the place. That makes it hard to beat a game if you have to sit there for hours until you finish it. Don't think I'm lame, but the hardest game I ever played was "Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland." Now laugh all you want, because it sounds like a kid's game, but that game was freaking impossible to beat. Hell, I never once got past level 3 without using a Game Genie. Once I used the Game Genie and finished level 3, I went through all 7 levels. Before the Game Genie, I thought that, because level 3 was so hard, it was the final level. *buzzer* Nope. Not even close.

Other than Nemo, every single game I've ever played, I've beaten. I won't give up on a game until I finish it. I even beat Doctor Mario (remember that game with the pills? Kind of like Tetris?) I beat Dr. Mario on level 3, speed high. My friend called bull**** until I showed him. He'd never seen anybody beat it in high speed. Back then, I had pretty good hand/eye coordination.

Adding to this thread: I can't play a lot of current games, especially anything first person. I get motion-sickness really bad, and I can't even really walk by somebody playing it, because it'll make me all swimmy-headed and I'll get sick. :( I would be so into some of these newer games if I could.

IIRC there were codes or something so you could restart from certain points in the game but you did not get the code until you had cleared the level or someone gave it to you. I know you did not have to start at the very beginning every time and there were portals that allowed you to skip levels.
 
I rarely play console games anymore and when I do it is usually some 2 player RPG that my daughter and I sit and play when she comes for a visit. I played Everquest and EQII online for years. tried WoW for a bit but got tired of all the retarded 12 year olds running around screaming "frodo lives" and the noobs constantly begging for $$$$. When Rift came out my daughter and her hubby convinced me to start playing it, so that's where I am now. pretty decent RPG and it gives me a chance to keep connected with daddy's baby girl.

can't stand the first person shooters because they are nothing like actually being in combat and it pisses me off.
 
I wonder how many of them could figure out when to jump on the turtle at the end of 3-1. Infinite lives, mother****ers.
 
Some of those games went all out, and actually require a significant amount of critical thinking to beat.

They didn't take the "well'p... here's the answer" approach taken by more modern games like Skyrim, or Dragon Age 2.
Totally. I'm not asking that all games turn into Dark Souls all of the sudden, but not being treated like a total mental invalid at every turn would be nice. :lol:
Except not every person who plays a game wants to be challenged mentally. Many of us turn a game on to turn off our brain, to get away from life and using our brain all the time. When I play a game, I want to play, I don't want to work. Playing a game for me is when I turn my brain off.

Quite honestly, I cannot fathom why people want to actually work at something which is little more than a time waster. When you finish beating a video game (let's say Uncharted), in what way have you improved your life? None. So why work at something which holds no real value? I can work all day, mentally and physically but when it comes time to relax, I just want to shut my brain off. That's why games exist which aren't hard for the sake of being hard.
 
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I wonder how many of them could figure out when to jump on the turtle at the end of 3-1. Infinite lives, mother****ers.

Even if you missed it the first time, there were 3 turtles at the end. Just make sure you get the last turtle right and skip the first two if you're good on timing. Don't let the first turtle get into it and let the 2nd come down to interfere. When that happens, they'll cancel each other out...and you'll either die or lose your shroom/fireflower power-up in the process.
 
Even if you missed it the first time, there were 3 turtles at the end. Just make sure you get the last turtle right and skip the first two if you're good on timing. Don't let the first turtle get into it and let the 2nd come down to interfere. When that happens, they'll cancel each other out...and you'll either die or lose your shroom/fireflower power-up in the process.

it felt so good to get that trick right for the first time. there was no internet then, so i think i either heard about the trick from a friend or from Nintendo Power. i remember that as you approached infinite lives, the icon for lives left turned into odd symbols like playing cards or something.
 
it felt so good to get that trick right for the first time. there was no internet then, so i think i either heard about the trick from a friend or from Nintendo Power. i remember that as you approached infinite lives, the icon for lives left turned into odd symbols like playing cards or something.

Yup I remember that. By the time it started getting into symbols, you stopped looking at how many lives you had left.

I had a subscription to Nintendo Power for years. Read all sorts of cheats/tips, and even submitted my own that I found out by accident along the way. Most of the Japanese games had some sort of button pattern you could do for enhanced results. One tip I submitted but never made the magazine (and never saw it posted by anyone else either) was how to control the clock in Nintendo World Cup to play halves of desired length (as opposed to 5 minutes every time).

I still play my NES/SNES emulators from time to time, mostly for the Dragon Warrior series (1-4), the Final Fantasy series (1-5), and Romance of the Three Kingdoms (1-4).
 
I still play my NES/SNES emulators from time to time, mostly for the Dragon Warrior series (1-4), the Final Fantasy series (1-5), and Romance of the Three Kingdoms (1-4).

I still have a functioning NES....
 
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