How Difficulty Changed The Game

My favorite game of late has been Elden Ring (2022), which many would say is an amazing experience, but quite difficult. Even though I grew stronger, the game still found creative ways to make it difficult through its in-depth gameplay design.

Elden Ring Screenshot (FromSoftware, Steam)

I remember investing hours in late-game bosses, testing my abilities to their fullest, often failing more than I was succeeding. 

But those challenges were what made my experience so fulfilling, as I felt like I was on top of the world when I overcame a seemingly impossible battle. It was because of the difficulty that allowed me to have an unforgettable experience.

What is difficulty?

Difficulty isn’t a new concept per se, as it has been in games for many years, from Extreme Mode in Silent Hill 3 to peaceful mode in Minecraft, or the basic difficult spike you see in many role-playing games.

Difficulty relies on the skillset of the player, often requiring varying levels of physical and mental effort. Games must be designed with difficulty in mind, as it can make or break an experience for players.

With difficulty being so integral, it’s hard to believe that there was a point in gaming where games were simply static with no variety. In matter of fact, it wasn’t until the release of Space Invaders (1978) that difficulty became mainstream.

Space Invaders Homepage (Square Enix)

It’s a feature, not a bug

Space Invaders introduced an ever-increasing difficulty system for players who made it far in the game. The game introduced the concept of multiple enemies attacking the player at the same time, with more enemies attacking as the player progressed. In addition, the speed of the enemies rose in accordance with the number of enemies destroyed, making surviving more difficult.

What’s most interesting about this development is it being a “accident.” I say accident since the gameplay design choice was not a deliberate one, but an accidental one.

Tomohiro Nishikado, the genius behind the game, struggled with the hardware limitations at the time, which resulted in the game not being powerful enough to run how he intended.

The enemies were slower than they were supposed to be, but Tomohiro found that they started to speed up once some left the screen. This created the concept of difficulty curves; as more enemies got destroyed, the rest got faster.

Footage of Space Invaders (XanderBakker)

He liked the effect, so he decided to keep it in, not knowing the impact that his game would have for years to come. To put it in retrospective, even gaming greats like Shigeru Miyamoto, the mind behind Mario, believed it to be the game that “revolutionized the industry.”

Conclusion

By introducing varied difficulties in games, it allowed the industry to grow bigger than it ever was; reaching new audiences far and wide.

From casual games to games that make you want to rage, the video game market understood how to achieve variety, allowing gamers to form unique experiences in the games they play.

I also recommend this video if you want to learn more about the invention of the difficulty curve.