12 Classic Things Most Modern Video Games Are Missing

10. A True Sense Of Challenge

It's well known that, on the whole, video games are getting easier, because with it finally becoming a socially acceptable activity thanks in large part to the Nintendo Wii, consumers don't want to spend their hard-earned cash on a game they can't even finish, even if this was totally the norm back in the day. After all, how many people ever made it through Contra, Battletoads or that insane Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game? Nowadays, the majority of games cater to casual players, providing lower difficulties to ensure they get their money's worth with minimal frustration. Even though there are usually higher difficulties available in modern games, many classic titles didn't bother with difficulty settings at all, and as such players had to develop their skills over a punishing number of Game Over screens if they were to prove themselves worthy. Truly challenging games these days are few and far between: it tends to be the Ninja Gaidens and Dark Souls of the world, both of which are infamous for not hand-holding the player and delivering a considerable (but also extremely fair) level of difficulty, which hardcore gamers seek out, while practically everything else is designed with lower-skilled players in mind. And furthermore, with the onset of microtransactions, you can even pay to get ahead if you lack the time or skill to (and those who don't pay will often be severely handicapped as a result).