Blog Post: The calamity of casual games Subscribe to this RSS feed
- Author: Ishaan Sahdev
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Coke versus Pepsi, boxers versus briefs, and now, casual versus hardcore. Is this gaming divide warranted, or is there a simple solution to the problem?
Casual games. Hardcore games. Party games. Minigames. We're in the middle of the seventh generation of the modern videogame industry as we know it, and things are a complete cluster-fuck. No longer are people content with just playing "games".
Puzzle Quest DS: The gateway drug
No, now there are different kinds of games. Sets and subsets and genres and sub-genres. There is no more "Role-playing game". Now, we have "Hack 'n' Slash", "Turn-based", "First-person", "Overhead", "Puzzle role-playing" (thanks a lot, Puzzle Quest) and probably several more to come not too far down the line. And it's not just genres that are affected by this obsessive need to categorize games.
When I said "kinds of games", I wasn't referring to genres. I was referring to the categorization of games based on the type of consumer who plays them. Games categorized by player, rather than by gameplay. Take a game like the newly announced Wii Fit, for instance. It's about as casual as you can get. It's at this line beyond which - if it ever crosses the line - it will cease to be a game. Based on the people who are going to play it (namely, health fanatics or people just looking for some fun in short bursts), we can safely call it a casual game.
However, one could question the validity of categorization on this basis. Take a game like World of WarCraft, for instance. Let's try categorizing it in all the different ways possible. Massively multiplayer, hack 'n' slash, third-person, fantasy role-playing. All of the aforementioned would indicate that WoW is a game that caters to the hardcore.
Yet, if you've played the game, you know it's about as casual as you could possibly get. Sure, there's a ton of options for players who want to spend hour upon hour customizing their characters and grinding to higher levels and doing quests, but for a lot of people, World of WarCraft is a game where they can dive right in, have some quick fun, and dive back out to get on with their lives. But no one calls WoW casual. No sir, casual games are evil. They're not for us "hardcore" types! They're inferior.
That's what we all say. And yet, games like Puzzle Quest, World of WarCraft, Mario Kart, Elebits and The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass continue to prove us wrong. Each of these games revolves around one simple notion - accessibility. Easy to pick up and play. They can be played in short bursts for some quick entertainment, or can be played for hours a day, provided you have the time and willingness to play them that way. Each offers a considerable amount of depth, while not coming across as titles that require endless research to master like, say, Neverwinter Nights.
Attention addicts: You can play WoW casually.
Before we go on, let's get one thing straight. Casual games are not minigames. Casual games are not party games. They are simply games that are easy to pick up and play. Whether or not there's a layer of depth below the surface of each casual game depends entirely on the developer. Some choose to cater to both the "hardcore" and "casual" audiences, while others choose simply to focus on short, fun gameplay.
And yet, people continue to mistake casual games for both of the above. The truth is, there is a connection, but it's mostly one-way. Party games and minigames are casual games, yes. But a casual game doesn't necessarily have to be either. Most gamers who don't realize this are probably going to end up missing out on a lot of fun, since they'll disregard any casual game they come across as "kiddy" or "shallow". And sadly, those aren't the only misconceptions people tend to have about casual titles. Several people seem to think that casual games are incapable of featuring any sort of story to drive them. Once again, I would point to WoW, Phantom Hourglass and Puzzle Quest to rid people of these silly notions.
The truth is, in a world where the average gamer is 28 years old, probably has a fulltime job, responsibilities to his family and life in general to deal with, most people don't have time to be as "hardcore" as they once were. This is where "casual" games come in. Games that can be enjoyed no matter how much time you invest in them. I'm not going to agree with some people who have stated that the demand for epic games is declining ... just that, there comes a point beyond which several people realize they no longer have time for these kinds of games and choose instead, to travel down a "lighter", more fun-oriented path.
I truly believe casual games will someday reach a point where they are the perfect balance between a "quick fun" and "hardcore" experience. How fast we get there depends completely on how much developers are willing to experiment with the formula.
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Comments [ 8 ] Post your comment subscribe to this rss feed
Posted at: 08/03/07 at 4:40 PM PST
Man this is a great article. And it can open alot of more gamers eyes. These types of articles should get featured more.
Posted at: 08/04/07 at 7:34 AM PST
First of all, I do think there is a need to sub genre genres (if that makes sense??). And what I mean is a genre is define by it's gameplay. Some people call Metroid Prime a FPS. That is completely wrong. The Metroid (series) have always been about exploration and platforming thus classifying it as an adventure. Prime heavily relies on that. Retro Studios just happens to to put the player behind the Visor and well of course there's shooting, she has a freaking cannon on her arm. But the gameplay does not revolve around shooting everything in sight in a linear gameplay thus classifying it a First Person Adventure. Same goes for Tales of... series. Tales of... have never been turned based which is what everyone knows what a RPG is thus it's an Action-RPG.
Personally, I don't even think gamers should classify themselves as "hardcore". If you ask any gamer why they consider themselves "hardcore", you'll get the same similar response, they play the same damn type of genre over and over and over and over. That's not hardcore, that's just lack of taste. Same goes for casual. Have you ever played Harvest Moon? That is the most care intensive game EVER! That and Animal Crossing. Some party game require intensive skill. Play Mario Party with friends and who are skilled and it's an all out mayhem to out do each other. I don't know why people differentiate themselves.
Posted at: 08/04/07 at 9:58 AM PST
Thanks, DGeneral! I appreciate the encouragement! Blackbolt: Agreed. I think you hit the nail on the head. While it is OK to classify games based on genres and gameplay, perhaps gamers are the ones who are at fault for classifying themselves based on the kind of games they play. I don't believe playing FPS after FPS and not opening yourself up to other experiences is hardcore in the least. I'd say the same about dedicated role-playing gamers. While RPGs are typically very long and completing them requires a fair amount of time, it's unfair to call them "hardcore", seeing as how a game like Mario Kart is harder to master and a something along the lines of a Doom or Quake game is harder to play. I'm all for categorizing games based on what you actually do in the game. Metroid Prime was an excellent example. Emphasis on exploration is what made the series a "First-person adventure". You don't need to be an FPS enthusiast to play it. Neither do you have to be a big fan of adventure games. It's a title that caters to a broader range of consumers.
Posted at: 08/07/07 at 10:23 AM PST
I never looked at it that way. My eyes have been open. But does it really matter whats causal and whats not, all i want to do( and i think all any of us want to do) is have fun, play some games and have some good times. All these classification of games are just too much. I pretty much pay no attention to them, while people say i'm an FPS gamer, i'm a RPG gamer, i say i'm a gamer.
Posted at: 08/07/07 at 10:44 AM PST
good read.
Posted at: 08/07/07 at 11:48 AM PST
Casual or hardcore, I don't care. I just want to have fun!
Posted at: 08/12/07 at 2:32 PM PST
there is no such thing as a casual game for me....changing discs is not "easy to jump into" LMAO!!! and harvest moon rocks!!!!! and i'm a hardcore gamer...why? because gaming is one of my favourite things to do!!! that's what a hardcore gamer and casual gamer is to me...people who enjoy games but play them occasionally..and people who play them consistantly
Posted at: 08/12/07 at 2:34 PM PST
exactly! i'm a gamer! and a random note: playing games with friends is always FUNNEST! i mean...me and my cousin spent hours playing motorstorm taking turns.....it was SO fun!! we got into big rigs and ran over motorbikers!!!Post Your Comment