Why are 'casual' games bad?

[Cabisco]

I don't hate casual games per se, however for every good casual game i would reckon their are at least 10 bad ones. When i think of casual games, i do tend to think of people cashing in on making some crappy thoughtless game with no effort.

My problem with casual games is as follows:

If they require fuck all effort, thought, money and get money back what will happen to the games i love and enjoy. I don't like the idea of developers slowly building more and more casual games and not the ones i find i enjoy. I consider it all like Magazine vs Novel really.

 

[Kadamon]

My opinion: Casual games aren't very deep, they're only good in small doses. That's why they're called casual games, because someone can jump in, have fun, but not have to sit for hours. Unfortunately this can usually bring in boredom, bad gameplay, and a regret of buying a gimmick game. That is all.

 

[Infernai]

I don't hate them on a personal level, i hate what they do to games themselves: Dumb them down so much and the production of games that hold you'r hand so hard that they fall off...

 

[Fodogz]

Because it makes you "dirty" it makes you like the commoners. But hey some have sports, cars, jobs other then taking surveys for cash. If you look at this from the view of someone else you see how this sounds. Maybe in the future gamers will be competing at the olympics for the golden inflatable woman. But until then you cannot engage an argument for segregation of the lowers with the highers.

The battle has begun good sir.

First of all, why are you being so condescending to gamers when you are posting on a primarily gaming website. I especially like you comments about the inflatable woman. That's going to go over well.

Second of all, your the one making this "an argument for segregation of the lowers with the highers." I have repeatedly said this has nothing to do with being better or worse, just different. If anything it sounds to me like you are implying that "casual" gamers are better.

Some people like video games, some people like cars, some people like sports, as well as numerous other hobbies. It's not a big deal.

I'm not, but you don't get what I'm saying, I'm taking the view from the outside. Using every stereotype known to mankind about gamers. I put my argument in a way that gamers, and non-gamers can understand. To make it clearer I'm arguing by using what you said, said in a different way. (plus a little of my opinion) Turning your posts against you really, led by me on my white horse.

I'm not condescending I'm arguing the big picture, the bloody thread title.

 

[magnuslion]

errrrmmmmm Nothing. just not my bag, baby. I like rpg's and blowing shit up. but if you like peggle, wii, etc etc, help the economy out by buying more and go nuts.

 

[MiracleOfSound]

They're not bad.

They're our friend, as they open non-gamers' eyes up to how much harmless fun our hobby is.

 

[Spiner909]

They target the different audiences, that's why.

 

[4242564]

More casual gamers = more casual games. If a buttload of people buy games like Wiisports resort, developers realize that they can make a mint with half the effort. So they begin to churn out easier, less inovative games because they know casual gamers will buy them. They continue to milk the cash cow and begin to reach out to more famous titles as they seek even more money. Soon, bastardized versions of our most beloved characters reach the market in games easy enough for Hellen Kellar to beat.

So to put it simply, casual games and gamers corrupt the market from within and generally screw things up for the rest of us.

Does that answer your question?

"kill all casual gamer terrorist for they caused the economy to crash, two headed babies to be born, and for my life to become insecure due to the fact that they... they beat me in peggle, dammit!"

I'm just assuming that's what you meant. An assumption from an "underground" gamer. (works with Bin Ladenbama)

Ha well you know what they say about assuming. Anyway, that's quite a stretch from what I actually said. And no, I'm not a casual gamer hater (or an Obama hater, for that matter XD), I was just explaining why they are bad for the market. I'm sorry that you had to waste your biting sarcasm.

 

[DrDeath3191]

You know what's a casual game? Tetris.

Casual games are not a bad idea. For new players they are an ideal starting point to learn the basic skills. While old hands can enjoy them if they don't have time or inclination for a more thorough experience.

I whack Nintendo with their cane because what they are generally producing now can only barely be called games. Do we really need games that are simply libraries of sudoku puzzles or exercise trays that double as scales? This isn't gaming. And don't even get me started on that Wii Bowling mess.

Then when Nintendo needs to placate their hardcore fanbase, they cobble together a half-ass Zelda or Mario game that they've re-released umpteen times. Then they add some useless feature, like a boat or a squirt gun.

Peggle is a casual game. Brain Age is not a game, it's math problems.

What makes Brain Age not a game? It's an interactive device with a goal meant to entertain.

 

[YoUnG205]

I do not think that they are bad I just think that are addictive and for some one who isn't me.

 

[Dr.Sean]

Peggle was god-awful... but Plants vs. Zombies was not. BRB, re-evaluating my life.

 

[DrDeath3191]

I know that we're fucking tired of Hardcore vs. Casual threads. However, I have a bit of a bone to pick with the folks who bother to call themselves 'hardcore'. They continually say things like "Nintendo's going to die because they only make casual games!" and "Only idiots and old people like casual games!" While I could go on through the whole spiel about Nintendo being the top provider of 'hardcore' titles on the Wii (generally accepted to be a 'casual' console), but I won't because A) nobody will listen, and B) that isn't what I'm talking about. People assume that a game being 'casual' means that it's bad. Why is that? I like the Wii Sports games, I intend to pick up Wii Fit+ due to the fun I had with the original and I even liked Wii Music (for a few minutes, anyway). What's the problem with 'casual' games? I will accept that there are many bad 'casual' games out there, but there are even more and even worse 'hardcore' games also. So what is the problem?

they are a problem because they LOWER the bar for games, giving us lower quality. if you need an example, play simcity 4 then play simcity societies.

Is that a problem with casual games, or a problem with that game? I haven't played it, but from what I gather it had a good idea: make SimCity more accessible, but still fun. Just because they failed does not in any way mean that 'casual' games decrease the quality of 'hardcore' ones.

its a problem as they took a good game with many prospects, tore out all challenge and control so everyone and their mother can play but the main issue is without challenge and danger simcity is boring. societies craps out so much money you can survive a black hole and still rebuild with enough cash leftover to buy the rest of the universe. just look at how silent hill: homecoming came out, monsters cant hurt you unless your in a chase scene.

So the devs handled their games wrong. That doesn't mean that casual games are destroying classic game franchises.

 

[Zildjin81]

They aren't, they're just different. I like different.

 

[4242564]

More casual gamers = more casual games. If a buttload of people buy games like Wiisports resort, developers realize that they can make a mint with half the effort. So they begin to churn out easier, less inovative games because they know casual gamers will buy them. They continue to milk the cash cow and begin to reach out to more famous titles as they seek even more money. Soon, bastardized versions of our most beloved characters reach the market in games easy enough for Hellen Kellar to beat.

So to put it simply, casual games and gamers corrupt the market from within and generally screw things up for the rest of us.

Does that answer your question?

And yet No More Heroes is getting a sequel, A Boy and His Blob was released and Madworld is not on the 360. I feel that this argument is invalid, since devs have still been attempting to deliver more 'hardcore' games to the system. Next year is going to be especially large with big names like Capcom vs. Tatsunoko and Monster Hunter 3 being exclusives to the console. So there isn't a loss of 'hardcore' games; if anything, they've been increasing in number.

...did I say anything about hardcore games? I was just talking about the influx of casual games and the transformation of previously non-casual titles into family entertainment. Sure, there are still those awesome companies who still have the gamer in mind. There probably always will be. But I disagree that they are increasing in number. I mean, the level of difficulty has decreased across the board (just play Supermario 64 and then play Supermario Galaxy, the difference is practically palpable) and casual games vastly outnumber hardcore games.

 

[SideScroller99]

I was mostly indifferent towards this argument until i saw this video http://www.youtube.com/user/moviebob?blend=1&ob=4#p/u/39/ByPcQBveWOA

its from moviebob the same guy who does the movie reviews for the escapist it was pretty impressive, and it gives allot of thought into this debate
(please dont get all pissy with me because I'm sighting a video)

 

[Fodogz]

More casual gamers = more casual games. If a buttload of people buy games like Wiisports resort, developers realize that they can make a mint with half the effort. So they begin to churn out easier, less inovative games because they know casual gamers will buy them. They continue to milk the cash cow and begin to reach out to more famous titles as they seek even more money. Soon, bastardized versions of our most beloved characters reach the market in games easy enough for Hellen Kellar to beat.

So to put it simply, casual games and gamers corrupt the market from within and generally screw things up for the rest of us.

Does that answer your question?

"kill all casual gamer terrorist for they caused the economy to crash, two headed babies to be born, and for my life to become insecure due to the fact that they... they beat me in peggle, dammit!"

I'm just assuming that's what you meant. An assumption from an "underground" gamer. (works with Bin Ladenbama)

Ha well you know what they say about assuming. Anyway, that's quite a stretch from what I actually said. And no, I'm not a casual gamer hater (or an Obama hater, for that matter XD), I was just explaining why they are bad for the market. I'm sorry that you had to waste your biting sarcasm.

I'm sorry I don't know what the biting part of sarcasm was, but I like to think these things keep me sharp of wit. Also I'm so very glad you got the joke from me repeatedly using assume.

 

[Banana Phone Man]

To be honest games only become "Hardcore" depending on how the majority of people take games seriously. Games like MW2 I don't take seriously, I don't care if I come last in multiplayer all the time. I play it casualy which makes it (for me) a casual game. TF2 is another good example. What if people took Wii sports resort stupidly seriously. Would that then make it a hardcore game?

I just read this through and I'm not even sure it makes sence to myself but I can't be bovvered to come out with something eles.