The Other Side of the Coin: A List of Casual Gaming Experiences PITCH

The Other Side of the Coin: A List of Casual Gaming Experiences

The existence of casual gaming has experienced a shift from some of the older, more established games such as Pong and Tetris that are defined now as casual games to the more modern, updated versions fully playable on any portable device, of which are of infinite varieties. Pong is a simple game revolving around a simple table tennis premise, easy enough for the least cultured person in town. A computerized white dot bounces across a screen and players on opposing sides take control of blocks to send the dot into the goals on the other side representing what the other player is trying to protect. It’s an easy premise and yet superficially bare as far as games go. Other more complex games would forge ahead to define what makes a game casual and does that differentiate with “hardcore” games?

The first games were simple and as games began to differentiate in depth, these grandfather games seemed to pale in comparison when placed next to others in terms of depth. With the advent of new technologies and consoles, casual games have experienced a few trends in the years since those very first games and those trends are definitely shaping the casual gaming trends of the future.

Casual games usually revolve around a simple premise. Fit shapes into a space to assemble a simple puzzle. Use a joystick to guide a frog across a space and make sure he does not die from vehicular manslaughter. Aid a sack of meat to escape inventive and innovative torture chamber deaths (many deaths). Compilations such as the ingenious Brain Age take the advent of casual gaming and combine the accessibility of an easy layout and add a cognitive learning component and this this alone was enough to convert a few people to playing games, even my own grandmother got her own little DS with the help of a few other relatives.

Portable devices offer perfect ways to escape into casual gaming. A little on the go action diverts people who are thrust into long lines at Starbucks or at the store. It can be interesting to wait around while in line just to see if anyone will pull out a Vita and start dying agonizing death after agonizing death in Super Meat Boy. It’s interesting to see young children and old people alike engaging in an increasingly common activity. A well-marketed casual game can be enough to convince virtually anyone to have a go at gaming and in this way accessibility should be a key factor developers should be concerned with to communicate with their intended target audience.

As games began to increase in popularity gaming franchises came into being that are light on mechanics but structurally complex sit-down-at-home-games like Ratchet and Clank, Crash, Spyro, and Jak and Daxter. It helps some of these games is geared to a younger audience and developers like Insomniac aiming for the younger gamers generally do not douse their games in mechanics to learn and master.

Cell phones kind of thrust the prospect of gaming on anyone with a phone bombarding them with ads regardless if they are a gamer or not become gamer later on that had no idea they were hiding in the gaming closet for so long. It’s like they had found a new way to scratch away that unpleasant itch. Such games have been known to be “prescribed” to people with a behavioral diagnoses such as ADHD.

The classic casual gamer can be described as virtually anyone with a low attention span. Any short game bent on entrancing the gamer with a set of bold mechanics that can be capable of sustaining short but exciting and ultimately satisfying bouts of gameplay. Some are drawn just because they like having games available on the go as well as home. These guys are most likely hardcore gamers at heart.

What is it that draws gamers to contemplate casual games? What mechanics are involved? A first impression is key to games that have to strive to be immediately appealing enough even to sustain a moment of satiated attention. Flashy menus are a must for one, especially when constant management of inventories is required. Eye catching border patters and animated character cartoons bring the former flat lines encircling gameplay space to life

The evolution of gaming led to simple gameplay mechanics introduced in the eighties that hold up today like Mario a that still resonates today. Traditional platformers are immediately accessible if controlling a character takes a few button presses to create a surface for the player to latch on to.

It is possible the true potential of casual games has yet to be revealed. With the advancement of technology and the subsequent lessening of attention spans of some gamers and those that are newcomers to gaming. It’s a fact that the industry must adjust in order to survive and profit. The average attention span is eight seconds. Now developers must investigate a relatively new and uncharted avenue by drawing inspiration

A Note on Microtransations

The bane of “free-to-play” games are microtransatctions. Microtransactions are an unfortunately reality of owning a cell phone, a dark reality that is not so micro are the implements used by so-called “free-to-play” games. These games throw the gamer an initial hook like the premise to unlock Pokemon in the cell phone game Pokemon Shuffle. The time spent to play and unlock the Pokemon occurs at a fixed slow rate that could be sped up if players offer up some of their cold hard cash therefore blurring the line of what “free-to-play” could mean to some.

Pokemon Shuffle is not alone in a deluge of games like “Dragon Ball, Dokken Battle” that dish out in game currency that is a lame currency that translates to cold, hard cash in the real world. In order to properly advance in games such as these, a massive percentage of the gamers’ wallet is required and if utilized heavily during moments of cycling through menus and gameplay can be a massive annoyance. These options are a tantalizing distraction the game dangles in front of you as the progress inches ever so slowly, a problem that can be remedied for horrible fees. Perhaps this is a sign that I am cheap or perhaps I am put off by such shallow cash mongering. These problems extend to the whole gaming market at large as developers such as EA and Ubisoft pick players’ pockets.

The graphics have to be eye catching for these things and usually they are, since these games hinge on those with short attention spans. Otherwise I don’t see gamers being interested in these games other than some sort of blatant and shameless fan service that leads to empty pockets for those wanting more of an experience with the game with out sacrificing those precious greenbacks.

1. Wii Bowling

Wii bowling is the main reason I remember the Wii. Well, that and that design. Love the Wii or hate it, the Wii nunchuck’s (I cannot believe that was a thing) ability to replicate the sensations of bowling was uncanny compared to how the subsequent Wii golf and Boxing offerings in the anthology did not offer the feel of control exhibited by Wii Bowling. That being said I was a bit of a hater and yet I still liked Wii bowling.

It how apparent this game appeals to everyone because of the videos flooding the internet and social media showcasing people that aren’t gamers having the time of their lives in front of the tv with their family in front of the TV screen.

The goofy big headed cartoons’ animated facial exaggerations and lack clearness and fluidity but make up with Nintendo’s charm. The casual gamer’s enjoyment rests in the repeated action of casting the controller forward and with those simple components a casual gaming phenomenon was made.

2. Pokemon Puzzle League

Most puzzle games do not possess depth but are tailored for the casual gamer. Pokemon Puzzle League may be a casual game and lack true depth seen in other games but I remember having hours of fun at a buddy’s house. The mechanics: simple. Moving various signature Pokemon elemental blocks into combos against a buddy and the clock led to hours of fun that genuinely supplemented those sometimes tough and tense single player offerings that would later end up becoming my main gaming diet.

I can look back at those Pokemon Puzzle League days and wonder about all of the excited shouting matches we used to have and that kind of frivolous-in-a-good-way kind of gaming rounded out a solid short-term experience. The Nintendo 64 had a solid presence in my life despite the PS1 console.

Pokemon Puzzle League was essential for my gaming diet to have a good puzzle game around to wean me off of the heavy amount of hours I laid down for Final Fantasy Vlll. Those Pokemon Puzzle league days were the substitute for coming down from an incredibly involved gaming experience.

3. The OG Smash Bros

The original Super Smash Brothers for the Nintendo 64 is a bare bones fighter and rests within a stone’s throw of depth which Nintendo expounded on with further offerings. The main attacks are assigned to two buttons and each character for “b” is linked to only three moves while the a button is assigned to basic tap combos and smash attacks where the screen-flying KOs come into play. The “b” button plus directional pad attacks have like Mario’s fireball and Samus’s chargeable blaster have colorful variations of projectile attacks.

I argue that the game lacks depth because of the simplistic combos. Capitan Falcon and Fox McCloud execute a series of roundhouses by tapping the A button. These are not a ton of moves to master. A few charge attacks here and there but nothing compared to later entries and additional “b” moves. The dodge and shield mechanics are instinctual once a new gamer plays for a few rounds and that’s all it takes to be off to the races. The jumps and dashes felt super smooth at the time and the controls still hold up and un-complicate the light directional combos.

Classic stages like Fox’s Ship and Kirby’s Dreamland and Saffron City elicit nostalgia and staying power because many old stages end up “recycled” with updated graphics in the later entries.

I will never forgive Samus’s stage, Planet Zebes, for making me cringe and occasionally scream when a friend throws me off the edge when I fall into the highly damaging pits of lava waiting for a doomed player falling off the end of the perilous, ever-changing stage. It doesn’t help that stage somehow ends up in every subsequent Smash Bros entry. The stage is visually sticking with flashy fire and lava effects and enough chaos to suggest the planet is about to blow sky high.

Some of the stages posses enough graphical detail and platform depth and overall high variety when expressing the design of a level. This is hardly a surprise because innovative level design is Nintendo’s meat and potatoes (Mario, anyone?) as the company would continue to expand on throughout the years.

4. Brain Age

Brain Age ended up being a niche genre for gaming upon its original inception. The idea centered on improving brain function by using short cognitive thinking exercises to improve brain function. “Train your brain in minutes a day!” The game makers were not kidding. These exercises did not possess a ton of depth in terms of tasks to perform and they are simple enough, like fitting tangram shapes into a puzzle or memory recall games aimed to improve short-term memory. It’s the games themselves installed in the cartridge, around 30 just for volume one alone.

I remember being curious upon the first release of the game and the advertising campaign. I’ve never heard a game aimed at an audience concerned with self-improvement and well-being. I thought that was pretty cool. The game had a bold premise and the games are simplistic enough I’m sure a toddler could pick up the basic mechanics. Many kids tend to game right out of the womb, and I’m sure some could understand the workings of the games on most of this list.

5. Call of Duty

I will not give Call of Duty much time to talk about. It’s one of the franchise a little light on mechanics and heavy on flash. Some people like that and even love it to an extent that I just do not understand. I do like the kill streak bonuses and the series has traveled to interesting places. It just does not lack that much depth in terms of gameplay mechanics of merely running and gunning against waves of shooting enemies. Cover occasionally pops up to provide some variety to the repetitive encounters.

Some people like the assorted zombie modes scattered about the franchise. There is just nothing to sustain my interest in the series that much other than to say as far as casual multiplayer shooters go, this one is up there with the most successful of the bunch if not the most. All that is required is a little bit of patience with a massive community of trolls and many of those fools honestly add enough depth to the experience by virtue of their own damn angry selves.

6. Star Wars Battlefront

As far as games go on content that virtue alone renders the latest Star Wars Battefront casual. It’s not a demeaning mark, it’s just the truth. The game is pure multiplayer, to purchase the game otherwise expecting any single player is not a wise decision. A pure multiplayer experience is worth the price of admission since many love the fan service. Playing as any hero can be pretty awesome if the player knows what they are doing.

The developers certainly know what they are doing. The maps themselves possess tons of detail, the game is made by DICE, after all. These guys rocker their shit with the Tatooine sand textures and the Endor trees. Each map is layered with passageways and every hiss of steam issuing from the sides of the tunnels in the chaotic Carbonite Chambers. We are talking blaster fire, lightsabers, grenades. DICE captures the sound perfectly. The game has remarkable aesthetics and it is definitely nice to look at and hear but a slightly different story to play.

The player has access to two or three powers at any given time and a blaster and a few grenades. Powerups are scattered all around the maps. Having numerous powerups encourages players to rely on those instead of their own ingenuity at times. The game softens the need and difficulty to kill by allowing access to a robust variety to grenades, to vehicular access, to hero powerups (these are the best). The reliance on powerups subtracts a little depth to encourage easier kills.

Players generally meet in the middle, especially in the space battles the players are encouraged to play or at least attempt a bombing run at Hoth or Tatooine. This new Battlefront something the average Star Wars fan could definitely play and enjoy at this point now that EA finally knocked down the long standing colossal price.

7. Mario

I think the concept of Mario is layered with depth but the gameplay is essentially run and jump and throw fireballs. This bare bones approach to gameplay enough for legions of gamers of all ages to understands to and sink their teeth into. Best of all this concept has not withered since the 80s. If anything the Mario standard has grown stronger in many ways to the Mario 64.

Really what it boils down to is many of the games are just fun in that special Nintendo way. The sound effects and vocalizations sound from my early memories with and without friends. That simple joy of playing stems from the game’s simplicity through limited button use and a whole different vocabulary of sights from those weird ass giant bullets to the weird ass football juggernauts to the weird ass carnivorous flowers. There’s the weird focus on green plumbing and traveling and pure silliness. This joy is enough for any gamer to jump into. The accessibility is another feature to throw in. The same powerup and basic run and jump mechanics apply to the wide aesthetic palate Nintendo has drawn from over the years.

Since the advent of 3D graphics and the 360 degree joystick used to control Mario, the quality and inspired and expanded level design reflect the advanced 3D worlds as a result. The 3D adventures invite the player into many detailed worlds from adventures under the sea to those subterranean bonus levels to the spherical worlds of Super Mario Galaxy. Many of the spin-offs feature now iconic locations such as Luigi’s Mansion. The sheer variety of intricate worlds offers depth when spread across the numerous entries of the Mario Universe.

The true depth of the series lies in expanding the simple mushroom mechanics with various other powerups and environmental features like ice and ramps. Additions like these do not deepen the gameplay but expand the available jumping and platforming abilities.

8. Crash Team Racing

I decided to put CTR here because this is a casual cart racing game on par (at least I think so) with Mario Kart. I know I played CTR a hell of a whole lot more than any Mario Kart put together. I like Mario Kart, I do. I just never owned an N64 and I suck at that game as well. I think I’m pretty good in CTR.

The colorful visuals and funky jungle soundtrack are varied just enough for the player to enjoy and appreciate. The cart controls are pretty basic and the one thing some casual players might find out of their way to do were those gnarly power slide boosts that allowed players to plow through sharp curves.

The game has personality and charm like the harsh vocal exclamations from Crash Bandicoot and the presence of the tribal mask gods Aku-Aku and the evil Uka-Uka and that certainly adds to the overall tribal appeal. The whole story is pretty ridiculous. The boss’ appearance have enough charm to coax a smile or two. The chubby and shirtless Papu Papu who bears a strong resemblance to the Aztecs with a ridiculous head dress earns some laughs and so does that sharp toothed grinning, perpetually cackling blue jackal, Ripper Roo.

I would spend hours at a time with my brother playing this game in the late nineties. We would really bust each other’s balls with the Battle mode. This allows players to move around short, small-scale mini maps that are built like cool arenas such as a castle courtyard and a map that resembled a cool off-roading monster truck rally sans monster trucks and noisy people. My brother and I really got into it in CTR over these fight. We hurled bombs and busted out missiles left and right like a true sibling rivalry.

[Travis TimmonsKeymaster]

Good stuff, Zach – let’s move on this to convert to an article.

[Author]

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