The surgery game Trauma Center was one of the earliest examples of how the Nintendo DS could change our industry. By turning the stylus into a scalpel, the designers let players immerse themselves into the role of a doctor as never before.
Unfortunately, the game simulated the pressures of actual surgery as well by presenting staggeringly difficult, time-pressured levels. Failure blocked the player’s progress, which proved to be a fatal flaw for the game because there were no difficulty levels at all -- no way for the player to decide what level of challenge was appropriate.
Considering the wide demographic of gamers today, from young children to seniors, this decision doomed the game to a tiny slice of the DS’s audience.
Challenge has always been a core component of game design. However, after video games left the arcades -– in which quick difficulty ramps were a necessity of doing business –- most designers realized that their games could appeal to more people if they tailored the challenge to meet the needs of the individual user.
Gamasutra - News - Analysis: Designing Games To Challenge Diverse Players