I enjoy playing video games for the same reason I enjoy playing sports; and that’s to be challenged. Many of my favorite video games, especially the older ones, are incredibly difficult and arduous to beat; Super Mario Brothers, Mega Man 4, Left 4 Dead (on expert). Furthermore, these are the games I enjoy and want to play more than some others. For example, the idea of a challenge answers the question of why I like RTS games; if I can outsmart my opponent in order to beat them, I feel as though I accomplished something, rather than having a kill-death ratio of -5 and winning the game. However, many other genres need strategy in order to win, and with level difficulty changes the game can be enjoyed as I continue to get better.

Back when I was younger, in the days of the NES and N64, games obviously weren’t as prolific as games are today due to the limitations of the systems. Today games are longer, more in depth, and have more to offer such as online multiplayer, better co-op missions, online co-op missions, and downloadable content. Back in the days of the NES, N64, and Dreamcast, none of this was possible, games came and stayed as they were forever, thus the level of challenge usually stayed close to the same; whereas today, as I get better playing Halo, I will play better people and then get pwnd. The gaming world is evolving with this idea of being challenged where the AI in the game doesn’t have to challenge you, other players can challenge you online; games like Guitar Hero and Street Fighter come to mind.

All in all there are many reasons people play videogames, but with all the ones I’ve seen or thought about, being challenged is probably the biggest and most important to me. If a game isn’t overly challenging, I really become disinterested in it and more than likely wont buy it. I bought the PS3 and the first game I got for it was Echochrome, not only because how badass it looked and played, but how challenging it was and how it made me think; even though it made me feel like my head was going to explode. My favorite games of all time, and the games I will continually play, are the more challenging games, and the games that me think and ‘stratergerize’.

[Why We Game is a weekly feature from Loot Ninja discussing the various reasons we each have for playing video games. If you have a reason you want to see covered, let us know.]