There's been some healthy debate about Super Guides over in the Zelda: OoT Comparison thread, but I figured it should continue in it's own thread. Super Guides were first started with New Super Mario Bros. Wii where you had to die 8 straight times in a level to trigger the Super Guide block where you could have Luigi play through the level partially or fully.
There was a catch to the Super Guide system in NSMB Wii. Using it means you could no longer get sparkling stars on your file and stages beaten with the Super Guide don't turn to blue on the map. Some expressed outright worry or dislike of this Super Guide saying games will be made easy or developers will get lazy in making the games. Uh, it's only been mostly used by Nintendo (and Retro for DKC Returns), but other developers have used tricks to assist the less experienced (some FPSs lately have auto-regenerating health).
Nintendo didn't make NSMB Wii easy. Hell no. I died pretty regularly in the later worlds, but not to the degree to trigger the Super Guide even in the brutal World 9-7. That speaks more to my platforming skill than anything Nintendo did, because Miyamoto prides himself on effective game design. He knew the backlash from the original NSMB for DS being too easy (namely fighting bosses), but was worried about alienating new and casual players with the next game. He built the Super Guide as a result for NSMB Wii so that he could make NSMB Wii more difficult for veterans.
In fact this Super Guide mentality was kept for Nintendo's other games that used the Super Guide. In Super Mario Galaxy 2, the game is challenging and if you'd like to use the Super Guide to clear the level, the penalty you'd pay is Bronze Stars instead of Gold ones. Then DKCR came and it's the hardest Donkey Kong Country game to date. If you used the Super Guide here, you couldn't keep any collectibles that were gotten during the Super Guide's run. You need the KONG letters, clear bonus rooms, and such to increase your percentage on your file.
I had to use the Super Guide for one level in World 8 of DKCR, that Rocketbarrel stage where you had to be pixel perfect in a sea of fire snakes and other hazards. I couldn't do it, so I used Super Guide to skip it. I paid the penalty though as I couldn't keep anything the Super Guide got during the run. Thusly my percentage on my file didn't increase. I'll have to go back and legitly beat the level to increase the percentage especially if I want to access the last world. To me I'm glad the Super Guide is available if there's a need for it. I could use it to get hints or if a level is really bad, bypass it all together. In fact, Nintendo has always had the mentality to help those inexperienced or frustrated.
Remember Super Mario Bros. 3? There were P-Wings and Lakitu Clouds available that you could use to skip vast levels. And that was way back in the early 90's. I have no problems if the Super Guide creeped into more games especially if it results in more difficult games.
There was a catch to the Super Guide system in NSMB Wii. Using it means you could no longer get sparkling stars on your file and stages beaten with the Super Guide don't turn to blue on the map. Some expressed outright worry or dislike of this Super Guide saying games will be made easy or developers will get lazy in making the games. Uh, it's only been mostly used by Nintendo (and Retro for DKC Returns), but other developers have used tricks to assist the less experienced (some FPSs lately have auto-regenerating health).
Nintendo didn't make NSMB Wii easy. Hell no. I died pretty regularly in the later worlds, but not to the degree to trigger the Super Guide even in the brutal World 9-7. That speaks more to my platforming skill than anything Nintendo did, because Miyamoto prides himself on effective game design. He knew the backlash from the original NSMB for DS being too easy (namely fighting bosses), but was worried about alienating new and casual players with the next game. He built the Super Guide as a result for NSMB Wii so that he could make NSMB Wii more difficult for veterans.
In fact this Super Guide mentality was kept for Nintendo's other games that used the Super Guide. In Super Mario Galaxy 2, the game is challenging and if you'd like to use the Super Guide to clear the level, the penalty you'd pay is Bronze Stars instead of Gold ones. Then DKCR came and it's the hardest Donkey Kong Country game to date. If you used the Super Guide here, you couldn't keep any collectibles that were gotten during the Super Guide's run. You need the KONG letters, clear bonus rooms, and such to increase your percentage on your file.
I had to use the Super Guide for one level in World 8 of DKCR, that Rocketbarrel stage where you had to be pixel perfect in a sea of fire snakes and other hazards. I couldn't do it, so I used Super Guide to skip it. I paid the penalty though as I couldn't keep anything the Super Guide got during the run. Thusly my percentage on my file didn't increase. I'll have to go back and legitly beat the level to increase the percentage especially if I want to access the last world. To me I'm glad the Super Guide is available if there's a need for it. I could use it to get hints or if a level is really bad, bypass it all together. In fact, Nintendo has always had the mentality to help those inexperienced or frustrated.
Remember Super Mario Bros. 3? There were P-Wings and Lakitu Clouds available that you could use to skip vast levels. And that was way back in the early 90's. I have no problems if the Super Guide creeped into more games especially if it results in more difficult games.