A Mode for Super Heros

I remember back in 1989 when Mega Man 2 came out and was a big deal. I remember watching all the older kids play it at the daycare I used to go to. I still remember them trying to figure out the best way to get past the giant jumping fish. My idea was that maybe you should shoot the fish with bubbles since water and fish go together. Now I know that water is probably not the most efficient way to hurt a fish, but at 6 it seemed reasonable that maybe I should match weapons with enemies rather than match opposites. I think I thought that by shooting the fish with bubbles that maybe they'd be nicer to you since they'd like the water. Today, 20 years later, I beat Mega Man 9 on Super Hero mode. For those of you who cannot comprehend the meaning of that, Super Hero mode is 3 times harder than hard. The default setting for the Mega Man series is a challenging 'slightly possible'. It was nice reliving a lot of those moments from childhood. The tough-as-nails gameplay is all but lost today. Mega Man is the type of game where you lose because you're terrible. It's not because of the controls, or some cheap gimmic. It's simply because you aren't good enough. The only excuse is your own. In our society of acceptance and tolerance it's so satisfying to have a few humilating mediums that aren't afraid to say sorry you don't make the grade. I think today many have grown accustomed to settling for less. I hear it all the time. "You are way too picky." "You're never going to do/find/learn that." This defeatist attitude today is saddening. This is what sets Mega Man apart from the rest. It doesn't settle for less, which is strange to todays' youth and a stark reminder to those of us who lived when life was Mega Man. When you're feelings didn't matter, where you were either going to get better or be left behind as a worthless failure and told so. Today I beat the best Mega Man 9 had to offer. Next challenge.