Sonic the Hedgehog Dunks on Game Difficulty Meme

The official Twitter account for Sonic the Hedgehog has weighed in on the ongoing discussion about difficulty and accessibility in video games. It didn't offer opinions on how developers should approach their games as parties on both sides of the discussion have, and it didn't even talk about whether Sonic games are difficult or not. Instead, it decided to blast a meme that's been circulating, one that chastises players who use cheats to play games.

The video below that the account tweeted on Tuesday shows a level from the original Sonic the Hedgehog game released back in 1991. In Marble Zone Act 2, there was a spot right at the beginning of the level that would allow players to zip through the entire act and beat the level in a matter of seconds. The video shows that skip in action, but the new screen at the end of the level is now a bit more involved.

pic.twitter.com/nCNBfi6hSP

— Sonic the Hedgehog (@sonic_hedgehog) April 9, 2019

For those who aren't caught up, discussions about difficulty settings, easy modes, and accessibility in games have been taking place in the gaming realm recently following the release of FromSoftware's Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. The game's difficult like FromSoftware's other titles, but gets easier as you play. How long it takes to get to that point depends on the individual and whether or not they have need of accessibility options in games, and it's that subject that's generated talks of accessibility from game developers, gamers, and accessibility experts.

Different takes on the subject came from all angles, one of which came from a PC Gamer writer who said they beat the game's final boss with cheats and felt just fine. This led to the response below from one Twitter user who said the writer experienced "a hollow victory" and gained nothing from the victory. The tweet received tons of interactions which continued outside of the parent tweet through other memes to the point that it's become its own copypasta now.

You cheated not only the game, but yourself.

You didn't grow.
You didn't improve.
You took a shortcut and gained nothing.

You experienced a hollow victory.
Nothing was risked and nothing was gained.

It's sad that you don't know the difference. https://t.co/upkhLSNQNO

— Fetusberry 'Ass Bastard' Crunch (@Fetusberry) April 6, 2019

The user who originally created the tweet said they're now just enjoying the meme status of it.

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