Spelunky (Boss Fight Books Book 11)

by Derek Yu

There is another problem with difficulty settings, which was made apparent during my discussion with the angry Spelunky player: Offer players an easier difficulty setting up front, and some of them will take it even though they could handle more challenge. My solution to this was to weave difficulty seamlessly into the game itself. If you’re a new player, your goal is to deliver supplies to the Tunnel Man so he can build shortcuts to the Jungle, Caves, and Temples. After that, your goal is to defeat Olmec and beat the game. From there, you’re ready to tackle the Chain. But whether you’re mining out the City of Gold or simply trying escape the Mines, you’re playing the same Spelunky. This way, everyone can focus on playing instead of wringing their hands over an uninformed decision. Once you’re ready, your knowledge and understanding of the game will make the harder challenges apparent, and you can go after them without switching into a different mode. The Chain’s final purpose is to provide permanent features to a randomized landscape. Although randomization gives Spelunky and roguelikes their longevity and makes each playthrough feel unique, it’s what stays the same from run to run that makes the world feel real. But without the randomization, playing the game enough times to figure out the Chain would be much more repetitive. The permanence of the Chain and the randomization of the world work in tandem to give you a greater appreciation of the other.