Balance is the key to life. Whether you have to balance classes, a checkbook, or other responsibilities, this fact remains true. We all know too much of a good thing is not good, so it would only make sense that our games take this idea of 'balance' into creating a game, no matter what genre.
Balancing in fighting games is especially crucial. Fighting games are meant to test a player's skill with a character, and if a certain character is overpowered, the game's experience can be harshly affected. In PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale, there are 1 character in this game that has a moveset that is far greater than anyone else. Kat, from Gravity Rush, has incredible mobility in the game, very quick combos, and can gaurtee Super Move KO's by using a regular attack beforehand. With all of this put together, Kat can defeat many other characters without needing to use a lot of strategy or timing. Even with other high tier characters, such as Raiden or Nathan Drake, require some flavor skill to be played effectively. This game also had a problem with SackBoy from Little Big Planet, but shortly after the game's initial release, they released a balancing patch to balance out SackBoy's (at the time) incredible moveset. While Sackboy is no longer in the highest tier (currently ranking mid tier at best), Kat still seems to be an issue for competetive play.
In the same sense, balancing is just as important in single player games. If an adventure game gives too much advantage to either the player or the computer, players will not enjoy the game. In Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, the player and enemies are fairly balanced. Of course, in-game bosses have an initial upper hand, but this is because the player is supposed to be faced with a challenge when facing one of these opponents. To emphasize the importance of this balance, let's taken an average enemy, say, the Skulltula, and make it unbalanced. Skulltula now can now longer be Z-targeted, spends less time turned around, has more health, and has more attack range. Because of the new changes, a simple enemy can now take up to 5 minutes to battle, and since these enemies are often placed in areas where their fights cannot be avoided, a player may spend a good hour of gameplay just on destroying the "broken" Skulltulas. Players would be in a fit and Ocarina of Time wouldn't be the game we know it as today.
On the flipside, if Link was too powerful, the game would also be far less enjoyable. If every enemy Link attacked with the Master Sword died instantly, the game would be far less enjoyable. While the "almighty sword" theme would be emphasized with this new Master Sword, players would quickly become bored with "God-Mode" Legend of Zelda. Although it may not sound boring, games that do include this kind of mode show that there is a steep decline of enjoyment when a game is played this way. When players "break" a game, whether they fill their teams to all Level 100, have instant kill weapons, or use any other game-breaking mechanics, the enjoyment of the game is lost; players need a challenge.
This desire for balance isn't always easy to obtain, but with enough research and testing, it can be achieved. It may not seem important at a first glance, but to get the most out of a game, this balance is a must. Whether it be fighting a friend or facing an opponent, balance is needed to provide just the right of challenge to a player.
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