History Main / SequelDifficultyDrop

* ''VideoGame/DwarfFortress'', while still NintendoHard, is actually a playable game unlike the first SlavesToArmok.

* Compared to the original campaigns, ''VideoGame/GuildWars2'' is easier, allowing players to solo the main story and much of the open-world content with relative ease.

** ''VideoGame/PokemonOmegaRubyAndAlphaSapphire'' compared to the originals. In addition to the features added in ''X and Y'', according to WordOfGod, the challenging post-game Battle Frontier from the original Gen III games was removed precisely ''because'' it was deemed too difficult. The significant PowerCreep in moves between Generations III and VI also means that many Pokémon available to the player are ''much'' stronger than they were previously, especially with the new [=DexNav=] mechanic giving access to powerful Egg Moves early.

''VideoGame/StarShiftRebellion'': This game ends up becoming easier than ''VideoGame/StarShiftOrigins'' in the long run due to the existence of respawning enemies. This, along with the casino minigames, allows the player to easily outgrind the competition in the early game. This is somewhat compensated by some equipment being nerfed as well as more complicated tactics battles, but regular combat in ''Rebellion'' definitely gives the player a higher power ceiling compared to the enemies.

** In ''VideoGame/CallOfDutyModernWarfare2'', you can survive ''much'' more damage than in the first ''Modern Warfare'' game. This is balanced out somewhat by the SequelEscalation that results in you often fighting more enemies at once, sometimes in open environments where it's very easy to get flanked from all sides.
** ''VideoGame/CallOfDutyModernWarfare3'', in contrast, is ''insane'' on Veteran difficulty, as you have drastically less health than in the second game, combined with psychic enemies that are given superhuman reflexes and perfect aim.

** ''Modern Warfare 2'' also dispensed with the infinitely-respawning enemies, allowing players to approach the levels more conservatively.

** ''Wangan Midnight R'' is a nightmare to beat, with all the encounters being nerfarious SpitefulAI that [[TheComputerIsACheatingBastard puts you at high disadvantage]]. The first ''Maximum Tune'', not without severe RubberBandAI, tones down the opponents in the story mode to the point as long as you don't commit serious errors, you're in ahead of the finish line.

* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'': The original ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaI'' and ''VideoGame/ZeldaIITheAdventureOfLink'', which are also the first two games, are considered the hardest of the ''Zelda'' series ([[NintendoHard par for the course for games]] [[UsefulNotes/The8bitEraofConsoleVideoGames of that era]]), as it's considered to be the highest level of difficulty the series could have, so it’s all downhill from there:

** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast'' is more about solving clever puzzles than a desperate fight for survival like the previous two. ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaLinksAwakening'' is a continuation of the game engine and is made even easier, probably due to the screen limitations of the UsefulNotes/GameBoy. It's essentially a downgrade to ''Zelda 1'' but with towns and fewer enemy mobs.
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker'' and ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess'' are notably much easier than either of the two [[UsefulNotes/Nintendo64 N64]] games preceding them. ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword'' went too far in that direction, to the point of alienating ''Zelda'' veterans. The puzzles are very simple, and Fi tells you what to do, and where to go.

** With the UsefulNotes/GameGear games, ''VideoGame/SonicChaos'' is definitely this to ''[[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2 Sonic 2]]''.

[[folder:Beat 'Em Up]]

[[folder:First Person Shooter]]

[[folder:Role Playing Game ]]

[[folder:Shoot Em Up]]

[[folder:Stealth Based Game]]

[[folder:Third Person Shooter]]

[[folder:Turn Based Strategy]]

** ''VideoGame/PokemonXAndY'' gets flak for being the easiest game in the series. The [[LeakedExperience EXP. Share]] is now obtained early on (just after being the first Gym) and has been buffed to give all of your inactive Pokémon 50% of the EXP that active Pokémon gained in battle. This combined with the return of the flat EXP system over Gen V's [[AntiGrinding scaled EXP system]] means it's now ''ridiculously'' easy to over-level your team, especially since the game puts it on by default. On top of that, these games saw the introduction of Pokémon-Amie, which allows you to bestow a myriad of powerful benefits upon your Pokémon, such as increased evasion/critical rates, random status recovery, and a random LastChanceHitPoint. Even without all that, trainer battles are still easier than normal; most Pokémon aren't given full movesets (in your third fight with Tierno, his Roserade only knows ''one'' moves and boss characters like Gym Leaders carry less Pokémon than usual (even the Elite Four members only have four Pokémon each as opposed to the traditional five). The only trainer in the main story that actually has a full lineup[[note]]the series RunningGag Fisherman with six Magikarp notwithstanding[[/note]] is the Champion, whose team has numerous shared weaknesses and an "ace" Pokémon (Mega Gardevoir) that, while still difficult, can easily be defeated by any good physical attacker.

** After the SequelDifficultySpike in the core [[VideoGame/PokemonSunAndMoon Gen]] [[VideoGame/PokemonUltraSunAndUltraMoon VII]] games, ''VideoGame/PokemonSwordAndShield'' toned the difficulty level down again. While scaled experience is kept from the Alola games, meaning AntiGrinding is still in affect, the main problem from ''X and Y'' returns: that being trainers carrying fewer Pokémon and with less troublesome movesets. The existence of the Wild Area, which in conjunction with the Move Relearner now being free-of-cost and available in all Pokémon Centers, also means that you can very well find yourself with a DiskOneNuke well before the time they were available in previous games. Also, trainers now give out greater amounts of money, making it easy to stockpile large quantities of items. Some argue that this is really because Pokémon was always easy, all ''Sword and Shield'' did was show ''just'' how slanted in the player's favour things are. Instead of the Elite 4 that was a gauntlet without any recovery nor backtrack, you deal with a tournament that FULLY RECOVERS your Pokemon after battle, meaning you can mess up many times and also backtrack while saving your spot in the league.

** ''[[VideoGame/SonicRushSeries Sonic Rush]]'' has downright [[SchizophrenicDifficulty bizarre, fluctuating difficulty]] and requires many a LeapOfFaith. The sequel, ''Sonic Rush Adventure'', lets up on those issues and is easier overall as a result, although [[DownplayedTrope both titles can have fiendishly tough moments]].

* ''VideoGame/DragonQuestI'': The GB release of ''DQ I'' and ''VideoGame/DragonQuestII'' made EXP and gold yields much greater from any given enemy. This adjustment is also carried into the mobile versions.

* ''VideoGame/SoulBlade'' is much harder than the ''VideoGame/SoulCalibur'' games that follow it, with some of the Edge Master Mode challenges being real headscratchers. Getting rid of the Weapon Gauge, which progressively got emptier every time you blocked a hit and made you lose your weapon if you blocked too much, definitely helped.
* ''VideoGame/{{Tekken}} 3'' and onwards are easier than ''Tekken 2'', which is probably the hardest one in the series. The first Tekken is comparatively easier because of the lack of moves and modes, although the sub-bosses can be a challenge.

* ''VideoGame/{{STALKER}}: Call of Pripyat'' did away with many FakeDifficulty gameplay elements introduced in ''STALKER: Clear Sky'', including magical homing enemy frag grenades, and a hit detection system where only some of the shots you managed to land on an enemy would actually count even if you were 100% accurate. In ''Call of Pripyat'' it's also much easier to avoid pissing off certain factions (most noticeably the Bandits), and thus go through the game with them being neutral, resulting in much fewer firefights while free-roaming.

** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioLand2'' is one of the easiest ''Mario'' games out there, especially when compared to its NintendoHard [[VideoGame/SuperMarioLand predecessor]]. This is thanks to copious power-ups and extra lives, the [[GameBreaker game-breaking]] Bunny Ears allowing the player to fly over most hazards, the ability to exit a previously-beaten level at any time (and keep anything you acquired), the non-linear structure leaving the game without any real difficulty curve, and bottomless pits being less common than in most other games in the series.

[[folder:Minigame Game]]
* ''VideoGame/NESRemix 2'' featured games made later in the NES lifecycle which had less FakeDifficulty on average than the ones in the first ''NES Remix''. On top of this, the tasks were slightly less demanding and the 3-star and rainbow star time thresholds were much more generous.