How Nintendo Designs Mario Game Difficulty

TLDRNintendo faces the challenge of designing the difficulty of Mario games to cater to both new players and experienced gamers. They utilize optional challenges, bonus levels, optional criteria, post-game content, and expert-level DLC to provide a range of difficulty options. They also offer assistance through guides, power-ups, level skips, and co-op modes for players who find the game too difficult. The interconnected pipes of difficulty allow players to seamlessly shift between different levels of challenge.