What's up with toughening up games?

[Arrrhalomynn]

Today I got Rayman 3 for my little brother (it finally dropped to 10 euros) and where the original rayman was a cute and likeble character, he know is 'tough', 'dark' and 'cool'.  And this goes for a lot more games.
10 years ago a lot of characters were sweet, kind creatures. But nowadays they're all hardcore and depressing. The only company that doesn't follow this trend is Nintendo.

Will this be temporary or are cute games a thing of the past? I don't really like this. Nowadays I'm not that interested in cute anymore, but when I was 10, I liked colorful, sugarcoated games and It's saddening that todays 10 year olds only have dark games to play.

[shadytool]

The only company that doesn't follow this trend is Nintendo.

that new link is pretty hardcore looking.
 

[Lord Nepenthean]

The new link is hardcore, but he doesn't ride a Harley, curse, and have tattoos on his ass.  A lot of these new characters may as well, and I completely agree with Mark on this one.  Link is tough as nails in the new Zelda, but an announcer voice doesn't come onscreen every time Link does and yell in a testosterone-filled voice, "INJECTED WITH A POISON!!!"  Know what I mean?

[Zimbacca]

i think its going to always be here, but will die off a little in the next few years.

[deadducks]

I think it is just a fad. It will die like cell shading

[Izret101]

I agree they toughening up characters and games to make them more  apealing than wimpy looking character and Billy Hatcher style games. Basically when i was 10 i was playing the Sonic, Mortal Kombat, Mario Bros. games and all have stuck to their own agenda Sonic and Mario are kidds games but still good enough gameplay wise to have adults play them, Mortal Kombat is still pissing off people like Joe Liberman because of its revolutionary violence. Rayman on the other hand i never played so i cannot coment on it but most other games are trying to stick to where they belong. Now if the next Mario game you have to pick up Princess in Bowsers hijacked Koopa Clown Car and pay for "services" to regain you life I would start to agree with you more so than over Rayman: Hoodlum Havok. Besides to be honest there are plenty of alternatives in the same genre.