Interesting claim at ClassicGaming

[Genesis Knight]

Astrosmash also pioneered another concept: most games get harder and faster at higher levels, but in Astrosmash, as you start to lose lives, the game gets easier again. Then the game is never too easy or too hard, making it extremely addictive and possible for even a beginner to play a single game for over an hour. This concept was later used by Sega in many of their Genesis games (in a slightly different manner) and referred to as "Dynamic Play Adjustment."

http://classicgaming.gamespy.com/View.php?view=ConsoleMuseum.Detail&id=17&game=9

This is interesting for two reasons.
A) I've never heard anyone refer to this; CG seems to think it had an official moniker.
2) I've never noticed this in any Genesis games.

Has anyone heard of/noticed this before?

[Joe Redifer]

I have heard of something similar, but not in any Genesis games I don't think.

[108 Stars]

Street Fighter II adjusts the difficulty a bit round per round.

[Sixfortyfive]

http://classicgaming.gamespy.com/View.php?view=ConsoleMuseum.Detail&id=17&game=9

This is interesting for two reasons.
A) I've never heard anyone refer to this; CG seems to think it had an official moniker.
2) I've never noticed this in any Genesis games.

Has anyone heard of/noticed this before?
I remember picking up some kind of Sega pamphlet later in the Genesis's life that had a paragraph or two about "Dynamic Play Adjustment." Pretty sure it was referred to by that exact name, too. The only other thing I remember from that pamphlet was that it also had a mock-up of some kind of Sega VR game system.

Never heard this mentioned anywhere else, though. I just assumed it was some marketing bunk or something.

[Iron Lizard]

I could be mistaken but i recall one of the Jurassic Park games had that. They made big deal about it at the time.

[Gentlegamer]

Maybe it is analogous to "Blast Processing" . . .

[AD2101]

Doesn't Lightening Force implement this in some way or another? Ive noticed the better you do, more enemies are on screen than if you were having a rough sit through. Especially if you start off and pick the level "Strite" as the last level to play and do real good on the other 3 there will be more enemies and be slightly harder than if you choose that level first or had a though time getting there.

[VinnyT]

Street Fighter II adjusts the difficulty a bit round per round.
Eeh, I always figured that for Sagat and Bison being cheap little buggers.

[Mel]

Telling me? I have permanent calluses from street fighter 2+

[Black_Tiger]

I definitely noticed it in 16-bit games onward. Especially street fighting games. Usually when I continue (in many games), its noticibly easier.

I never thought it was a big deal though and just took it for granted.

[Melf]

I could be mistaken but i recall one of the Jurassic Park games had that. They made big deal about it at the time.

True. As far as I know, Jurassic Park is the only game to officially advertise DPA. I've never seen it mentioned anywhere by anyone I've ever interviewed or in any literature about the console. It could be possible though I've never noticed it in any other games aside from JP.

[Henry Spencer]

If you keep completing the shooter training in Snatcher with perfect shots, no misses and hitting no innocents, the difficulty of the shooting scenes thereafter become harder, as does the difficulty of the shooter trainer. The difficulty goes from beginner, through to difficult by the end of act 2. (Where you are given humans whom morph into snatchers on the most difficult training stage at the end of act 2!)

I've noticed Ristar may indeed employ this method, as well. The stages do indeed become more difficult to me when you play through and are doing very well, so it seems anyway, I could be deluded about that.

[megadriveworld]

Thunder Force 4/Lightening Force does it.