http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/FakeDifficulty

The above is a page from the TV Tropes Wiki that discusses "Fake Difficulty", or in other words, the tendency of games (though primarily video games) to give the player an unfair disadvantage in a half-hearted attempt to add more challenge to the game. This can range from making the game too luck-based, rooted in trial and error, or simply too difficult to be conceivably won by any decently competent player.

This concept of Fake Difficulty is an interesting one that hasn't really been touched on in lecture. We've talked a lot about how games need rules and restrictions in order to be enjoyable, but what we haven't talked about is the question of how far is too far when putting restrictions on a player. After all, just because a game is supposed to be challenging, that doesn't mean it should be excruciatingly difficult. And although it's not easy finding that right balance between challenge and fairness, if one has to edge towards either extreme, I'd say go for fairness. Even if a game comes across as too easy, it can still be much more fun than it has any right to be if it plays fair. Meanwhile, a game that is "artificially" difficult can become extremely frustrating, as the player may feel like the game is cheating.

The moral of the story is that difficulty should evolve organically from the subject matter of the game. When a game developer tries to shoehorn challenge into a game, it can show badly. The challenge factor of the game should be allowed to developed on its own, not forced.