Difficulty modes
Also said as Difficulty settings, Easy, normal, hard
Versions of the same game tuned for different players, chosen by the player, usually at the start. They change numbers such as enemy health, damage and how many enemies there are.
Players differ too much for one setting to suit them all. The catch: new players choose before they know the game, and people can be too proud to pick easy, so naming and the option to change later both matter.
Say it
“Three modes: Story has half damage and no enemy reinforcements. Normal is the game as designed. Hard adds enemies but never shortens telegraphs, so it stays fair. Let players switch at any checkpoint.”
Where you’ve seen it
Doom (1993) sells its modes in words, from "I'm Too Young to Die" to "Nightmare!". Wolfenstein 3D's easiest mode, "Can I Play, Daddy?", makes fun of you for picking it, which is one way to get people to avoid the mode they need.
Not to be confused with assist mode
Difficulty modes bundle everything into one choice. An assist mode lets you change one thing at a time, for your own reason.