5th Gen Challenge Mode and Easy Mode

For many years, people always wished for Pokemon games to have varying difficulty, fast-forward to 2012 and they get their wish with Black 2 and White 2's Challenge and Easy Modes, which increases or lowers the difficulty of the Trainers, such as levels and the AI. In Challenge Mode, the Gym Leaders and Elite Four (along with Iris) had either an extra Pokemon on their team or changed another.

To get Challenge Mode and Easy Mode, you basically have to beat the main story in Black 2 for Challenge Mode, or White 2 for Easy Mode, but if you have a second DS or a friend playing the games you can trade the key to the opposite version and play it there, which is the only way to get Challenge Mode on White 2 or Easy Mode on Black 2.

So, what were your thoughts on Challenge/Easy Mode? Did you feel annoyed the keys can only be traded by infrared and not wi-fi? Did you play your game in Challenge/Easy Mode or not? Discuss!

I didn't use the keys at all, mainly because I didn't have two DS's til like a month ago. ;( I find them kind of pointless and hard mode I wouldn't enjoy because while it's more competitive it'd be just way too hard for me to breed everythinggg ;_;

I only use Challenge Mode. More experience

I liked challenge mode because it made the game more difficult and enjoyable. I never tried easy mode.

I'm rather annoyed that I cannot get all the keys in my one game. I don't know anyone with White 2 and I don't really want to have to buy it and play through the same game just to get the keys.
The keys were a part of the decision on what game I wanted to buy.

As soon as I got challenge mode I turned it and just left it that way, I really enjoy the extra challenge.

I have my DS and 3DS now, but I don't have Black 2 and don't know anybody with it that's in the country, either. I wish that both modes were just available in both games, though- not just because of the key-trading thing, but because I don't have much interest in Easy Mode.
I'd want to use Challenge Mode for a relatively more effective way to level up Pokémon. Having said that, the post-game's League is significantly tougher than it is the first time around. So, as much as I wish I had Challenge Mode, using Easy Mode to actually level up past the League a couple times isn't too bad.

I have never had the chance to test the keys out, but i think i'd use play challenge mode, if any. I guess easy mode can be nice for kids or people who just got into pokemon and need to figure out the gameplay. I really don't think B2/W2 were hard enough to need played on an easy mode...

I am so happy they did this, however I still haven't used it. I haven't beaten my English B2W2 games even once, yet I've beaten my Japanese B2 twice, and just started it over about an hour ago. So because I can't read it, I haven't sent over the key for challenge mode to my other games lol. :( Maybe I will once I beat my English B2 (I'm in Victory Road! ...But I've said that for months now lol)

I do think it sucks the keys disappear when you restart the game though...that's disappointing for those that don't have other copies of the game or the opposite game, or have no one around them with the games to send them the key, like Gira mentioned. I kinda wish the options weren't unlockable features, but hey, actually putting them in the game is a step in the right direction.

I think the Challenge/Easy Mode keys were a good idea in principle, but could've been executed in a much better fashion. I get that they're trying to promote trading back and forth with your friends, but most other games give you the option of an Easy/Normal/Hard Mode before you start, rather than making it a hassle to unlock.

With all that said, I never did get a chance to play on any difficulty other than the original. I would've liked to have gone through my first run on Challenge Mode, rather than breezing through the game like I had with many of the previous installments.