Why were video games ridiculously hard back in the late 80s and early 90s?

That is a great question. It is just as difficult to answer as justifing God's purpose for AIDS, cancer, Justin Bieber, murder, , and letting pieces of crap like Charlie Sheen, Osama Bin Laden, Kim Jong Eil (however you spell that midget's name), and President Bush to contiue living on this planet. But back to the question, it all depends on who you ask. What I would have to say is that they expected gamers to be extremley perfect on the joystick. They also could use that to justify the short length of the game.