In the end, it all boils down to exactly how difficult this game is. If it's Ninja Gaiden difficult (which I'm sure it isn't) I will really appreciate checkpoints or saves. Otherwise I'd go insane. However, if it's Metroidvania easy, most of us will breeze through the game in no time, and then try to make the game harder by setting up some "rules" of our own.
But yeah, I play games for fun, not to "prove" something to myself or others. I'm not 14 yo. Some people claim hard games are automatically better than easier games, which is a big fat lie. Also, just because a game is user-friendly and has the decency to include saves, doesn't mean it's for pussies. Being good at a really hard game only means you've been spending waaaay too much time in front of the tv practicing. Anyone can be good at basically anything if they practice. (I'm kinda good at Ghosts'n Goblins by the way... lol!)