As any significant prize-giving event approaches, you'll find an outcry to include of new categories to recognize unsung work and fill the spirits of fans with niche passions.
Another commentator made the case advocating for terror-themed awards. It would be amazing. The same goes for strategy board titles, which is a passionate advocate's mission. But they will have to forgive me for pushing forward because like all single-minded supporters, I possess a compelling case for why my demand remains most pressing and significant. Here's the proposal: It's essential to create a category for puzzle games.
Categorizing Game Types
Classifying creative works defies precise measurement; it remains highly personal, and it will always generate discussions and end in fuzzy definitions. There’s a reason film award organizations don’t do it. But it is an unavoidable compromise in the world of gaming, that demonstrate such variety they barely qualify as a single art form.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of achievement in video games to be recognized, and to ensure all game types to receive proper recognition, genre categories are essential.
Existing Game Classification System
Leading game ceremonies offer these genre categories for Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, RPG experiences, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Collectively, these award types successfully include numerous genres, allowing placement for most games within them.
This doesn't apply to brain-teasing titles. No appropriate category exists to accommodate them. Consider three of this year’s best games, all very different: building puzzles in a particular game, intense tile-matching of another game, engaging interpersonal challenges of a third title. Where could they possibly go between these six categories? Nowhere, that’s where.
Acknowledgment Issues
Many instances occur outstanding logic titles launched regularly that have no home at major award shows, if they accidentally match for categories like Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, and the highly challenging independent game categories.
- A renowned logic title received no recognition completely that year
- Another creative title missed out in 2019
- Popular arranging title was overlooked recently
- Only a few brain-teasers managed to sneak into independent or mobile categories
Importance of Logic Titles
Frequently they represent small games, but the art behind logic titles is of massive significance. Iconic mobile puzzle games rank among most engaged experiences in the world and have been for over a decade.
The legendary block-stacking game competes with famous sandbox experiences for the title of highest-selling title ever; it’s also in the running for best game of all time. Puzzle games are foundational within interactive entertainment, and they are in conversation with diverse game types.
Recommendation and Reasoning
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter this problem. One could readily select five nominees with fascinating, diverse, deserving games annually without trouble — perhaps, with difficulty, given the need to exclude so many good games out.
And to reiterate, these are games that otherwise have no home in important events. Brain-teaser creators are working at the challenging frontier interactive creation, developing some of most fundamental forms of the video game form. Just like cinema stunt performers, they warrant appreciation. We shouldn't delay decades.
