As any significant awards ceremony nears, one notices an outcry for the addition additional classifications to recognize overlooked contributions and fill the hearts of fans with niche passions.
My colleague has already made supporting a scary games classification. That would be fantastic. So would board games, this being a dedicated supporter's campaign. However, I must insist for pushing forward because like all single-minded supporters, I have a cast-iron argument backing this proposal stands as crucial above others. The demand is this: We need an award type for logic-based games.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Organizing artistic expressions isn't exact; opinions vary greatly, and inevitably generate discussions resulting in unclear classifications. This explains why film award organizations steer clear of genre categories. However, it represents an unavoidable compromise for the industry of interactive entertainment, that demonstrate such variety they barely qualify as a single art form.
To recognize the complete range of interactive entertainment excellence to be recognized, while allowing diverse titles to compete fairly, genre categories are essential.
Current Gaming Award Categories
Leading game ceremonies presently include genre categories for Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, RPG experiences, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these six categories actually cover numerous genres, allowing placement accommodating various experiences.
Not so for logic-based experiences. No suitable classification appears to put them. Consider three of recent excellent titles, showing diverse approaches: the architectural riddles from a specific release, the pulse-pounding block-matching of another game, engaging interpersonal challenges of a third title. Where could they possibly go between these six categories? Simply put, no category fits.
Recognition Challenges
Many instances occur excellent brain-teasers published annually that have no home at major award shows, unless they happen to qualify award groups including Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, or the intensely contested independent game categories.
- One classic puzzle game got overlooked in any category in 2014
- Another imaginative release was excluded in 2019
- A beloved organization game received no acknowledgment recently
- Only a few puzzle games barely qualified for independent or mobile categories
Significance of Puzzle Games
These are often small games, but the art in brain-teasers carries substantial weight. Iconic mobile puzzle games count as most engaged experiences worldwide continuing this trend for an extended period.
The famous puzzle experience competes with well-known building titles competing to become highest-selling title ever; it also contends for best game of all time. Puzzle games are foundational within interactive entertainment, while interacting with almost every other genre.
Recommendation and Reasoning
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter that issue. It would be easy to populate a field of five engaging, different, qualified experiences every year with ease — actually, with challenge, because you’d have to leave numerous deserving experiences.
To emphasize again, these include experiences without proper classification in important events. Brain-teaser creators operate at the demanding boundary game development, creating some of the purest expressions of the video game form. Similar to cinema stunt performers, they merit acknowledgment. Let’s not keep them waiting decades.
