Each time a prominent prize-giving event nears, one notices a demand for introducing additional classifications to honor overlooked contributions and satisfy the hearts of enthusiasts dedicated to specific genres.
My colleague has already made advocating for terror-themed awards. It would be amazing. Equally deserving are board games, representing a passionate advocate's mission. Yet I need to apologize in advance if I try to elbow in front since similar to dedicated enthusiasts, I have a cast-iron argument for why my demand remains most pressing and important of all. The demand is this: We need a category for puzzle games.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Categorizing art by genre is not a science; opinions vary greatly, and typically start arguments concluding with vague boundaries. This explains why cinema institutions avoid this approach. However, it represents an essential concession in the world of interactive entertainment, that demonstrate such variety they hardly constitute one unified medium.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of gaming accomplishments to gain proper attention, while allowing diverse titles to compete fairly, genre categories are essential.
Current Gaming Award Categories
Leading game ceremonies presently include classifications covering Action, Adventure-action titles, RPG experiences, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Between them, these classifications actually cover numerous genres, making space possible for most games within them.
Different situation exists for logic-based experiences. No appropriate category exists for their placement. Examine these examples from this year’s best games, all very different: the architectural riddles from a specific release, intense tile-matching in a different title, thought-provoking social scenarios of a third title. Where could they possibly go within current classifications? Simply put, no category fits.
The Representation Problem
There are dozens outstanding logic titles launched regularly that have no home during gaming ceremonies, unless they happen to qualify for categories like Handheld titles, Virtual reality experiences, or the intensely contested independent game categories.
- An iconic brain-teaser got overlooked in any category during that awards season
- A different innovative game missed out during that ceremony
- Well-received sorting experience received no acknowledgment recently
- Limited numbers of brain-teasers managed to sneak into niche award types
Value of Brain-Teasers
These are often compact experiences, but the art of the puzzle game carries substantial weight. Iconic mobile puzzle games count as most popular titles globally maintaining this status for over a decade.
The legendary block-stacking game challenges well-known building titles competing to become highest-selling title ever; it’s also in the running for top gaming experience. Logic titles represent cornerstones to the art of video games, and engaging across multiple categories.
The Solution and Justification
Logic titles wouldn't face such difficulty. One could readily select a field of five engaging, different, qualified experiences annually without trouble — or rather, with difficulty, since numerous excellent numerous deserving experiences.
And to reiterate, these include experiences that otherwise have no home in important events. Logic title developers operate at the hard edge interactive creation, creating some of most fundamental forms of gaming itself. Comparable to cinema stunt performers, they merit acknowledgment. We shouldn't delay generations.
