Each time a significant awards ceremony draws close, one notices a demand to include of new categories to recognize unsung work and satisfy the hearts of enthusiasts with niche passions.
My colleague made the case supporting a scary games classification. That would rule. The same goes for tabletop games, representing a dedicated supporter's campaign. However, I must insist for pushing forward since similar to single-minded supporters, there's a strong justification backing this proposal is the most urgent and important of all. Here's the proposal: We need a category for puzzle games.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Classifying creative works defies precise measurement; it’s very subjective, and inevitably spark debates concluding with vague boundaries. This explains why movie academies avoid this approach. Yet it remains an essential concession in the world of gaming, which are so diverse they barely qualify as a single art form.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of interactive entertainment excellence to be recognized, while allowing diverse titles to receive proper recognition, specific award classifications remain vital.
Current Gaming Award Categories
Leading game ceremonies presently include award types recognizing Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Between them, these six categories effectively encompass many game types, and you can find room for numerous titles.
Different situation exists for brain-teasing titles. There’s simply nowhere to put them. Examine these examples from outstanding current releases, all very different: building puzzles of one title, fast-paced pattern recognition from another release, engaging interpersonal challenges of a third title. Where could they possibly go between these six categories? Unfortunately, nowhere.
Recognition Challenges
Many instances occur outstanding logic titles published annually without proper recognition at major award shows, except when they manage to fit classification types such as Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, and the highly challenging independent game categories.
- An iconic brain-teaser received no recognition for anything during that awards season
- Another creative title was excluded that year
- Well-received sorting experience received no acknowledgment that year
- Just some puzzle games scraped into small studio or handheld classifications
Importance of Logic Titles
Commonly they're modest productions, yet the craft of the puzzle game holds tremendous importance. Well-known matching games stand as the most-played games worldwide continuing this trend for an extended period.
The legendary block-stacking game competes with popular creative games competing to become highest-selling title ever; it additionally competes as greatest title ever. Puzzle games are foundational for gaming as medium, and engaging with almost every other genre.
The Solution and Justification
Puzzle games wouldn’t have this problem. One could readily select multiple candidates interesting, varied, worthy titles annually without trouble — perhaps, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave many worthy titles.
And to reiterate, these include experiences without proper classification during prominent ceremonies. Brain-teaser creators are working at the demanding boundary of video game design, developing some of the purest expressions within interactive entertainment. Similar to cinema stunt performers, they deserve recognition. Let’s not keep them waiting generations.
