As any significant honors show nears, there’s always an outcry for introducing fresh award types to recognize overlooked contributions and satisfy the hearts of followers who have specialized interests.
My colleague previously argued supporting a scary games classification. It would be amazing. The same goes for tabletop games, this being a passionate advocate's mission. However, I must insist for pushing forward since similar to single-minded supporters, I have a cast-iron argument supporting my request remains most pressing above others. The demand is this: There should be a classification for brain-teasing titles.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Organizing artistic expressions is not a science; opinions vary greatly, and it will always start arguments and end in fuzzy definitions. There’s a reason cinema institutions avoid this approach. But it is a necessary evil in the world of interactive entertainment, which are so diverse they hardly constitute one unified medium.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of achievement in video games to receive acknowledgment, and to ensure all game types to compete fairly, specific award classifications remain vital.
Existing Game Classification System
Leading game ceremonies offer these classifications covering Action, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, plus athletic and racing experiences. Together, these award types actually cover many game types, and you can find room for numerous titles.
Not so for logic-based experiences. No suitable classification appears for their placement. Consider three of recent excellent titles, showing diverse approaches: the architectural riddles in a particular game, fast-paced pattern recognition in a different title, engaging interpersonal challenges from additional release. What category would fit them among existing types? Nowhere, that’s where.
Recognition Challenges
Numerous examples exist excellent brain-teasers published annually lacking appropriate categories at major award shows, unless they happen to qualify classification types such as Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, and the highly challenging independent game categories.
- A renowned logic title wasn’t nominated for anything in 2014
- Another creative title was excluded that year
- Well-received sorting experience got ignored that year
- Just some brain-teasers scraped into independent or mobile categories
Significance of Puzzle Games
These are often small games, but the art of the puzzle game carries substantial weight. Famous handheld logic titles count as the most-played games globally continuing this trend for many years.
The legendary block-stacking game competes with famous sandbox experiences competing to become highest-selling title ever; it also contends for top gaming experience. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks within interactive entertainment, while interacting with diverse game types.
The Solution and Justification
Logic titles wouldn't face that issue. You could fill five nominees with fascinating, diverse, deserving games annually without trouble — or rather, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave many worthy titles.
Restating the point, these represent titles lacking appropriate categories during prominent ceremonies. Puzzle game makers operate at the demanding boundary of video game design, developing some of the purest expressions of the video game form. Comparable to movie stunt professionals, they deserve recognition. Don't make them wait decades.
