Each time a major honors show draws close, one notices an outcry to include of new categories to recognize underappreciated efforts and satisfy the spirits of followers dedicated to specific genres.
A fellow writer previously argued for a horror game category. It would be amazing. The same goes for tabletop games, representing someone's personal cause. However, I must insist for pushing forward since similar to dedicated enthusiasts, there's a strong justification backing this proposal stands as crucial above others. This is the request: It's essential to create an award type for logic-based games.
Categorizing Game Types
Organizing artistic expressions defies precise measurement; it’s very subjective, and it will always start arguments and end in fuzzy definitions. There’s a reason film award organizations steer clear of genre categories. Yet it remains an essential concession for the industry of video games, that demonstrate such variety they hardly constitute one unified medium.
To recognize the complete range of achievement in video games to gain proper attention, and for games of all stripes to compete fairly, genre categories are essential.
Existing Game Classification System
The major gaming awards presently include classifications covering Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, RPG experiences, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these award types effectively encompass numerous genres, making space possible for numerous titles.
Different situation exists for brain-teasing titles. No suitable classification appears to accommodate them. Consider three of this year’s best games, each quite distinct: building puzzles of one title, the pulse-pounding block-matching in a different title, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles of a third title. Where could they possibly go among existing types? Simply put, no category fits.
The Representation Problem
Numerous examples exist of brilliant puzzle games released every year lacking appropriate categories during gaming ceremonies, except when they manage to fit award groups including Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, and the highly challenging independent game categories.
- An iconic brain-teaser wasn’t nominated completely during that awards season
- Another imaginative release was excluded during that ceremony
- Well-received sorting experience was overlooked recently
- Just some logic titles managed to sneak into niche award types
Significance of Puzzle Games
Frequently they represent small games, however the design of the puzzle game carries substantial weight. Well-known matching games rank among the most-played games in the world maintaining this status for an extended period.
The famous puzzle experience competes with famous sandbox experiences claiming status as most purchased experience; it also contends for best game of all time. Puzzle games are foundational within interactive entertainment, and they are in conversation across multiple categories.
Recommendation and Reasoning
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter this problem. You could fill a field of five with fascinating, diverse, deserving games every year with ease — perhaps, with difficulty, since numerous excellent so many good games out.
To emphasize again, these are games without proper classification at major gaming awards. Puzzle game makers are working at the challenging frontier interactive creation, producing among the purest expressions of gaming itself. Comparable to movie stunt professionals, they deserve recognition. Don't make them wait 35 years.
