Whenever a prominent awards ceremony nears, you'll find an outcry for the addition of new categories to acknowledge overlooked contributions and fill the passions of fans who have specialized interests.
Another commentator previously argued for a horror game category. It would be amazing. So would strategy board titles, which is a passionate advocate's mission. However, I must insist for pushing forward since similar to blinkered fanatics, there's a strong justification for why my demand remains most pressing above others. This is the request: It's essential to create a category for puzzle games.
Categorizing Game Types
Categorizing art by genre is not a science; opinions vary greatly, and typically start arguments resulting in unclear classifications. There’s a reason movie academies don’t do it. However, it represents an unavoidable compromise in the world of interactive entertainment, that demonstrate such variety it's challenging to consider them one unified medium.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of interactive entertainment excellence to gain proper attention, and for games of all stripes to receive proper recognition, genre categories are essential.
Existing Game Classification System
The major gaming awards presently include genre categories for Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these award types actually cover a lot of ground, making space possible for most games within them.
Different situation exists for brain-teasing titles. No suitable classification appears to put them. Consider three of outstanding current releases, showing diverse approaches: structural challenges from a specific release, intense tile-matching in a different title, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles of a third title. Where could they possibly go among existing types? Unfortunately, nowhere.
Acknowledgment Issues
Numerous examples exist outstanding logic titles launched regularly without proper recognition during gaming ceremonies, except when they manage to fit classification types such as Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, and the highly challenging small studio competitions.
- A renowned logic title received no recognition completely that year
- Another imaginative release received no nominations that year
- A beloved organization game got ignored in 2021
- Only a few brain-teasers managed to sneak into niche award types
Importance of Logic Titles
Frequently they represent modest productions, however the design behind logic titles is of massive significance. Famous handheld logic titles count as the most-played games in the world maintaining this status for many years.
The iconic tile-matching title rivals famous sandbox experiences claiming status as highest-selling title ever; it additionally competes for top gaming experience. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks within interactive entertainment, while interacting across multiple categories.
Recommendation and Reasoning
Puzzle games wouldn’t have that issue. One could readily select multiple candidates engaging, different, qualified experiences annually without trouble — perhaps, with difficulty, since numerous excellent so many good games out.
To emphasize again, these include experiences lacking appropriate categories during prominent ceremonies. Puzzle game makers are working at the hard edge interactive creation, producing among the purest expressions of the video game form. Just like cinema stunt performers, they warrant appreciation. Don't make them wait 35 years.
