As any major honors show approaches, one notices a clamor to include of new categories to acknowledge unsung work and satisfy the spirits of fans with niche passions.
My colleague has already made supporting a scary games classification. It would be amazing. Equally deserving are board games, which is a dedicated supporter's campaign. But they will have to forgive me when I prioritize since similar to single-minded supporters, I have a cast-iron argument for why my demand stands as crucial and important of all. This is the request: There should be a classification for brain-teasing titles.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Categorizing art by genre isn't exact; it remains highly personal, and typically start arguments resulting in unclear classifications. It's understandable that film award organizations don’t do it. But it is a necessary evil within the realm of gaming, showing incredible range they barely qualify as a single art form.
To recognize the complete range of gaming accomplishments to be recognized, and to ensure all game types to compete fairly, genre categories are essential.
Current Gaming Award Categories
The major gaming awards currently feature genre categories for Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Together, these classifications effectively encompass many game types, making space possible for most games within them.
This doesn't apply to logic-based experiences. There’s simply nowhere to accommodate them. Consider three of recent excellent titles, showing diverse approaches: structural challenges in a particular game, the pulse-pounding block-matching of another game, engaging interpersonal challenges in another game. Which classification works within current classifications? Unfortunately, nowhere.
The Representation Problem
There are dozens outstanding logic titles published annually that have no home in entertainment awards, if they accidentally match award groups including Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, and the highly challenging independent game categories.
- One classic puzzle game received no recognition for anything during that awards season
- Another creative title received no nominations in 2019
- Well-received sorting experience was overlooked that year
- Limited numbers of brain-teasers managed to sneak into small studio or handheld classifications
Significance of Puzzle Games
Commonly they're modest productions, yet the craft of the puzzle game is of massive significance. Famous handheld logic titles rank among most popular titles in the world continuing this trend for over a decade.
The iconic tile-matching title competes with well-known building titles competing to become highest-selling title ever; it also contends for best game of all time. Logic titles represent cornerstones within interactive entertainment, and they are in conversation across multiple categories.
Recommendation and Reasoning
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter that issue. It would be easy to populate multiple candidates engaging, different, qualified experiences annually without trouble — actually, with challenge, given the need to exclude so many good games out.
Restating the point, these are games without proper classification at major gaming awards. Puzzle game makers operate at the challenging frontier of video game design, creating some of most fundamental forms of gaming itself. Comparable to movie stunt professionals, they warrant appreciation. We shouldn't delay generations.
