Whenever a major prize-giving event approaches, one notices an outcry for the addition of new categories to honor underappreciated efforts and delight the passions of fans who have specialized interests.
Another commentator made the case advocating for terror-themed awards. That would rule. The same goes for tabletop games, this being a dedicated supporter's campaign. Yet I need to apologize in advance if I try to elbow in front since similar to blinkered fanatics, there's a strong justification supporting my request stands as crucial and important of all. This is the request: There should be a category for puzzle games.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Organizing artistic expressions isn't exact; it remains highly personal, and inevitably start arguments resulting in unclear classifications. There’s a reason movie academies avoid this approach. Yet it remains a necessary evil within the realm of video games, showing incredible range they hardly constitute as a single art form.
For the full spectrum of interactive entertainment excellence to be recognized, while allowing diverse titles to receive proper recognition, classification by type becomes crucial.
Existing Game Classification System
Leading game ceremonies presently include award types recognizing Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Fighting, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these classifications successfully include a lot of ground, making space possible accommodating various experiences.
Different situation exists for logic-based experiences. There’s simply nowhere for their placement. Consider three of outstanding current releases, all very different: the architectural riddles in a particular game, the pulse-pounding block-matching of another game, thought-provoking social scenarios from additional release. Where could they possibly go within current classifications? Nowhere, that’s where.
The Representation Problem
There are dozens of brilliant puzzle games published annually without proper recognition in entertainment awards, unless they happen to qualify for categories like Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, and the highly challenging small studio competitions.
- A renowned logic title wasn’t nominated completely during that awards season
- Another creative title missed out that year
- Popular arranging title got ignored that year
- Just some logic titles managed to sneak into independent or mobile categories
Value of Brain-Teasers
Commonly they're modest productions, yet the craft in brain-teasers is of massive significance. Iconic mobile puzzle games count as most popular titles worldwide and have been for over a decade.
The iconic tile-matching title challenges popular creative games for the title of most purchased experience; it also contends for top gaming experience. Logic titles represent cornerstones for gaming as medium, and they are in conversation across multiple categories.
Recommendation and Reasoning
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter such difficulty. One could readily select five nominees interesting, varied, worthy titles annually without trouble — perhaps, with difficulty, 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 demanding boundary game development, developing some of essential manifestations of the video game form. Comparable to film action specialists, they deserve recognition. Don't make them wait generations.
