Whenever a prominent awards ceremony nears, there’s always a clamor to include additional classifications to recognize unsung work and satisfy the passions of followers who have specialized interests.
My colleague has already made for a horror game category. That would be fantastic. Equally deserving are strategy board titles, this being a dedicated supporter's campaign. However, I must insist when I prioritize because like all single-minded supporters, there's a strong justification backing this proposal remains most pressing above others. Here's the proposal: There should be a category for puzzle games.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Categorizing art by genre is not a science; it’s very subjective, and typically start arguments resulting in unclear classifications. It's understandable that film award organizations steer clear of genre categories. But it is a necessary evil within the realm of interactive entertainment, that demonstrate such variety they barely qualify a single creative category.
For the full spectrum of interactive entertainment excellence to receive acknowledgment, and to ensure all game types to compete fairly, classification by type becomes crucial.
Current Gaming Award Categories
Leading game ceremonies currently feature classifications covering Action, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Fighting, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Collectively, these award types actually cover a lot of ground, making space possible for numerous titles.
Different situation exists for puzzle games. No suitable classification appears to put them. Consider three of this year’s best games, showing diverse approaches: building puzzles from a specific release, fast-paced pattern recognition from another release, engaging interpersonal challenges from additional release. Where could they possibly go within current classifications? Unfortunately, nowhere.
Acknowledgment Issues
Many instances occur of brilliant puzzle games published annually lacking appropriate categories during gaming ceremonies, unless they happen to qualify for categories like Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, or the intensely contested independent game categories.
- One classic puzzle game wasn’t nominated in any category that year
- Another imaginative release missed out during that ceremony
- Popular arranging title got ignored that year
- Only a few logic titles scraped into niche award types
Value of Brain-Teasers
These are often compact experiences, however the design behind logic titles is of massive significance. Famous handheld logic titles rank among most engaged experiences in the world maintaining this status for many years.
The legendary block-stacking game competes with popular creative games competing to become best-selling game of all time; it’s also in the running as greatest title ever. Logic titles represent cornerstones for gaming as medium, while interacting across multiple categories.
The Solution and Justification
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter this problem. One could readily select multiple candidates with fascinating, diverse, deserving games every year with ease — or rather, with difficulty, since numerous excellent many worthy titles.
And to reiterate, these include experiences without proper classification during prominent ceremonies. Logic title developers function at the challenging frontier game development, creating some of the purest expressions of the video game form. Comparable to movie stunt professionals, they merit acknowledgment. Let’s not keep them waiting generations.
