Each time a prominent honors show draws close, there’s always a clamor to include additional classifications to recognize overlooked contributions and satisfy the spirits of enthusiasts who have specialized interests.
My colleague has already made advocating for terror-themed awards. That would rule. So would strategy board titles, this being someone's personal cause. Yet I need to apologize in advance when I prioritize because like all dedicated enthusiasts, there's a strong justification supporting my request stands as crucial and significant. Here's the proposal: It's essential to create a category for puzzle games.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Categorizing art by genre is not a science; opinions vary greatly, and it will always start arguments concluding with vague boundaries. This explains why film award organizations steer clear of genre categories. However, it represents an unavoidable compromise in the world of video games, which are so diverse they hardly constitute as a single art form.
For the full spectrum of interactive entertainment excellence to gain proper attention, while allowing diverse titles to have a chance for representation, classification by type becomes crucial.
Existing Game Classification System
Prominent interactive entertainment events offer these classifications covering Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, plus athletic and racing experiences. Between them, these award types successfully include numerous genres, and you can find room accommodating various experiences.
Different situation exists for logic-based experiences. No suitable classification appears to accommodate them. Consider three of recent excellent titles, all very different: building puzzles from a specific release, intense tile-matching in a different title, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles of a third title. Which classification works within current classifications? Nowhere, that’s where.
The Representation Problem
Numerous examples exist excellent brain-teasers launched regularly lacking appropriate categories at major award shows, except when they manage to fit award groups including Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, or the intensely contested independent game categories.
- One classic puzzle game wasn’t nominated for anything that year
- Another creative title received no nominations in 2019
- A beloved organization game was overlooked recently
- Limited numbers of brain-teasers barely qualified for independent or mobile categories
Value of Brain-Teasers
These are often small games, however the design of the puzzle game holds tremendous importance. Iconic mobile puzzle games count as most popular titles worldwide continuing this trend for an extended period.
The iconic tile-matching title rivals well-known building titles claiming status as best-selling game of all time; it’s also in the running as greatest title ever. Logic titles represent cornerstones within interactive entertainment, and they are in conversation across multiple categories.
Recommendation and Reasoning
Logic titles wouldn't face that issue. One could readily select multiple candidates interesting, varied, worthy titles annually without trouble — or rather, with difficulty, since numerous excellent so many good games out.
To emphasize again, these are games that otherwise have no home at major gaming awards. Puzzle game makers are working at the demanding boundary of video game design, developing some of essential manifestations of gaming itself. Just like film action specialists, they merit acknowledgment. Don't make them wait decades.
