Whenever a significant awards ceremony draws close, one notices a demand to include of new categories to recognize unsung work and satisfy the hearts of fans who have specialized interests.
My colleague has already made for a horror game category. It would be amazing. The same goes for tabletop games, which is a dedicated supporter's campaign. However, I must insist for pushing forward just as with other blinkered fanatics, I have a cast-iron argument backing this proposal remains most pressing and significant. The demand is this: There should be a category for puzzle games.
Categorizing Game Types
Categorizing art by genre is not a science; it’s very subjective, and inevitably generate discussions resulting in unclear classifications. There’s a reason film award organizations steer clear of genre categories. But it is a necessary evil within the realm of interactive entertainment, which are so diverse it's challenging to consider them one unified medium.
For the full spectrum of interactive entertainment excellence to gain proper attention, and to ensure all game types to have a chance for representation, genre categories are essential.
Current Gaming Award Categories
The major gaming awards presently include classifications covering Action, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Fighting, Simulation and strategy titles, plus athletic and racing experiences. Collectively, these classifications actually cover numerous genres, and you can find room accommodating various experiences.
Different situation exists for brain-teasing titles. No suitable classification appears to accommodate them. Consider three of outstanding current releases, showing diverse approaches: the architectural riddles from a specific release, fast-paced pattern recognition from another release, thought-provoking social scenarios in another game. Which classification works within current classifications? Nowhere, that’s where.
Recognition Challenges
There are dozens of brilliant puzzle games launched regularly that have no home during gaming ceremonies, unless they happen to qualify award groups including Mobile Game, Virtual reality experiences, and the highly challenging independent game categories.
- An iconic brain-teaser got overlooked for anything in 2014
- Another imaginative release missed out that year
- Well-received sorting experience received no acknowledgment in 2021
- Limited numbers of brain-teasers scraped into independent or mobile categories
Value of Brain-Teasers
Commonly they're compact experiences, however the design in brain-teasers holds tremendous importance. Well-known matching games rank among most popular titles globally and have been for over a decade.
The iconic tile-matching title challenges popular creative games for the title of best-selling game of all time; it’s also in the running for best game of all time. Logic titles represent cornerstones to the art of video games, and engaging with almost every other genre.
The Solution and Justification
Puzzle games wouldn’t have this problem. One could readily select five nominees engaging, different, qualified experiences each ceremony simply — or rather, with difficulty, since numerous excellent so many good games out.
Restating the point, these represent titles without proper classification at major gaming awards. Brain-teaser creators function at the challenging frontier game development, developing some of essential manifestations within interactive entertainment. Just like film action specialists, they warrant appreciation. Don't make them wait decades.
