Whenever a major prize-giving event nears, one notices a clamor for introducing additional classifications to recognize unsung work and delight the passions of followers with niche passions.
A fellow writer previously argued advocating for terror-themed awards. That would rule. Equally deserving are strategy board titles, this being someone's personal cause. Yet I need to apologize in advance when I prioritize since similar to single-minded supporters, I possess a compelling case for why my demand remains most pressing and important of all. This is the request: We need a category for puzzle games.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Classifying creative works is not a science; it remains highly personal, and typically generate discussions concluding with vague boundaries. There’s a reason cinema institutions steer clear of genre categories. Yet it remains an unavoidable compromise in the world of interactive entertainment, that demonstrate such variety it's challenging to consider them one unified medium.
To recognize the complete range of interactive entertainment excellence to be recognized, and for games of all stripes to compete fairly, specific award classifications remain vital.
Existing Game Classification System
Leading game ceremonies currently feature classifications covering Action, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Between them, these six categories effectively encompass a lot of ground, and you can find room for most games within them.
This doesn't apply to logic-based experiences. No appropriate category exists for their placement. Consider three of recent excellent titles, all very different: the architectural riddles in a particular game, fast-paced pattern recognition from another release, engaging interpersonal challenges in another game. Which classification works among existing types? Nowhere, that’s where.
The Representation Problem
Many instances occur of brilliant puzzle games released every year that have no home during gaming ceremonies, if they accidentally match for categories like Mobile Game, Virtual reality experiences, or the intensely contested Indie races.
- A renowned logic title received no recognition completely in 2014
- Another creative title was excluded during that ceremony
- Well-received sorting experience was overlooked that year
- Just some logic titles scraped into independent or mobile categories
Value of Brain-Teasers
Frequently they represent modest productions, yet the craft behind logic titles holds tremendous importance. Famous handheld logic titles stand as most engaged experiences in the world and have been for over a decade.
The iconic tile-matching title rivals well-known building titles claiming status as best-selling game of all time; it also contends for top gaming experience. Puzzle games are foundational to the art of video games, while interacting with almost every other genre.
Proposal and Rationale
Puzzle games wouldn’t have that issue. You could fill multiple candidates engaging, different, qualified experiences every year with ease — actually, with challenge, because you’d have to leave numerous deserving experiences.
And to reiterate, these include experiences lacking appropriate categories at major gaming awards. Logic title developers function at the challenging frontier game development, developing some of the purest expressions of gaming itself. Similar to movie stunt professionals, they deserve recognition. Don't make them wait generations.
