Whenever a major prize-giving event draws close, you'll find a demand to include fresh award types to acknowledge overlooked contributions and delight the hearts of followers dedicated to specific genres.
My colleague previously argued for a horror game category. That would rule. So would strategy board titles, this being a dedicated supporter's campaign. But they will have to forgive me when I prioritize since similar to single-minded supporters, I possess a compelling case for why my demand is the most urgent and significant. The demand is this: It's essential to create a category for puzzle games.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Organizing artistic expressions is not a science; opinions vary greatly, and it will always generate discussions concluding with vague boundaries. It's understandable that cinema institutions avoid this approach. Yet it remains a necessary evil for the industry of video games, that demonstrate such variety it's challenging to consider them one unified medium.
For the full spectrum of achievement in video games to gain proper attention, and for games of all stripes to receive proper recognition, specific award classifications remain vital.
Current Gaming Award Categories
Leading game ceremonies currently feature award types recognizing Action, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these award types successfully include many game types, allowing placement for numerous titles.
Not so for puzzle games. No suitable classification appears to put them. Think about these this year’s best games, all very different: the architectural riddles in a particular game, fast-paced pattern recognition from another release, thought-provoking social scenarios in another game. What category would fit them within current classifications? Unfortunately, nowhere.
Acknowledgment Issues
Numerous examples exist outstanding logic titles published annually without proper recognition during gaming ceremonies, unless they happen to qualify award groups including Mobile Game, Virtual reality experiences, or the extremely competitive independent game categories.
- One classic puzzle game got overlooked completely during that awards season
- Another creative title missed out that year
- Well-received sorting experience got ignored recently
- Only a few brain-teasers scraped into niche award types
Importance of Logic Titles
These are often small games, however the design of the puzzle game carries substantial weight. Famous handheld logic titles rank among most engaged experiences worldwide maintaining this status for over a decade.
The legendary block-stacking game competes with famous sandbox experiences claiming status as best-selling game of all time; it additionally competes for top gaming experience. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks 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 multiple candidates interesting, varied, worthy titles each ceremony simply — perhaps, with difficulty, given the need to exclude so many good games out.
Restating the point, these include experiences lacking appropriate categories during prominent ceremonies. Puzzle game makers function at the hard edge interactive creation, creating some of most fundamental forms within interactive entertainment. Similar to movie stunt professionals, they warrant appreciation. Don't make them wait decades.
