Each time a major awards ceremony draws close, one notices a demand for introducing additional classifications to acknowledge unsung work and fill the passions of fans dedicated to specific genres.
A fellow writer made the case advocating for terror-themed awards. That would be fantastic. The same goes for board games, representing someone's personal cause. But they will have to forgive me for pushing forward because like all blinkered fanatics, I possess a compelling case backing this proposal stands as crucial and important of all. The demand is this: We need an award type for logic-based games.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Categorizing art by genre defies precise measurement; it remains highly personal, and inevitably generate discussions concluding with vague boundaries. There’s a reason cinema institutions avoid this approach. Yet it remains an unavoidable compromise for the industry of gaming, that demonstrate such variety it's challenging to consider them a single creative category.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of achievement in video games to receive acknowledgment, and to ensure all game types to compete fairly, specific award classifications remain vital.
Current Gaming Award Categories
The major gaming awards offer these award types recognizing Action, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these award types successfully include many game types, allowing placement for numerous titles.
Not so for logic-based experiences. There’s simply nowhere to put them. Consider three of recent excellent titles, showing diverse approaches: structural challenges in a particular game, intense tile-matching in a different title, engaging interpersonal challenges from additional release. Which classification works within current classifications? Simply put, no category fits.
Recognition Challenges
Numerous examples exist of brilliant puzzle games launched regularly that have no home at major award shows, if they accidentally match award groups including Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, or the extremely competitive Indie races.
- A renowned logic title got overlooked in any category that year
- Another creative title was excluded that year
- A beloved organization game was overlooked that year
- Limited numbers of puzzle games barely qualified for independent or mobile categories
Significance of Puzzle Games
Commonly they're small games, but the art of the puzzle game is of massive significance. Well-known matching games count as most engaged experiences globally and have been for over a decade.
The iconic tile-matching title challenges well-known building titles claiming status as highest-selling title ever; it also contends as greatest title ever. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks to the art of video games, while interacting with diverse game types.
The Solution and Justification
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter such difficulty. You could fill a field of five interesting, varied, worthy titles each ceremony simply — actually, with challenge, given the need to exclude so many good games out.
To emphasize again, these represent titles that otherwise have no home during prominent ceremonies. Brain-teaser creators operate at the challenging frontier game development, developing some of essential manifestations within interactive entertainment. Just like film action specialists, they deserve recognition. We shouldn't delay 35 years.
