As any prominent honors show nears, one notices a clamor to include of new categories to recognize unsung work and delight the hearts of followers dedicated to specific genres.
Another commentator made the case advocating for terror-themed awards. That would be fantastic. So would tabletop games, this being someone's personal cause. However, I must insist if I try to elbow in front since similar to single-minded supporters, I possess a compelling case supporting my request stands as crucial and significant. The demand is this: It's essential to create a category for puzzle games.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Classifying creative works isn't exact; it remains highly personal, and inevitably spark debates concluding with vague boundaries. It's understandable that cinema institutions steer clear of genre categories. However, it represents a necessary evil for the industry of interactive entertainment, which are so diverse they barely qualify as a single art form.
To recognize the complete range of achievement in video games to gain proper attention, and for games of all stripes to have a chance for representation, specific award classifications remain vital.
Present Award Structure
The major gaming awards presently include genre categories for Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Fighting, Simulation and strategy titles, plus athletic and racing experiences. Between them, these six categories effectively encompass numerous genres, and you can find room for numerous titles.
This doesn't apply to puzzle games. No appropriate category exists for their placement. Consider three of recent excellent titles, each quite distinct: the architectural riddles of one title, the pulse-pounding block-matching of another game, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles from additional release. Which classification works within current classifications? Nowhere, that’s where.
Acknowledgment Issues
Numerous examples exist of brilliant puzzle games released every year that have no home during gaming ceremonies, if they accidentally match award groups including Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, and the highly challenging Indie races.
- An iconic brain-teaser wasn’t nominated in any category that year
- Another creative title was excluded during that ceremony
- Well-received sorting experience was overlooked that year
- Limited numbers of logic titles scraped into niche award types
Value of Brain-Teasers
Commonly they're modest productions, yet the craft behind logic titles carries substantial weight. Famous handheld logic titles count as the most-played games worldwide and have been for over a decade.
The iconic tile-matching title challenges famous sandbox experiences for the title of best-selling game of all time; it also contends for top gaming experience. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks to the art of video games, while interacting with almost every other genre.
The Solution and Justification
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter this problem. One could readily select multiple candidates with fascinating, diverse, deserving games every year with ease — or rather, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave numerous deserving experiences.
And to reiterate, these are games lacking appropriate categories in important events. Brain-teaser creators are working at the demanding boundary interactive creation, developing some of most fundamental forms of gaming itself. Just like cinema stunt performers, they merit acknowledgment. Let’s not keep them waiting decades.
