Each time a significant awards ceremony nears, you'll find a demand to include fresh award types to acknowledge unsung work and fill the hearts of enthusiasts dedicated to specific genres.
A fellow writer previously argued supporting a scary games classification. That would be fantastic. Equally deserving are tabletop games, representing a passionate advocate's mission. Yet I need to apologize in advance when I prioritize because like all single-minded supporters, I possess a compelling case backing this proposal stands as crucial and significant. The demand is this: There should be a category for puzzle games.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Organizing artistic expressions isn't exact; it remains highly personal, and it will always spark debates and end in fuzzy definitions. This explains why cinema institutions avoid this approach. Yet it remains an unavoidable compromise for the industry of video games, which are so diverse they barely qualify one unified medium.
For the full spectrum of gaming accomplishments to gain proper attention, while allowing diverse titles to have a chance for representation, specific award classifications remain vital.
Present Award Structure
Leading game ceremonies currently feature award types recognizing Action, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Fighting, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Collectively, these six categories actually cover many game types, making space possible for most games within them.
This doesn't apply to logic-based experiences. There’s simply nowhere to accommodate them. Think about these recent excellent titles, all very different: the architectural riddles in a particular game, the pulse-pounding block-matching of another game, thought-provoking social scenarios of a third title. Where could they possibly go among existing types? Unfortunately, nowhere.
The Representation Problem
Many instances occur excellent brain-teasers published annually without proper recognition at major award shows, unless they happen to qualify award groups including Handheld titles, Virtual reality experiences, and the highly challenging independent game categories.
- An iconic brain-teaser wasn’t nominated completely in 2014
- Another creative title missed out during that ceremony
- Well-received sorting experience got ignored recently
- Just some puzzle games barely qualified for niche award types
Importance of Logic Titles
These are often small games, yet the craft behind logic titles holds tremendous importance. Well-known matching games rank among most popular titles globally and have been for over a decade.
The famous puzzle experience rivals famous sandbox experiences competing to become highest-selling title ever; it additionally competes for best game of all time. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks for gaming as medium, and they are in conversation with diverse game types.
The Solution and Justification
Logic titles wouldn't face 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.
Restating the point, these are games without proper classification in important events. Puzzle game makers function at the hard edge interactive creation, developing some of essential manifestations within interactive entertainment. Comparable to movie stunt professionals, they warrant appreciation. We shouldn't delay 35 years.
