Whenever a major prize-giving event approaches, one notices an outcry for the addition of new categories to honor unsung work and fill the spirits of followers dedicated to specific genres.
My colleague made the case for a horror game category. It would be amazing. The same goes for strategy board titles, which is someone's personal cause. However, I must insist when I prioritize since similar to blinkered fanatics, I possess a compelling case backing this proposal remains most pressing above others. This is the request: We need a classification for brain-teasing titles.
Categorizing Game Types
Classifying creative works is not a science; opinions vary greatly, and it will always generate discussions resulting in unclear classifications. This explains why movie academies avoid this approach. But it is a necessary evil within the realm of gaming, showing incredible range they barely qualify one unified medium.
For the full spectrum of achievement in video games to be recognized, and to ensure all game types to have a chance for representation, specific award classifications remain vital.
Current Gaming Award Categories
Leading game ceremonies currently feature genre categories for Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Fighting, Simulation and strategy titles, plus athletic and racing experiences. Collectively, these classifications successfully include a lot of ground, and you can find room for numerous titles.
Not so for logic-based experiences. There’s simply nowhere to accommodate them. Examine these examples from this year’s best games, showing diverse approaches: structural challenges in a particular game, the pulse-pounding block-matching from another release, engaging interpersonal challenges of a third title. Which classification works among existing types? Simply put, no category fits.
Acknowledgment Issues
There are dozens excellent brain-teasers released every year without proper recognition in entertainment awards, unless they happen to qualify for categories like Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, or the extremely competitive small studio competitions.
- One classic puzzle game received no recognition in any category during that awards season
- Another creative title was excluded in 2019
- A beloved organization game got ignored that year
- Limited numbers of puzzle games scraped into niche award types
Value of Brain-Teasers
These are often modest productions, however the design behind logic titles is of massive significance. Iconic mobile puzzle games rank among most engaged experiences in the world continuing this trend for over a decade.
The iconic tile-matching title rivals famous sandbox experiences 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.
Proposal and Rationale
Puzzle games wouldn’t have this problem. You could fill multiple candidates interesting, varied, worthy titles every year with ease — actually, with challenge, because you’d have to leave so many good games out.
Restating the point, these include experiences that otherwise have no home during prominent ceremonies. Logic title developers function at the hard edge interactive creation, developing some of the purest expressions within interactive entertainment. Just like cinema stunt performers, they deserve recognition. Don't make them wait generations.
