Each time a prominent prize-giving event nears, one notices an outcry for introducing fresh award types to acknowledge underappreciated efforts and delight the passions of followers dedicated to specific genres.
Another commentator made the case for a horror game category. That would rule. So would tabletop games, this being someone's personal cause. However, I must insist if I try to elbow in front because like all blinkered fanatics, there's a strong justification supporting my request is the most urgent above others. This is the request: We need an award type for logic-based games.
Categorizing Game Types
Classifying creative works isn't exact; it’s very subjective, and it will always start arguments and end in fuzzy definitions. It's understandable that film award organizations don’t do it. But it is an unavoidable compromise within the realm of interactive entertainment, that demonstrate such variety they hardly constitute one unified medium.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of gaming accomplishments to gain proper attention, while allowing diverse titles to compete fairly, genre categories are essential.
Existing Game Classification System
Prominent interactive entertainment events offer these classifications covering Action, Adventure-action titles, RPG experiences, Fighting, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Collectively, these six categories actually cover many game types, making space possible for numerous titles.
Not so for logic-based experiences. No suitable classification appears for their placement. Think about these recent excellent titles, each quite distinct: structural challenges in a particular game, the pulse-pounding block-matching from another release, engaging interpersonal challenges in another game. Where could they possibly go between these six categories? Unfortunately, nowhere.
The Representation Problem
There are dozens excellent brain-teasers released every year without proper recognition during gaming ceremonies, except when they manage to fit award groups including Handheld titles, Virtual reality experiences, and the highly challenging independent game categories.
- One classic puzzle game received no recognition for anything that year
- Another imaginative release missed out during that ceremony
- Well-received sorting experience received no acknowledgment recently
- Limited numbers of logic titles managed to sneak into small studio or handheld classifications
Value of Brain-Teasers
These are often small games, however the design of the puzzle game holds tremendous importance. Famous handheld logic titles count as the most-played games in the world continuing this trend for over a decade.
The famous puzzle experience competes with popular creative games for the title of most purchased experience; it’s also in the running for best game of all time. Puzzle games are foundational to the art of video games, and they are in conversation across multiple categories.
Recommendation and Reasoning
Puzzle games wouldn’t have such difficulty. It would be easy to populate five nominees with fascinating, diverse, deserving games every year with ease — perhaps, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave many worthy titles.
Restating the point, these are games that otherwise have no home at major gaming awards. Puzzle game makers operate at the challenging frontier of video game design, producing among most fundamental forms of the video game form. Similar to film action specialists, they deserve recognition. Don't make them wait 35 years.
