As any major prize-giving event draws close, one notices an outcry for the addition of new categories to recognize overlooked contributions and delight the spirits of fans with niche passions.
Another commentator previously argued supporting a scary games classification. That would rule. Equally deserving are board games, representing a dedicated supporter's campaign. However, I must insist when I prioritize because like all blinkered fanatics, I have a cast-iron argument backing this proposal stands as crucial above others. This is the request: There should be a category for puzzle games.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Categorizing art by genre defies precise measurement; opinions vary greatly, and it will always spark debates concluding with vague boundaries. There’s a reason movie academies steer clear of genre categories. However, it represents a necessary evil in the world of gaming, which are so diverse they hardly constitute one unified medium.
For the full spectrum of interactive entertainment excellence to gain proper attention, and for games of all stripes to have a chance for representation, specific award classifications remain vital.
Existing Game Classification System
The major gaming awards presently include classifications covering Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Collectively, these award types actually cover numerous genres, and you can find room for numerous titles.
This doesn't apply to puzzle games. No suitable classification appears to accommodate them. Examine these examples from outstanding current releases, all very different: building puzzles of one title, intense tile-matching from another release, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles of a third title. Where could they possibly go between these six categories? Unfortunately, nowhere.
Recognition Challenges
Many instances occur excellent brain-teasers released every year without proper recognition at major award shows, except when they manage to fit classification types such as Handheld titles, Virtual reality experiences, or the intensely contested independent game categories.
- An iconic brain-teaser wasn’t nominated completely in 2014
- A different innovative game missed out during that ceremony
- A beloved organization game was overlooked in 2021
- Just some puzzle games scraped into small studio or handheld classifications
Importance of Logic Titles
Frequently they represent modest productions, but the art behind logic titles holds tremendous importance. Well-known matching games rank among most engaged experiences in the world maintaining this status for many years.
The famous puzzle experience challenges popular creative games claiming status as most purchased experience; it also contends for best game of all time. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks to the art of video games, while interacting across multiple categories.
Recommendation and Reasoning
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter this problem. It would be easy to populate multiple candidates with fascinating, diverse, deserving games annually without trouble — perhaps, with difficulty, since numerous excellent numerous deserving experiences.
And to reiterate, these include experiences that otherwise have no home at major gaming awards. Brain-teaser creators operate at the challenging frontier of video game design, developing some of essential manifestations of the video game form. Similar to cinema stunt performers, they deserve recognition. Let’s not keep them waiting decades.
