As any prominent prize-giving event draws close, there’s always an outcry to include of new categories to recognize underappreciated efforts and fill the passions of followers who have specialized interests.
Another commentator previously argued supporting a scary games classification. It would be amazing. Equally deserving are board games, representing a dedicated supporter's campaign. Yet I need to apologize in advance when I prioritize because like all blinkered fanatics, I have a cast-iron argument supporting my request is the most urgent above others. The demand is this: There should be a category for puzzle games.
Categorizing Game Types
Organizing artistic expressions defies precise measurement; opinions vary greatly, and inevitably spark debates resulting in unclear classifications. There’s a reason movie academies don’t do it. But it is an unavoidable compromise in the world of interactive entertainment, that demonstrate such variety they hardly constitute a single creative category.
For the full spectrum of interactive entertainment excellence to be recognized, and to ensure all game types to receive proper recognition, genre categories are essential.
Present Award Structure
Leading game ceremonies offer these genre categories for Action, Adventure-action titles, RPG experiences, Fighting, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Collectively, these six categories successfully include numerous genres, and you can find room for numerous titles.
Different situation exists for brain-teasing titles. No appropriate category exists to put them. Consider three of this year’s best games, each quite distinct: the architectural riddles from a specific release, the pulse-pounding block-matching from another release, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles from additional release. What category would fit them within current classifications? Unfortunately, nowhere.
The Representation Problem
There are dozens outstanding logic titles published annually lacking appropriate categories in entertainment awards, if they accidentally match award groups including Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, and the highly challenging independent game categories.
- One classic puzzle game got overlooked for anything that year
- Another creative title received no nominations in 2019
- A beloved organization game received no acknowledgment in 2021
- Just some logic titles managed to sneak into niche award types
Importance of Logic Titles
Commonly they're compact experiences, however the design of the puzzle game carries substantial weight. Well-known matching games rank among most popular titles globally continuing this trend for over a decade.
The legendary block-stacking game rivals popular creative games claiming status as most purchased experience; it’s also in the running for best game of all time. Logic titles represent cornerstones within interactive entertainment, and they are in conversation with diverse game types.
Proposal and Rationale
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter this problem. It would be easy to populate five nominees interesting, varied, worthy titles annually without trouble — or rather, with difficulty, since numerous excellent so many good games out.
To emphasize again, these represent titles that otherwise have no home during prominent ceremonies. Logic title developers operate at the hard edge of video game design, producing among the purest expressions of the video game form. Comparable to cinema stunt performers, they deserve recognition. Don't make them wait generations.
