As any major honors show nears, one notices a clamor for the addition of new categories to recognize underappreciated efforts and satisfy the spirits of fans dedicated to specific genres.
Another commentator previously argued supporting a scary games classification. That would be fantastic. So would board games, which is a passionate advocate's mission. But they will have to forgive me for pushing forward just as with other single-minded supporters, I possess a compelling case supporting my request stands as crucial above others. The demand is this: There should be an award type for logic-based games.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Categorizing art by genre defies precise measurement; opinions vary greatly, and it will always start arguments concluding with vague boundaries. There’s a reason film award organizations avoid this approach. But it is a necessary evil in the world of gaming, that demonstrate such variety it's challenging to consider them one unified medium.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of interactive entertainment excellence to receive acknowledgment, while allowing diverse titles to receive proper recognition, classification by type becomes crucial.
Current Gaming Award Categories
Leading game ceremonies presently include genre categories for Action, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these award types successfully include numerous genres, making space possible for most games within them.
Not so for brain-teasing titles. There’s simply nowhere to put them. Think about these outstanding current releases, all very different: structural challenges from a specific release, fast-paced pattern recognition from another release, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles from additional release. Where could they possibly go among existing types? Unfortunately, nowhere.
Acknowledgment Issues
There are dozens outstanding logic titles released every year that have no home at major award shows, except when they manage to fit for categories like Handheld titles, Virtual reality experiences, or the extremely competitive Indie races.
- A renowned logic title received no recognition for anything that year
- Another creative title missed out in 2019
- A beloved organization game got ignored that year
- Just some brain-teasers managed to sneak into small studio or handheld classifications
Value of Brain-Teasers
Frequently they represent small games, however the design of the puzzle game carries substantial weight. Famous handheld logic titles rank among most engaged experiences globally maintaining this status for an extended period.
The iconic tile-matching title competes with well-known building titles claiming status as highest-selling title ever; it also contends as greatest title ever. Puzzle games are foundational to the art of video games, and engaging with almost every other genre.
Proposal and Rationale
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter such difficulty. One could readily select multiple candidates engaging, different, qualified experiences every year with ease — perhaps, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave numerous deserving experiences.
To emphasize again, these are games without proper classification during prominent ceremonies. Puzzle game makers function at the demanding boundary interactive creation, developing some of essential manifestations of the video game form. Just like movie stunt professionals, they deserve recognition. We shouldn't delay decades.
