Each time a prominent awards ceremony draws close, there’s always a demand to include of new categories to acknowledge underappreciated efforts and satisfy the spirits of followers dedicated to specific genres.
Another commentator has already made supporting a scary games classification. That would rule. So would board games, this being someone's personal cause. But they will have to forgive me for pushing forward because like all single-minded supporters, there's a strong justification for why my demand remains most pressing and significant. Here's the proposal: We need a classification for brain-teasing titles.
Categorizing Game Types
Classifying creative works defies precise measurement; it remains highly personal, and it will always generate discussions concluding with vague boundaries. It's understandable that movie academies avoid this approach. But it is an unavoidable compromise for the industry of interactive entertainment, showing incredible range it's challenging to consider them one unified medium.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of gaming accomplishments to be recognized, and to ensure all game types to compete fairly, genre categories are essential.
Current Gaming Award Categories
The major gaming awards currently feature classifications covering Action, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, plus athletic and racing experiences. Between them, these classifications actually cover many game types, allowing placement for numerous titles.
Different situation exists for logic-based experiences. There’s simply nowhere to accommodate them. Consider three of outstanding current releases, all very different: structural challenges of one title, fast-paced pattern recognition of another game, engaging interpersonal challenges from additional release. Where could they possibly go between these six categories? Simply put, no category fits.
The Representation Problem
Numerous examples exist excellent brain-teasers released every year lacking appropriate categories at major award shows, except when they manage to fit award groups including Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, and the highly challenging small studio competitions.
- An iconic brain-teaser received no recognition in any category in 2014
- A different innovative game was excluded in 2019
- A beloved organization game was overlooked in 2021
- Limited numbers of brain-teasers barely qualified for independent or mobile categories
Significance of Puzzle Games
These are often small games, however the design of the puzzle game is of massive significance. Famous handheld logic titles stand as most popular titles worldwide maintaining this status for an extended period.
The iconic tile-matching title rivals famous sandbox experiences claiming status as best-selling game of all time; it additionally competes as greatest title ever. Puzzle games are foundational for gaming as medium, and engaging across multiple categories.
Recommendation and Reasoning
Puzzle games wouldn’t have that issue. One could readily select five nominees interesting, varied, worthy titles annually without trouble — perhaps, with difficulty, given the need to exclude so many good games out.
And to reiterate, these include experiences without proper classification in important events. Logic title developers function at the challenging frontier game development, creating some of essential manifestations of the video game form. Similar to film action specialists, they warrant appreciation. Let’s not keep them waiting decades.
