As any prominent prize-giving event draws close, one notices a demand for the addition additional classifications to honor unsung work and fill the spirits of followers who have specialized interests.
My colleague made the case 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 if I try to elbow in front since similar to dedicated enthusiasts, I possess a compelling case for why my demand is the most urgent above others. This is the request: There should be a category for puzzle games.
Categorizing Game Types
Categorizing art by genre is not a science; it remains highly personal, and inevitably start arguments resulting in unclear classifications. There’s a reason film award organizations don’t do it. However, it represents an essential concession within the realm of gaming, showing incredible range it's challenging to consider them one unified medium.
For the full spectrum of interactive entertainment excellence to be recognized, and for games of all stripes to receive proper recognition, specific award classifications remain vital.
Current Gaming Award Categories
Prominent interactive entertainment events presently include genre categories for Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Fighting, Simulation and strategy titles, plus athletic and racing experiences. Between them, these classifications actually cover numerous genres, making space possible for most games within them.
Different situation exists for brain-teasing titles. No appropriate category exists to accommodate them. Examine these examples from recent excellent titles, all very different: the architectural riddles of one title, the pulse-pounding block-matching of another game, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles of a third title. What category would fit them within current classifications? Unfortunately, nowhere.
Acknowledgment Issues
Numerous examples exist outstanding logic titles released every year without proper recognition in entertainment awards, if they accidentally match for categories like Handheld titles, Virtual reality experiences, and the highly challenging independent game categories.
- One classic puzzle game got overlooked completely in 2014
- Another imaginative release received no nominations in 2019
- Well-received sorting experience got ignored in 2021
- Limited numbers of puzzle games barely qualified for independent or mobile categories
Value of Brain-Teasers
Commonly they're compact experiences, but the art of the puzzle game carries substantial weight. Iconic mobile puzzle games count as the most-played games worldwide maintaining this status for over a decade.
The famous puzzle experience competes with well-known building titles for the title of highest-selling title ever; it’s also in the running for top gaming experience. Puzzle games are foundational within interactive entertainment, and they are in conversation across multiple categories.
Recommendation and Reasoning
Logic titles wouldn't face that issue. It would be easy to populate a field of five interesting, varied, worthy titles annually without trouble — actually, with challenge, given the need to exclude so many good games out.
And to reiterate, these are games lacking appropriate categories in important events. Brain-teaser creators operate at the hard edge interactive creation, producing among the purest expressions of gaming itself. Similar to movie stunt professionals, they deserve recognition. We shouldn't delay 35 years.
