Each time a major prize-giving event approaches, there’s always an outcry to include of new categories to honor underappreciated efforts and satisfy the hearts of fans dedicated to specific genres.
Another commentator made the case for a horror game category. That would be fantastic. The same goes for board games, which is someone's personal cause. But they will have to forgive me if I try to elbow in front because like all blinkered fanatics, there's a strong justification supporting my request remains most pressing and significant. The demand is this: There should be a category for puzzle games.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Categorizing art by genre isn't exact; it’s very subjective, and typically start arguments resulting in unclear classifications. This explains why movie academies don’t do it. But it is an essential concession in the world of video games, that demonstrate such variety they barely qualify a single creative category.
To recognize the complete range of interactive entertainment excellence to gain proper attention, and for games of all stripes to compete fairly, classification by type becomes crucial.
Existing Game Classification System
Prominent interactive entertainment events presently include classifications covering Action, Adventure-action titles, RPG experiences, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these award types actually cover many game types, making space possible accommodating various experiences.
Not so for brain-teasing titles. No suitable classification appears to put them. Consider three of recent excellent titles, all very different: the architectural riddles in a particular game, the pulse-pounding block-matching from another release, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles of a third title. Where could they possibly go between these six categories? Simply put, no category fits.
The Representation Problem
Many instances occur of brilliant puzzle games released every year lacking appropriate categories during gaming ceremonies, except when they manage to fit classification types such as Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, or the intensely contested Indie races.
- An iconic brain-teaser wasn’t nominated completely in 2014
- A different innovative game was excluded in 2019
- A beloved organization game received no acknowledgment recently
- Limited numbers of logic titles barely qualified for niche award types
Value of Brain-Teasers
Frequently they represent modest productions, yet the craft behind logic titles carries substantial weight. Well-known matching games stand as the most-played games globally maintaining this status for many years.
The famous puzzle experience competes with popular creative games competing to become highest-selling title ever; it’s also in the running as greatest title ever. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks within interactive entertainment, while interacting with almost every other genre.
The Solution and Justification
Logic titles wouldn't face such difficulty. It would be easy to populate a field of five engaging, different, qualified experiences annually without trouble — perhaps, with difficulty, since numerous excellent numerous deserving experiences.
To emphasize again, these include experiences without proper classification during prominent ceremonies. Logic title developers function at the challenging frontier interactive creation, producing among most fundamental forms of gaming itself. Comparable to cinema stunt performers, they merit acknowledgment. Don't make them wait 35 years.
