Each time a prominent prize-giving event approaches, there’s always a clamor for introducing fresh award types to recognize unsung work and satisfy the spirits of enthusiasts dedicated to specific genres.
Another commentator made the case for a horror game category. That would be fantastic. So would tabletop games, this being a passionate advocate's mission. Yet I need to apologize in advance for pushing forward just as with other blinkered fanatics, there's a strong justification for why my demand remains most pressing and significant. The demand is this: It's essential to create an award type for logic-based games.
Categorizing Game Types
Organizing artistic expressions defies precise measurement; it’s very subjective, and inevitably start arguments and end in fuzzy definitions. This explains why film award organizations steer clear of genre categories. However, it represents an unavoidable compromise in the world of video games, that demonstrate such variety they barely qualify as a single art form.
For the full spectrum of interactive entertainment excellence to gain proper attention, and to ensure all game types to receive proper recognition, classification by type becomes crucial.
Current Gaming Award Categories
Leading game ceremonies presently include genre categories for Action, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, plus athletic and racing experiences. Collectively, these award types successfully include numerous genres, and you can find room for numerous titles.
This doesn't apply to puzzle games. There’s simply nowhere to accommodate them. Consider three of recent excellent titles, each quite distinct: the architectural riddles of one title, the pulse-pounding block-matching of another game, engaging interpersonal challenges from additional release. Which classification works between these six categories? Unfortunately, nowhere.
Recognition Challenges
There are dozens excellent brain-teasers published annually lacking appropriate categories at major award shows, except when they manage to fit classification types such as Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, or the intensely contested independent game categories.
- An iconic brain-teaser got overlooked in any category in 2014
- Another creative title received no nominations in 2019
- Popular arranging title got ignored that year
- Only a few puzzle games managed to sneak into niche award types
Value of Brain-Teasers
Frequently they represent modest productions, but the art in brain-teasers is of massive significance. Famous handheld logic titles stand as most popular titles worldwide and have been for over a decade.
The iconic tile-matching title challenges well-known building titles competing to become best-selling game of all time; it also contends as greatest title ever. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks for gaming as medium, and they are in conversation with diverse game types.
Recommendation and Reasoning
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter this problem. You could fill five nominees interesting, varied, worthy titles each ceremony simply — actually, with challenge, since numerous excellent so many good games out.
To emphasize again, these include experiences without proper classification at major gaming awards. Brain-teaser creators operate at the demanding boundary of video game design, producing among most fundamental forms of the video game form. Just like film action specialists, they deserve recognition. We shouldn't delay 35 years.
