Each time a major prize-giving event draws close, one notices a clamor to include of new categories to acknowledge underappreciated efforts and satisfy the hearts of enthusiasts who have specialized interests.
Another commentator has already made supporting a scary games classification. That would be fantastic. Equally deserving are board games, this being a passionate advocate's mission. Yet I need to apologize in advance when I prioritize because like all single-minded supporters, I have a cast-iron argument for why my demand stands as crucial and significant. The demand is this: It's essential to create a category for puzzle games.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Categorizing art by genre isn't exact; it remains highly personal, and inevitably start arguments resulting in unclear classifications. It's understandable that movie academies avoid this approach. However, it represents an unavoidable compromise for the industry of interactive entertainment, which are so diverse they barely qualify as a single art form.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of interactive entertainment excellence to receive acknowledgment, and for games of all stripes to have a chance for representation, specific award classifications remain vital.
Present Award Structure
Prominent interactive entertainment events currently feature classifications covering Action, Adventure-action titles, RPG experiences, Fighting, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Collectively, these six categories effectively encompass a lot of ground, allowing placement for most games within them.
Not so for puzzle games. There’s simply nowhere to accommodate them. Examine these examples from this year’s best games, each quite distinct: structural challenges in a particular game, intense tile-matching from another release, engaging interpersonal challenges in another game. Where could they possibly go within current classifications? Simply put, no category fits.
Recognition Challenges
There are dozens outstanding logic titles published annually without proper recognition at major award shows, if they accidentally match classification types such as Handheld titles, Virtual reality experiences, or the intensely contested small studio competitions.
- An iconic brain-teaser wasn’t nominated for anything that year
- Another imaginative release missed out that year
- Well-received sorting experience received no acknowledgment recently
- Only a few brain-teasers barely qualified for small studio or handheld classifications
Value of Brain-Teasers
Frequently they represent modest productions, however the design of the puzzle game holds tremendous importance. Iconic mobile puzzle games rank among most popular titles worldwide maintaining this status for over a decade.
The iconic tile-matching title challenges 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 for gaming as medium, while interacting with diverse game types.
Proposal and Rationale
Logic titles wouldn't face this problem. One could readily select five nominees with fascinating, diverse, deserving games each ceremony simply — or rather, with difficulty, since numerous excellent numerous deserving experiences.
And to reiterate, these represent titles without proper classification at major gaming awards. Puzzle game makers function at the demanding boundary interactive creation, developing some of essential manifestations within interactive entertainment. Similar to film action specialists, they merit acknowledgment. Let’s not keep them waiting decades.
