Whenever a prominent honors show nears, one notices a clamor for the addition of new categories to recognize unsung work and satisfy the spirits of followers with niche passions.
Another commentator made the case supporting a scary games classification. That would rule. So would board games, which is someone's personal cause. Yet I need to apologize in advance if I try to elbow in front since similar to single-minded supporters, I have a cast-iron argument supporting my request remains most pressing and important of all. This is the request: It's essential to create a classification for brain-teasing titles.
Categorizing Game Types
Organizing artistic expressions is not a science; it remains highly personal, and it will always spark debates concluding with vague boundaries. There’s a reason film award organizations don’t do it. But it is an essential concession for the industry of interactive entertainment, that demonstrate such variety they hardly constitute one unified medium.
To recognize the complete range of achievement in video games to be recognized, and to ensure all game types to have a chance for representation, classification by type becomes crucial.
Existing Game Classification System
The major gaming awards currently feature award types recognizing Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, RPG experiences, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Together, these six categories effectively encompass many game types, and you can find room for most games within them.
This doesn't apply to puzzle games. No suitable classification appears to accommodate them. Consider three of outstanding current releases, showing diverse approaches: building puzzles in a particular game, fast-paced pattern recognition of another game, engaging interpersonal challenges from additional release. What category would fit them among existing types? Unfortunately, nowhere.
Recognition Challenges
There are dozens of brilliant puzzle games released every year without proper recognition at major award shows, unless they happen to qualify for categories like Handheld titles, Virtual reality experiences, or the intensely contested independent game categories.
- An iconic brain-teaser got overlooked in any category that year
- Another creative title received no nominations during that ceremony
- Well-received sorting experience received no acknowledgment in 2021
- Just some puzzle games scraped into small studio or handheld classifications
Value of Brain-Teasers
Frequently they represent modest productions, yet the craft in brain-teasers holds tremendous importance. Iconic mobile puzzle games rank among most popular titles in the world maintaining this status for over a decade.
The legendary block-stacking game rivals popular creative games claiming status as most purchased experience; it’s also in the running for best game of all time. Logic titles represent cornerstones within interactive entertainment, and they are in conversation with almost every other genre.
The Solution and Justification
Logic titles wouldn't face this problem. One could readily select a field of five engaging, different, qualified experiences annually without trouble — or rather, with difficulty, given the need to exclude numerous deserving experiences.
And to reiterate, these represent titles without proper classification at major gaming awards. Logic title developers are working at the demanding boundary interactive creation, creating some of most fundamental forms within interactive entertainment. Similar to movie stunt professionals, they warrant appreciation. We shouldn't delay decades.
