As any prominent awards ceremony approaches, one notices an outcry to include additional classifications to acknowledge overlooked contributions and fill the spirits of fans with niche passions.
A fellow writer made the case supporting a scary games classification. That would rule. Equally deserving are tabletop games, representing a dedicated supporter's campaign. But they will have to forgive me if I try to elbow in front because like all blinkered fanatics, I possess a compelling case backing this proposal remains most pressing and significant. The demand is this: We need a category for puzzle games.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Classifying creative works defies precise measurement; it’s very subjective, and inevitably spark debates and end in fuzzy definitions. There’s a reason film award organizations avoid this approach. However, it represents a necessary evil within the realm of video games, which are so diverse they barely qualify as a single art form.
To recognize the complete range of gaming accomplishments to be recognized, and to ensure all game types to compete fairly, genre categories are essential.
Existing Game Classification System
The major gaming awards offer these genre categories for Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Between them, these classifications effectively encompass many game types, and you can find room for numerous titles.
Not so for brain-teasing titles. There’s simply nowhere to accommodate them. Examine these examples from outstanding current releases, each quite distinct: structural challenges of one title, fast-paced pattern recognition of another game, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles from additional release. What category would fit them between these six categories? Unfortunately, nowhere.
The Representation Problem
Numerous examples exist outstanding logic titles launched regularly without proper recognition during gaming ceremonies, except when they manage to fit award groups including Mobile Game, Virtual reality experiences, or the intensely contested small studio competitions.
- A renowned logic title received no recognition completely that year
- Another imaginative release received no nominations in 2019
- Popular arranging title received no acknowledgment recently
- Limited numbers of logic titles scraped into small studio or handheld classifications
Importance of Logic Titles
Commonly they're compact experiences, but the art behind logic titles is of massive significance. Famous handheld logic titles stand as the most-played games worldwide continuing this trend for an extended period.
The legendary block-stacking game competes with popular creative games claiming status as highest-selling title ever; it’s also in the running as greatest title ever. Puzzle games are foundational to the art of video games, and engaging across multiple categories.
The Solution and Justification
Puzzle games wouldn’t have that issue. You could fill multiple candidates engaging, different, qualified experiences each ceremony simply — or rather, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave so many good games out.
Restating the point, these represent titles lacking appropriate categories in important events. Brain-teaser creators operate at the hard edge interactive creation, producing among essential manifestations of gaming itself. Comparable to movie stunt professionals, they deserve recognition. Don't make them wait 35 years.
