Each time a prominent prize-giving event draws close, there’s always an outcry for the addition additional classifications to acknowledge overlooked contributions and satisfy the passions of enthusiasts who have specialized interests.
My colleague has already made supporting a scary games classification. It would be amazing. The same goes for tabletop games, which is a passionate advocate's mission. But they will have to forgive me if I try to elbow in front since similar to blinkered fanatics, I have a cast-iron argument for why my demand remains most pressing and important of all. This is the request: There should be an award type for logic-based games.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Classifying creative works isn't exact; it remains highly personal, and it will always start arguments and end in fuzzy definitions. There’s a reason film award organizations don’t do it. However, it represents a necessary evil in the world of gaming, which are so diverse they barely qualify a single creative category.
To recognize the complete range of interactive entertainment excellence to receive acknowledgment, and to ensure all game types to have a chance for representation, specific award classifications remain vital.
Present Award Structure
The major gaming awards presently include award types recognizing Action, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Between them, these award types effectively encompass numerous genres, and you can find room accommodating various experiences.
This doesn't apply to brain-teasing titles. No suitable classification appears for their placement. Examine these examples from recent excellent titles, all very different: the architectural riddles of one title, the pulse-pounding block-matching of another game, thought-provoking social scenarios from additional release. What category would fit them among existing types? Unfortunately, nowhere.
Acknowledgment Issues
Numerous examples exist outstanding logic titles published annually that have no home at major award shows, if they accidentally match for categories like Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, or the extremely competitive independent game categories.
- One classic puzzle game got overlooked for anything during that awards season
- Another creative title missed out during that ceremony
- A beloved organization game received no acknowledgment recently
- Just some logic titles barely qualified for independent or mobile categories
Value of Brain-Teasers
These are often small games, but the art of the puzzle game holds tremendous importance. Well-known matching games count as most popular titles globally and have been for over a decade.
The iconic tile-matching title rivals well-known building titles claiming status as best-selling game of all time; it also contends as greatest title ever. Puzzle games are foundational for gaming as medium, while interacting across multiple categories.
Proposal and Rationale
Puzzle games wouldn’t have such difficulty. One could readily select multiple candidates with fascinating, diverse, deserving games every year with ease — or rather, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave numerous deserving experiences.
Restating the point, these represent titles lacking appropriate categories during prominent ceremonies. Brain-teaser creators are working at the hard edge game development, creating some of essential manifestations of gaming itself. Just like film action specialists, they warrant appreciation. Let’s not keep them waiting 35 years.
