Whenever a major awards ceremony approaches, you'll find a demand for introducing of new categories to honor overlooked contributions and fill the spirits of followers with niche passions.
A fellow writer made the case for a horror game category. That would be fantastic. So would strategy board titles, this being a dedicated supporter's campaign. But they will have to forgive me when I prioritize just as with other single-minded supporters, there's a strong justification backing this proposal stands as crucial above others. The demand is this: There should be an award type for logic-based games.
Categorizing Game Types
Classifying creative works is not a science; it’s very subjective, and typically spark debates and end in fuzzy definitions. There’s a reason film award organizations steer clear of genre categories. Yet it remains an unavoidable compromise for the industry of interactive entertainment, showing incredible range it's challenging to consider them as a single art form.
To recognize the complete range of interactive entertainment excellence to receive acknowledgment, and for games of all stripes to have a chance for representation, classification by type becomes crucial.
Current Gaming Award Categories
Prominent interactive entertainment events offer these classifications covering Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, RPG experiences, Fighting, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these six categories actually cover a lot of ground, allowing placement for numerous titles.
This doesn't apply to logic-based experiences. No suitable classification appears to put them. Consider three of outstanding current releases, all very different: the architectural riddles from a specific release, intense tile-matching in a different title, thought-provoking social scenarios of a third title. Where could they possibly go among existing types? Unfortunately, nowhere.
Acknowledgment Issues
Numerous examples exist of brilliant puzzle games released every year that have no home in entertainment awards, if they accidentally match classification types such as Handheld titles, Virtual reality experiences, or the extremely competitive independent game categories.
- One classic puzzle game got overlooked in any category in 2014
- Another creative title was excluded in 2019
- A beloved organization game got ignored that year
- Limited numbers of puzzle games barely qualified for independent or mobile categories
Significance of Puzzle Games
These are often small games, however the design behind logic titles holds tremendous importance. Famous handheld logic titles count as most popular titles globally continuing this trend for over a decade.
The legendary block-stacking game challenges well-known building titles claiming status as best-selling game of all time; it’s also in the running for best game of all time. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks to the art of video games, while interacting across multiple categories.
Proposal and Rationale
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter that issue. It would be easy to populate multiple candidates engaging, different, qualified experiences each ceremony simply — perhaps, with difficulty, since numerous excellent numerous deserving experiences.
To emphasize again, these are games that otherwise have no home at major gaming awards. Puzzle game makers operate at the demanding boundary of video game design, developing some of essential manifestations of the video game form. Just like movie stunt professionals, they merit acknowledgment. We shouldn't delay decades.
