Whenever a major awards ceremony draws close, one notices a demand for the addition of new categories to acknowledge overlooked contributions and delight the spirits of fans with niche passions.
A fellow writer made the case for a horror game category. That would rule. So would strategy board titles, representing a dedicated supporter's campaign. Yet I need to apologize in advance when I prioritize because like all dedicated enthusiasts, there's a strong justification for why my demand is the most urgent above others. The demand is this: We need a classification for brain-teasing titles.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Categorizing art by genre is not a science; it’s very subjective, and inevitably spark debates resulting in unclear classifications. This explains why cinema institutions don’t do it. But it is an essential concession in the world of gaming, which are so diverse it's challenging to consider them one unified medium.
To recognize the complete range of gaming accomplishments to receive acknowledgment, and to ensure all game types to have a chance for representation, genre categories are essential.
Existing Game Classification System
Prominent interactive entertainment events currently feature award types recognizing Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, RPG experiences, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Between them, these award types successfully include a lot of ground, allowing placement accommodating various experiences.
This doesn't apply to puzzle games. There’s simply nowhere for their placement. Examine these examples from recent excellent titles, all very different: the architectural riddles in a particular game, fast-paced pattern recognition from another release, thought-provoking social scenarios from additional release. Which classification works among existing types? Simply put, no category fits.
The Representation Problem
Numerous examples exist of brilliant puzzle games launched regularly that have no home during gaming ceremonies, if they accidentally match for categories like Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, or the extremely competitive Indie races.
- A renowned logic title got overlooked in any category in 2014
- Another imaginative release was excluded during that ceremony
- Popular arranging title received no acknowledgment recently
- Only a few puzzle games scraped into small studio or handheld classifications
Significance of Puzzle Games
Commonly they're small games, but the art in brain-teasers holds tremendous importance. Iconic mobile puzzle games stand as most popular titles in the world and have been for many years.
The iconic tile-matching title competes with famous sandbox experiences competing to become highest-selling title ever; it’s also in the running as greatest title ever. Logic titles represent cornerstones for gaming as medium, and engaging with diverse game types.
Recommendation and Reasoning
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter this problem. It would be easy to populate five nominees interesting, varied, worthy titles each ceremony simply — actually, with challenge, since numerous excellent numerous deserving experiences.
And to reiterate, these include experiences that otherwise have no home during prominent ceremonies. Brain-teaser creators function at the demanding boundary game development, developing some of the purest expressions of gaming itself. Just like film action specialists, they merit acknowledgment. Don't make them wait decades.
