Whenever a prominent honors show approaches, one notices an outcry for the addition additional classifications to honor overlooked contributions and delight the hearts of enthusiasts dedicated to specific genres.
Another commentator made the case supporting a scary games classification. That would rule. Equally deserving are strategy board titles, this being a passionate advocate's mission. However, I must insist when I prioritize just as with other blinkered fanatics, there's a strong justification for why my demand stands as crucial and important of all. The demand is this: There should be a classification for brain-teasing titles.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Categorizing art by genre isn't exact; it remains highly personal, and it will always start arguments resulting in unclear classifications. This explains why film award organizations don’t do it. However, it represents an essential concession for the industry of gaming, that demonstrate such variety they barely qualify a single creative category.
For the full spectrum of interactive entertainment excellence to gain proper attention, and for games of all stripes to have a chance for representation, genre categories are essential.
Existing Game Classification System
Leading game ceremonies presently include award types recognizing Action, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Collectively, these award types successfully include a lot of ground, allowing placement for most games within them.
Different situation exists for puzzle games. No appropriate category exists to accommodate them. Examine these examples from recent excellent titles, showing diverse approaches: building puzzles from a specific release, the pulse-pounding block-matching from another release, thought-provoking social scenarios of a third title. Where could they possibly go between these six categories? Unfortunately, nowhere.
Recognition Challenges
Many instances occur excellent brain-teasers published annually that have no home at major award shows, unless they happen to qualify for categories like Handheld titles, Virtual reality experiences, and the highly challenging Indie races.
- One classic puzzle game wasn’t nominated for anything that year
- Another creative title received no nominations that year
- Well-received sorting experience received no acknowledgment recently
- Just some puzzle games scraped into independent or mobile categories
Value of Brain-Teasers
These are often compact experiences, but the art behind logic titles holds tremendous importance. Iconic mobile puzzle games stand as the most-played games globally maintaining this status for many years.
The famous puzzle experience challenges famous sandbox experiences competing to become highest-selling title ever; it also contends as greatest title ever. Logic titles represent cornerstones within interactive entertainment, and engaging across multiple categories.
Recommendation and Reasoning
Logic titles wouldn't face this problem. You could fill a field of five interesting, varied, worthy titles annually without trouble — actually, with challenge, since numerous excellent so many good games out.
To emphasize again, these are games that otherwise have no home at major gaming awards. Puzzle game makers function at the hard edge of video game design, developing some of most fundamental forms within interactive entertainment. Just like movie stunt professionals, they warrant appreciation. Don't make them wait generations.
