Whenever a prominent awards ceremony draws close, there’s always a demand to include additional classifications to acknowledge underappreciated efforts and delight the hearts of fans who have specialized interests.
A fellow writer has already made for a horror game category. It would be amazing. Equally deserving are tabletop games, representing a dedicated supporter's campaign. Yet I need to apologize in advance if I try to elbow in front since similar to blinkered fanatics, I possess a compelling case for why my demand stands as crucial and important of all. The demand is this: It's essential to create a classification for brain-teasing titles.
Categorizing Game Types
Categorizing art by genre defies precise measurement; it’s very subjective, and inevitably spark debates and end in fuzzy definitions. There’s a reason film award organizations steer clear of genre categories. But it is an essential concession for the industry of interactive entertainment, showing incredible range they hardly constitute one unified medium.
To recognize the complete range of achievement in video games to receive acknowledgment, and to ensure all game types to have a chance for representation, classification by type becomes crucial.
Present Award Structure
Leading game ceremonies presently include genre categories for Action, Adventure-action titles, RPG experiences, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these six categories actually cover numerous genres, making space possible accommodating various experiences.
Not so for puzzle games. No suitable classification appears for their placement. Consider three of outstanding current releases, all very different: structural challenges of one title, intense tile-matching of another game, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles of a third title. Which classification works among existing types? Simply put, no category fits.
Recognition Challenges
Numerous examples exist excellent brain-teasers launched regularly lacking appropriate categories during gaming ceremonies, unless they happen to qualify for categories like Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, or the extremely competitive Indie races.
- An iconic brain-teaser wasn’t nominated completely that year
- Another creative title was excluded that year
- Well-received sorting experience got ignored recently
- Only a few brain-teasers managed to sneak into independent or mobile categories
Significance of Puzzle Games
These are often modest productions, but the art of the puzzle game carries substantial weight. Iconic mobile puzzle games rank among the most-played games in the world and have been for many years.
The famous puzzle experience challenges well-known building titles competing to become most purchased experience; it’s also in the running for best game of all time. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks within interactive entertainment, and engaging with diverse game types.
The Solution and Justification
Logic titles wouldn't face that issue. One could readily select multiple candidates engaging, different, qualified experiences every year with ease — perhaps, with difficulty, given the need to exclude many worthy titles.
To emphasize again, these represent titles without proper classification during prominent ceremonies. Puzzle game makers operate at the challenging frontier game development, developing some of most fundamental forms within interactive entertainment. Just like movie stunt professionals, they merit acknowledgment. Don't make them wait generations.
