Whenever a major honors show approaches, there’s always an outcry to include of new categories to acknowledge overlooked contributions and fill the hearts of fans who have specialized interests.
My colleague has already made for a horror game category. That would rule. So would strategy board titles, this being someone's personal cause. Yet I need to apologize in advance for pushing forward 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 a classification for brain-teasing titles.
Categorizing Game Types
Categorizing art by genre defies precise measurement; it remains highly personal, and inevitably generate discussions and end in fuzzy definitions. There’s a reason movie academies don’t do it. However, it represents an unavoidable compromise for the industry of interactive entertainment, that demonstrate such variety they barely qualify a single creative category.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of interactive entertainment excellence to gain proper attention, while allowing diverse titles to compete fairly, genre categories are essential.
Present Award Structure
The major gaming awards presently include award types recognizing Action, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Between them, these classifications successfully include numerous genres, allowing placement for most games within them.
This doesn't apply to logic-based experiences. No appropriate category exists to put them. Consider three of outstanding current releases, each quite distinct: structural challenges from a specific release, intense tile-matching in a different title, thought-provoking social scenarios of a third title. Where could they possibly go within current classifications? Unfortunately, nowhere.
Acknowledgment Issues
Numerous examples exist outstanding logic titles published annually without proper recognition during gaming ceremonies, unless they happen to qualify classification types such as Mobile Game, Virtual reality experiences, and the highly challenging Indie races.
- A renowned logic title received no recognition completely during that awards season
- A different innovative game received no nominations during that ceremony
- Popular arranging title was overlooked in 2021
- Only a few puzzle games barely qualified for independent or mobile categories
Value of Brain-Teasers
Frequently they represent modest productions, yet the craft of the puzzle game carries substantial weight. Well-known matching games rank among most popular titles globally maintaining this status for over a decade.
The legendary block-stacking game competes with famous sandbox experiences claiming status as highest-selling title ever; it also contends for best game of all time. Puzzle games are foundational within interactive entertainment, and they are in conversation with diverse game types.
Proposal and Rationale
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter this problem. You could fill a field of five interesting, varied, worthy titles annually without trouble — perhaps, with difficulty, given the need to exclude so many good games out.
Restating the point, these include experiences lacking appropriate categories in important events. Logic title developers operate at the demanding boundary interactive creation, creating some of the purest expressions of the video game form. Just like cinema stunt performers, they warrant appreciation. Let’s not keep them waiting 35 years.
