Each time a significant awards ceremony nears, there’s always a clamor for introducing of new categories to honor unsung work and satisfy the passions of followers dedicated to specific genres.
My colleague previously argued advocating for terror-themed awards. That would rule. Equally deserving are tabletop games, this being a dedicated supporter's campaign. However, I must insist if I try to elbow in front since similar to dedicated enthusiasts, there's a strong justification supporting my request remains most pressing above others. Here's the proposal: There should be a category for puzzle games.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Classifying creative works defies precise measurement; opinions vary greatly, and typically spark debates and end in fuzzy definitions. It's understandable that movie academies steer clear of genre categories. Yet it remains an unavoidable compromise in the world of gaming, showing incredible range it's challenging to consider them a single creative category.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of gaming accomplishments to receive acknowledgment, and for games of all stripes to compete fairly, classification by type becomes crucial.
Current Gaming Award Categories
Leading game ceremonies presently include genre categories for Action, Adventure-action titles, RPG experiences, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Between them, these six categories actually cover many game types, making space possible for most games within them.
This doesn't apply to brain-teasing titles. There’s simply nowhere for their placement. Examine these examples from this year’s best games, all very different: building puzzles from a specific release, fast-paced pattern recognition in a different title, engaging interpersonal challenges in another game. Where could they possibly go among existing types? Nowhere, that’s where.
Recognition Challenges
Numerous examples exist outstanding logic titles published annually lacking appropriate categories during gaming ceremonies, unless they happen to qualify for categories like Handheld titles, Virtual reality experiences, and the highly challenging small studio competitions.
- A renowned logic title wasn’t nominated for anything during that awards season
- Another creative title received no nominations in 2019
- A beloved organization game got ignored in 2021
- Just some brain-teasers managed to sneak into small studio or handheld classifications
Value of Brain-Teasers
These are often compact experiences, but the art in brain-teasers is of massive significance. Famous handheld logic titles stand as most engaged experiences worldwide maintaining this status for an extended period.
The legendary block-stacking game challenges famous sandbox experiences competing to become most purchased experience; it’s also in the running for best game of all time. Puzzle games are foundational within interactive entertainment, while interacting with almost every other genre.
The Solution and Justification
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter this problem. One could readily select multiple candidates interesting, varied, worthy titles every year with ease — or rather, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave so many good games out.
To emphasize again, these include experiences lacking appropriate categories in important events. Brain-teaser creators are working at the hard edge game development, developing some of most fundamental forms of the video game form. Just like cinema stunt performers, they deserve recognition. Let’s not keep them waiting generations.
