Whenever a major honors show draws close, there’s always an outcry for introducing of new categories to recognize unsung work and delight the spirits of enthusiasts who have specialized interests.
A fellow writer previously argued advocating for terror-themed awards. It would be amazing. So would strategy board titles, which is a passionate advocate's mission. But they will have to forgive me if I try to elbow in front because like all single-minded supporters, there's a strong justification for why my demand remains most pressing and important of all. Here's the proposal: We need a category for puzzle games.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Classifying creative works is not a science; it remains highly personal, and it will always start arguments and end in fuzzy definitions. It's understandable that film award organizations avoid this approach. Yet it remains a necessary evil in the world of video games, which are so diverse it's challenging to consider them a single creative category.
To recognize the complete range of achievement in video games to gain proper attention, and to ensure all game types to have a chance for representation, classification by type becomes crucial.
Present Award Structure
The major gaming awards currently feature genre categories for Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Collectively, these classifications successfully include many game types, and you can find room accommodating various experiences.
Different situation exists for puzzle games. There’s simply nowhere to put them. Think about these recent excellent titles, showing diverse approaches: the architectural riddles from a specific release, the pulse-pounding block-matching in a different title, engaging interpersonal challenges in another game. Where could they possibly go between these six categories? Unfortunately, nowhere.
Recognition Challenges
Many instances occur of brilliant puzzle games launched regularly without proper recognition at major award shows, unless they happen to qualify for categories like Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, or the intensely contested independent game categories.
- An iconic brain-teaser got overlooked for anything in 2014
- A different innovative game received no nominations that year
- A beloved organization game got ignored that year
- Limited numbers of puzzle games barely qualified for small studio or handheld classifications
Importance of Logic Titles
These are often modest productions, yet the craft in brain-teasers holds tremendous importance. Iconic mobile puzzle games stand as the most-played games in the world continuing this trend for over a decade.
The iconic tile-matching title competes with popular creative games claiming status as best-selling game of all time; it additionally competes for top gaming experience. Logic titles represent cornerstones within interactive entertainment, and engaging across multiple categories.
Proposal and Rationale
Logic titles wouldn't face such difficulty. You could fill multiple candidates with fascinating, diverse, deserving games annually without trouble — actually, with challenge, because you’d have to leave numerous deserving experiences.
To emphasize again, these represent titles without proper classification during prominent ceremonies. Puzzle game makers are working at the challenging frontier of video game design, developing some of the purest expressions of gaming itself. Comparable to movie stunt professionals, they merit acknowledgment. Don't make them wait 35 years.
