Whenever a major prize-giving event nears, one notices a demand for introducing of new categories to honor overlooked contributions and fill the spirits of followers dedicated to specific genres.
A fellow writer previously argued for a horror game category. That would be fantastic. So would strategy board titles, representing someone's personal cause. But they will have to forgive me if I try to elbow in front because like all dedicated enthusiasts, there's a strong justification for why my demand is the most urgent and important of all. The demand is this: It's essential to create an award type for logic-based games.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Categorizing art by genre defies precise measurement; it remains highly personal, and typically generate discussions concluding with vague boundaries. There’s a reason movie academies avoid this approach. However, it represents an unavoidable compromise in the world of interactive entertainment, which are so diverse it's challenging to consider them as a single art form.
To recognize the complete range of gaming accomplishments to receive acknowledgment, and for games of all stripes to receive proper recognition, genre categories are essential.
Existing Game Classification System
The major gaming awards currently feature classifications covering Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Fighting, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Collectively, these award types successfully include many game types, allowing placement accommodating various experiences.
This doesn't apply to brain-teasing titles. No appropriate category exists for their placement. Examine these examples from this year’s best games, each quite distinct: building puzzles of one title, intense tile-matching from another release, engaging interpersonal challenges in another game. What category would fit them between these six categories? Nowhere, that’s where.
The Representation Problem
Numerous examples exist outstanding logic titles published annually without proper recognition at major award shows, except when they manage to fit award groups including Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, and the highly challenging Indie races.
- One classic puzzle game received no recognition in any category in 2014
- Another creative title missed out in 2019
- A beloved organization game got ignored in 2021
- Only a few brain-teasers scraped into niche award types
Importance of Logic Titles
Frequently they represent small games, but the art of the puzzle game is of massive significance. Iconic mobile puzzle games count as most popular titles in the world continuing this trend for an extended period.
The iconic tile-matching title competes with popular creative games claiming status as highest-selling title ever; it additionally competes for best game of all time. Logic titles represent cornerstones within interactive entertainment, and engaging with diverse game types.
Recommendation and Reasoning
Puzzle games wouldn’t have such difficulty. One could readily select a field of five engaging, different, qualified experiences annually without trouble — perhaps, with difficulty, given the need to exclude so many good games out.
To emphasize again, these include experiences without proper classification during prominent ceremonies. Brain-teaser creators are working at the challenging frontier of video game design, developing some of essential manifestations of gaming itself. Just like film action specialists, they warrant appreciation. Don't make them wait 35 years.
