As any major awards ceremony draws close, one notices an outcry to include of new categories to honor underappreciated efforts and satisfy the hearts of fans dedicated to specific genres.
My colleague made the case advocating for terror-themed awards. It would be amazing. Equally deserving are board games, representing a passionate advocate's mission. But they will have to forgive me when I prioritize since similar to single-minded supporters, I have a cast-iron argument backing this proposal is the most urgent and important of all. Here's the proposal: We need a category for puzzle games.
Categorizing Game Types
Categorizing art by genre is not a science; it’s very subjective, and it will always generate discussions concluding with vague boundaries. There’s a reason cinema institutions avoid this approach. However, it represents an unavoidable compromise within the realm of video games, showing incredible range they barely qualify a single creative category.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of achievement in video games to be recognized, and to ensure all game types to have a chance for representation, specific award classifications remain vital.
Present Award Structure
Prominent interactive entertainment events presently include award types recognizing Action, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Collectively, these six categories actually cover numerous genres, making space possible for numerous titles.
This doesn't apply to puzzle games. No suitable classification appears for their placement. Consider three of outstanding current releases, all very different: the architectural riddles of one title, fast-paced pattern recognition from another release, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles from additional release. Which classification works among existing types? Unfortunately, nowhere.
Acknowledgment Issues
Numerous examples exist outstanding logic titles launched regularly lacking appropriate categories at major award shows, except when they manage to fit for categories like Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, and the highly challenging small studio competitions.
- A renowned logic title got overlooked completely during that awards season
- Another imaginative release was excluded that year
- Well-received sorting experience got ignored in 2021
- Limited numbers of brain-teasers scraped into niche award types
Importance of Logic Titles
Frequently they represent small games, however the design behind logic titles holds tremendous importance. Famous handheld logic titles stand as most popular titles worldwide and have been for over a decade.
The iconic tile-matching title challenges well-known building titles for the title of highest-selling title ever; it’s also in the running for top gaming experience. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks for gaming as medium, while interacting across multiple categories.
Proposal and Rationale
Puzzle games wouldn’t have this problem. One could readily select multiple candidates with fascinating, diverse, deserving games every year with ease — perhaps, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave numerous deserving experiences.
Restating the point, these are games that otherwise have no home in important events. Logic title developers are working at the demanding boundary of video game design, producing among essential manifestations of the video game form. Just like film action specialists, they merit acknowledgment. We shouldn't delay 35 years.
