As any major awards ceremony approaches, there’s always an outcry for introducing additional classifications to acknowledge underappreciated efforts and satisfy the passions of fans who have specialized interests.
Another commentator previously argued advocating for terror-themed awards. That would rule. Equally deserving are tabletop games, which is a passionate advocate's mission. Yet I need to apologize in advance if I try to elbow in front just as with other blinkered fanatics, I possess a compelling case for why my demand remains most pressing above others. The demand is this: We need a category for puzzle games.
Categorizing Game Types
Classifying creative works is not a science; opinions vary greatly, and it will always start arguments concluding with vague boundaries. There’s a reason cinema institutions steer clear of genre categories. Yet it remains an unavoidable compromise in the world of interactive entertainment, that demonstrate such variety it's challenging to consider them a single creative category.
For the full spectrum of gaming accomplishments to gain proper attention, and for games of all stripes to compete fairly, specific award classifications remain vital.
Current Gaming Award Categories
The major gaming awards currently feature classifications covering Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these award types effectively encompass a lot of ground, making space possible for most games within them.
Not so for brain-teasing titles. No suitable classification appears to put them. Think about these this year’s best games, all very different: the architectural riddles from a specific release, fast-paced pattern recognition in a different title, thought-provoking social scenarios in another game. What category would fit them within current classifications? Unfortunately, nowhere.
The Representation Problem
There are dozens outstanding logic titles published annually without proper recognition in entertainment awards, unless they happen to qualify for categories like Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, or the intensely contested independent game categories.
- One classic puzzle game wasn’t nominated completely in 2014
- Another creative title missed out in 2019
- Well-received sorting experience got ignored in 2021
- Only a few puzzle games barely qualified for small studio or handheld classifications
Importance of Logic Titles
Commonly they're modest productions, yet the craft in brain-teasers is of massive significance. Well-known matching games stand as most engaged experiences globally and have been for over a decade.
The famous puzzle experience challenges popular creative games claiming status as best-selling game of all time; it’s also in the running for top gaming experience. Logic titles represent cornerstones within interactive entertainment, and engaging across multiple categories.
The Solution and Justification
Logic titles wouldn't face such difficulty. It would be easy to populate five nominees engaging, different, qualified experiences annually without trouble — actually, with challenge, since numerous excellent numerous deserving experiences.
And to reiterate, these include experiences that otherwise have no home during prominent ceremonies. Brain-teaser creators operate at the challenging frontier game development, developing some of most fundamental forms of gaming itself. Similar to film action specialists, they deserve recognition. Don't make them wait generations.
