Whenever a prominent prize-giving event nears, there’s always a demand to include fresh award types to acknowledge underappreciated efforts and satisfy the spirits of enthusiasts who have specialized interests.
My colleague previously argued for a horror game category. That would rule. The same goes for strategy board titles, representing a passionate advocate's mission. But they will have to forgive me if I try to elbow in front just as with other dedicated enthusiasts, I have a cast-iron argument for why my demand is the most urgent above others. Here's the proposal: There should be a category for puzzle games.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Classifying creative works defies precise measurement; it remains highly personal, and inevitably spark debates concluding with vague boundaries. This explains why movie academies steer clear of genre categories. However, it represents an unavoidable compromise within the realm of gaming, which are so diverse it's challenging to consider them one unified medium.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of interactive entertainment excellence to be recognized, and for games of all stripes to have a chance for representation, genre categories are essential.
Existing Game Classification System
The major gaming awards offer these award types recognizing Action, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these classifications effectively encompass a lot of ground, and you can find room for numerous titles.
Not so for brain-teasing titles. No suitable classification appears for their placement. Think about these this year’s best games, showing diverse approaches: the architectural riddles from a specific release, fast-paced pattern recognition of another game, thought-provoking social scenarios from additional release. Which classification works among existing types? Simply put, no category fits.
Recognition Challenges
There are dozens excellent brain-teasers released every year that have no home at major award shows, if they accidentally match classification types such as Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, or the extremely competitive independent game categories.
- An iconic brain-teaser got overlooked completely in 2014
- Another imaginative release missed out during that ceremony
- A beloved organization game got ignored that year
- Limited numbers of logic titles scraped into niche award types
Value of Brain-Teasers
Commonly they're modest productions, yet the craft in brain-teasers is of massive significance. Famous handheld logic titles rank among most popular titles in the world continuing this trend for over a decade.
The famous puzzle experience challenges well-known building titles for the title of most purchased experience; it’s also in the running as greatest title ever. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks for gaming as medium, while interacting with almost every other genre.
Proposal and Rationale
Puzzle games wouldn’t have that issue. You could fill five nominees with fascinating, diverse, deserving games annually without trouble — or rather, with difficulty, since numerous excellent so many good games out.
Restating the point, these are games lacking appropriate categories at major gaming awards. Brain-teaser creators are working at the demanding boundary of video game design, developing some of essential manifestations of gaming itself. Comparable to cinema stunt performers, they warrant appreciation. We shouldn't delay generations.
