Each time a significant prize-giving event nears, one notices a demand for the addition of new categories to acknowledge unsung work and fill the hearts of enthusiasts dedicated to specific genres.
Another commentator previously argued advocating for terror-themed awards. That would rule. The same goes for board games, representing a dedicated supporter's campaign. However, I must insist when I prioritize because like all single-minded supporters, I have a cast-iron argument for why my demand stands as crucial above others. The demand is this: It's essential to create a category for puzzle games.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Organizing artistic expressions defies precise measurement; it remains highly personal, and it will always spark debates and end in fuzzy definitions. It's understandable that film award organizations steer clear of genre categories. However, it represents an unavoidable compromise within the realm of interactive entertainment, that demonstrate such variety they hardly constitute one unified medium.
For the full spectrum of interactive entertainment excellence to be recognized, and for games of all stripes to compete fairly, classification by type becomes crucial.
Current Gaming Award Categories
The major gaming awards currently feature award types recognizing Action, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Between them, these six categories effectively encompass a lot of ground, and you can find room for numerous titles.
Different situation exists for puzzle games. No appropriate category exists for their placement. Consider three of recent excellent titles, all very different: building puzzles in a particular game, the pulse-pounding block-matching in a different title, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles of a third title. Which classification works between these six categories? Nowhere, that’s where.
Acknowledgment Issues
Numerous examples exist excellent brain-teasers published annually that have no home in entertainment awards, unless they happen to qualify award groups including Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, and the highly challenging Indie races.
- One classic puzzle game wasn’t nominated completely during that awards season
- Another creative title missed out during that ceremony
- Well-received sorting experience got ignored recently
- Just some puzzle games managed to sneak into small studio or handheld classifications
Significance of Puzzle Games
These are often modest productions, but the art behind logic titles carries substantial weight. Iconic mobile puzzle games rank among most engaged experiences in the world maintaining this status for over a decade.
The legendary block-stacking game rivals famous sandbox experiences claiming status as best-selling game of all time; it additionally competes as greatest title ever. Logic titles represent cornerstones within interactive entertainment, and engaging with diverse game types.
The Solution and Justification
Logic titles wouldn't face that issue. You could fill a field of five interesting, varied, worthy titles each ceremony simply — actually, with challenge, given the need to exclude numerous deserving experiences.
Restating the point, these include experiences without proper classification in important events. Brain-teaser creators are working at the challenging frontier of video game design, developing some of essential manifestations of gaming itself. Just like cinema stunt performers, they merit acknowledgment. Let’s not keep them waiting generations.
