Each time a significant awards ceremony draws close, one notices a demand to include of new categories to acknowledge overlooked contributions and fill the spirits of followers dedicated to specific genres.
Another commentator made the case advocating for terror-themed awards. It would be amazing. Equally deserving are strategy board titles, which is a dedicated supporter's campaign. However, I must insist for pushing forward since similar to dedicated enthusiasts, I have a cast-iron argument for why my demand remains most pressing and important of all. This is the request: There should be a category for puzzle games.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Classifying creative works isn't exact; it remains highly personal, and it will always start arguments concluding with vague boundaries. There’s a reason cinema institutions steer clear of genre categories. But it is an essential concession within the realm of interactive entertainment, showing incredible range it's challenging to consider them as a single art form.
For the full spectrum of interactive entertainment excellence to gain proper attention, while allowing diverse titles to compete fairly, classification by type becomes crucial.
Current Gaming Award Categories
Prominent interactive entertainment events offer these classifications covering Action, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Collectively, these award types actually cover many game types, and you can find room for numerous titles.
This doesn't apply to brain-teasing titles. There’s simply nowhere to accommodate them. Examine these examples from outstanding current releases, showing diverse approaches: building puzzles of one title, intense tile-matching of another game, engaging interpersonal challenges in another game. What category would fit them between these six categories? Unfortunately, nowhere.
Recognition Challenges
Many instances occur excellent brain-teasers published annually without proper recognition during gaming ceremonies, except when they manage to fit for categories like Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, or the extremely competitive independent game categories.
- A renowned logic title received no recognition in any category that year
- Another creative title missed out during that ceremony
- A beloved organization game was overlooked that year
- Limited numbers of puzzle games managed to sneak into small studio or handheld classifications
Value of Brain-Teasers
Commonly they're small games, however the design in brain-teasers holds tremendous importance. Famous handheld logic titles stand as most popular titles globally maintaining this status for an extended period.
The legendary block-stacking game challenges well-known building titles for the title of most purchased experience; it’s also in the running for top gaming experience. Puzzle games are foundational to the art of video games, and engaging across multiple categories.
Recommendation and Reasoning
Logic titles wouldn't face this problem. One could readily select multiple candidates engaging, different, qualified experiences each ceremony simply — perhaps, with difficulty, since numerous excellent numerous deserving experiences.
Restating the point, these include experiences that otherwise have no home at major gaming awards. Brain-teaser creators function at the hard edge game development, creating some of essential manifestations within interactive entertainment. Similar to movie stunt professionals, they deserve recognition. Don't make them wait generations.