Each time a prominent prize-giving event nears, one notices a demand for the addition of new categories to honor underappreciated efforts and satisfy the hearts of fans who have specialized interests.
Another commentator made the case advocating for terror-themed awards. It would be amazing. So would strategy board titles, representing a passionate advocate's mission. However, I must insist when I prioritize because like all single-minded supporters, I possess a compelling case backing this proposal remains most pressing and important of all. The demand is this: We need a category for puzzle games.
Categorizing Game Types
Categorizing art by genre defies precise measurement; it’s very subjective, and inevitably generate discussions resulting in unclear classifications. It's understandable that cinema institutions avoid this approach. Yet it remains a necessary evil within the realm of video games, which are so diverse it's challenging to consider them a single creative category.
For the full spectrum of achievement in video games to receive acknowledgment, and for games of all stripes to have a chance for representation, specific award classifications remain vital.
Existing Game Classification System
The major gaming awards currently feature classifications covering Action, Adventure-action titles, RPG experiences, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these six categories effectively encompass many game types, allowing placement accommodating various experiences.
Not so for logic-based experiences. No appropriate category exists for their placement. Consider three of this year’s best games, all very different: building puzzles of one title, the pulse-pounding block-matching from another release, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles from additional release. Which classification works within current classifications? Unfortunately, nowhere.
Recognition Challenges
Many instances occur excellent brain-teasers published annually that have no home in entertainment awards, if they accidentally match award groups including Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, or the intensely contested independent game categories.
- An iconic brain-teaser received no recognition for anything in 2014
- A different innovative game was excluded in 2019
- Popular arranging title was overlooked recently
- Just some logic titles scraped into small studio or handheld classifications
Significance of Puzzle Games
These are often modest productions, but the art in brain-teasers is of massive significance. Iconic mobile puzzle games count as most popular titles in the world maintaining this status for over a decade.
The legendary block-stacking game rivals famous sandbox experiences for the title of most purchased experience; it also contends for top gaming experience. Logic titles represent cornerstones for gaming as medium, and engaging with almost every other genre.
The Solution and Justification
Logic titles wouldn't face this problem. You could fill a field of five engaging, different, qualified experiences each ceremony simply — perhaps, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave numerous deserving experiences.
Restating the point, these are games lacking appropriate categories in important events. Puzzle game makers function at the challenging frontier game development, creating some of most fundamental forms within interactive entertainment. Just like cinema stunt performers, they merit acknowledgment. Don't make them wait 35 years.
