Each time a prominent honors show nears, there’s always a demand for the addition of new categories to recognize overlooked contributions and delight the passions of fans dedicated to specific genres.
A fellow writer made the case for a horror game category. It would be amazing. So would board games, which is someone's personal cause. However, I must insist for pushing forward because like all blinkered fanatics, I have a cast-iron argument for why my demand is the most urgent and important of all. Here's the proposal: We need an award type for logic-based games.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Categorizing art by genre defies precise measurement; it’s very subjective, and it will always start arguments resulting in unclear classifications. It's understandable that cinema institutions steer clear of genre categories. But it is an unavoidable compromise in the world of video games, showing incredible range they hardly constitute one unified medium.
For the full spectrum of achievement in video games to receive acknowledgment, and to ensure all game types to have a chance for representation, classification by type becomes crucial.
Present Award Structure
Prominent interactive entertainment events currently feature classifications covering Action, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these classifications effectively encompass many game types, allowing placement for numerous titles.
This doesn't apply to puzzle games. No suitable classification appears to accommodate them. Examine these examples from this year’s best games, showing diverse approaches: the architectural riddles of one title, intense tile-matching in a different title, thought-provoking social scenarios of a third title. Where could they possibly go among existing types? Simply put, no category fits.
Acknowledgment Issues
There are dozens of brilliant puzzle games published annually without proper recognition at major award shows, unless they happen to qualify classification types such as Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, and the highly challenging independent game categories.
- One classic puzzle game received no recognition for anything in 2014
- Another imaginative release missed out during that ceremony
- Well-received sorting experience received no acknowledgment recently
- Only a few brain-teasers scraped into independent or mobile categories
Importance of Logic Titles
Commonly they're small games, however the design behind logic titles carries substantial weight. Famous handheld logic titles rank among the most-played games in the world and have been for many years.
The famous puzzle experience rivals popular creative games for the title of best-selling game of all time; it additionally competes as greatest title ever. Puzzle games are foundational for gaming as medium, and engaging with diverse game types.
Proposal and Rationale
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter such difficulty. It would be easy to populate five nominees with fascinating, diverse, deserving games every year with ease — actually, with challenge, since numerous excellent many worthy titles.
To emphasize again, these represent titles 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. Comparable to movie stunt professionals, they warrant appreciation. We shouldn't delay generations.
