As any significant prize-giving event nears, you'll find a demand for the addition of new categories to recognize underappreciated efforts and fill the passions of fans who have specialized interests.
A fellow writer has already made for a horror game category. That would rule. So would tabletop games, representing a passionate advocate's mission. However, I must insist if I try to elbow in front because like all blinkered fanatics, I have a cast-iron argument supporting my request stands as crucial and important of all. The demand is this: We need a category for puzzle games.
Categorizing Game Types
Classifying creative works is not a science; it remains highly personal, and it will always spark debates and end in fuzzy definitions. This explains why film award organizations don’t do it. However, it represents a necessary evil in the world of interactive entertainment, showing incredible range they barely qualify one unified medium.
For the full spectrum of interactive entertainment excellence to gain proper attention, and for games of all stripes to receive proper recognition, specific award classifications remain vital.
Existing Game Classification System
Prominent interactive entertainment events offer these award types recognizing Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Fighting, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Collectively, these six categories successfully include numerous genres, making space possible for most games within them.
Different situation exists for puzzle games. There’s simply nowhere to accommodate them. Consider three of this year’s best games, each quite distinct: the architectural riddles of one title, fast-paced pattern recognition of another game, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles of a third title. Where could they possibly go between these six categories? Unfortunately, nowhere.
Acknowledgment Issues
There are dozens outstanding logic titles released every year without proper recognition in entertainment awards, if they accidentally match award groups including Mobile Game, Virtual reality experiences, or the intensely contested Indie races.
- One classic puzzle game got overlooked for anything that year
- A different innovative game received no nominations that year
- Well-received sorting experience got ignored recently
- Just some logic titles managed to sneak into niche award types
Importance of Logic Titles
These are often modest productions, but the art behind logic titles is of massive significance. Famous handheld logic titles stand as most engaged experiences worldwide continuing this trend for over a decade.
The legendary block-stacking game rivals well-known building titles for the title of best-selling game of all time; it’s also in the running for best game of all time. Puzzle games are foundational within interactive entertainment, and they are in conversation across multiple categories.
The Solution and Justification
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter that issue. It would be easy to populate a field of five with fascinating, diverse, deserving games annually without trouble — actually, with challenge, given the need to exclude numerous deserving experiences.
Restating the point, these represent titles lacking appropriate categories in important events. Brain-teaser creators are working at the challenging frontier game development, developing some of the purest expressions of gaming itself. Comparable to film action specialists, they warrant appreciation. Don't make them wait decades.
