Whenever a major awards ceremony nears, you'll find an outcry for the addition additional classifications to recognize unsung work and fill the passions of followers who have specialized interests.
A fellow writer has already made advocating for terror-themed awards. It would be amazing. Equally deserving are tabletop games, this being a passionate advocate's mission. But they will have to forgive me if I try to elbow in front just as with other dedicated enthusiasts, there's a strong justification for why my demand stands as crucial above others. The demand is this: We need a category for puzzle games.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Organizing artistic expressions is not a science; opinions vary greatly, and it will always spark debates and end in fuzzy definitions. There’s a reason film award organizations steer clear of genre categories. Yet it remains a necessary evil within the realm of video games, showing incredible range they barely qualify one unified medium.
For the full spectrum of gaming accomplishments to gain proper attention, and to ensure all game types to receive proper recognition, genre categories are essential.
Current Gaming Award Categories
Prominent interactive entertainment events currently feature classifications covering Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Fighting, Simulation and strategy titles, plus athletic and racing experiences. Between them, these award types actually cover many game types, allowing placement for numerous titles.
This doesn't apply to puzzle games. No appropriate category exists to put them. Think about these this year’s best games, each quite distinct: the architectural riddles from a specific release, fast-paced pattern recognition in a different title, thought-provoking social scenarios from additional release. Which classification works between these six categories? Simply put, no category fits.
The Representation Problem
There are dozens outstanding logic titles released every year without proper recognition in entertainment awards, if they accidentally match classification types such as Mobile Game, Virtual reality experiences, or the extremely competitive independent game categories.
- A renowned logic title received no recognition for anything during that awards season
- A different innovative game was excluded in 2019
- A beloved organization game was overlooked that year
- Just some puzzle games barely qualified for niche award types
Value of Brain-Teasers
Frequently they represent modest productions, yet the craft of the puzzle game carries substantial weight. Well-known matching games count as most popular titles in the world continuing this trend for an extended period.
The famous puzzle experience rivals famous sandbox experiences for the title of best-selling game of all time; it also contends 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 such difficulty. One could readily select a field of five with fascinating, diverse, deserving games every year with ease — or rather, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave numerous deserving experiences.
To emphasize again, these include experiences that otherwise have no home at major gaming awards. Brain-teaser creators function at the demanding boundary game development, developing some of essential manifestations within interactive entertainment. Comparable to film action specialists, they warrant appreciation. Don't make them wait 35 years.
