Each time a major honors show nears, there’s always a clamor for the addition fresh award types to recognize underappreciated efforts and satisfy the spirits of enthusiasts dedicated to specific genres.
My colleague previously argued advocating for terror-themed awards. It would be amazing. Equally deserving are tabletop games, this being a passionate advocate's mission. Yet I need to apologize in advance when I prioritize because like all single-minded supporters, there's a strong justification supporting my request is the most urgent above others. Here's the proposal: There should be a classification for brain-teasing titles.
Categorizing Game Types
Categorizing art by genre isn't exact; it remains highly personal, and typically start arguments and end in fuzzy definitions. It's understandable that movie academies steer clear of genre categories. Yet it remains a necessary evil within the realm of interactive entertainment, that demonstrate such variety it's challenging to consider them one unified medium.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of achievement in video games 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 presently include classifications covering Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, plus athletic and racing experiences. Together, these classifications actually cover many game types, allowing placement accommodating various experiences.
This doesn't apply to logic-based experiences. No appropriate category exists for their placement. Think about these outstanding current releases, each quite distinct: structural challenges in a particular game, the pulse-pounding block-matching from another release, engaging interpersonal challenges from additional release. Where could they possibly go among existing types? Simply put, no category fits.
The Representation Problem
There are dozens of brilliant puzzle games published annually lacking appropriate categories at major award shows, unless they happen to qualify for categories like Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, or the extremely competitive Indie races.
- A renowned logic title got overlooked completely during that awards season
- Another creative title received no nominations in 2019
- Well-received sorting experience was overlooked in 2021
- Just some puzzle games barely qualified for small studio or handheld classifications
Importance of Logic Titles
Commonly they're small games, but the art in brain-teasers is of massive significance. Famous handheld logic titles count as most popular titles globally and have been for many years.
The legendary block-stacking game challenges 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. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks for gaming as medium, while interacting with almost every other genre.
Proposal and Rationale
Logic titles wouldn't face this problem. One could readily select multiple candidates engaging, different, qualified experiences each ceremony simply — actually, with challenge, because you’d have to leave many worthy titles.
And to reiterate, these are games without proper classification in important events. Brain-teaser creators are working at the challenging frontier of video game design, developing some of most fundamental forms within interactive entertainment. Just like movie stunt professionals, they merit acknowledgment. Let’s not keep them waiting decades.
