As any major awards ceremony approaches, you'll find a clamor for introducing fresh award types to acknowledge overlooked contributions and fill the spirits of enthusiasts who have specialized interests.
My colleague previously argued for a horror game category. That would rule. The same goes for tabletop games, this being a dedicated supporter's campaign. Yet I need to apologize in advance when I prioritize because like all single-minded supporters, there's a strong justification supporting my request remains most pressing above others. Here's the proposal: We need an award type for logic-based games.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Categorizing art by genre defies precise measurement; opinions vary greatly, and inevitably generate discussions and end in fuzzy definitions. It's understandable that film award organizations don’t do it. But it is an essential concession within the realm of interactive entertainment, which are so diverse they hardly constitute one unified medium.
To recognize the complete range of achievement in video games to be recognized, and to ensure all game types to have a chance for representation, specific award classifications remain vital.
Present Award Structure
The major gaming awards currently feature award types recognizing Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, RPG experiences, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Collectively, these award types successfully include a lot of ground, and you can find room accommodating various experiences.
This doesn't apply to logic-based experiences. No appropriate category exists to accommodate them. Think about these outstanding current releases, each quite distinct: structural challenges of one title, fast-paced pattern recognition from another release, engaging interpersonal challenges from additional release. Where could they possibly go within current classifications? Unfortunately, nowhere.
The Representation Problem
Numerous examples exist outstanding logic titles released every year lacking appropriate categories in entertainment awards, except when they manage to fit classification types such as Handheld titles, Virtual reality experiences, or the extremely competitive small studio competitions.
- An iconic brain-teaser wasn’t nominated completely during that awards season
- Another imaginative release received no nominations that year
- Well-received sorting experience received no acknowledgment that year
- Limited numbers of puzzle games scraped into niche award types
Significance of Puzzle Games
Frequently they represent modest productions, but the art of the puzzle game carries substantial weight. Well-known matching games count as the most-played games globally continuing this trend for many years.
The legendary block-stacking game rivals well-known building titles competing to become highest-selling title ever; it additionally competes for top gaming experience. Logic titles represent cornerstones for gaming as medium, and engaging with almost every other genre.
The Solution and Justification
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter such difficulty. One could readily select five nominees engaging, different, qualified experiences annually without trouble — or rather, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave many worthy titles.
Restating the point, these include experiences lacking appropriate categories in important events. Puzzle game makers operate at the challenging frontier of video game design, developing some of essential manifestations of gaming itself. Comparable to cinema stunt performers, they merit acknowledgment. Let’s not keep them waiting 35 years.
