Each time a prominent honors show approaches, there’s always a demand for the addition fresh award types to acknowledge unsung work and delight the passions of fans with niche passions.
My colleague previously argued supporting a scary games classification. That would rule. Equally deserving are board games, this being a dedicated supporter's campaign. Yet I need to apologize in advance if I try to elbow in front just as with other single-minded supporters, I have a cast-iron argument for why my demand remains most pressing and significant. Here's the proposal: There should be a category for puzzle games.
Categorizing Game Types
Classifying creative works defies precise measurement; it remains highly personal, and typically generate discussions resulting in unclear classifications. It's understandable that film award organizations avoid this approach. Yet it remains an essential concession within the realm of interactive entertainment, that demonstrate such variety they hardly constitute as a single art form.
To recognize the complete range of gaming accomplishments to receive acknowledgment, and to ensure all game types to compete fairly, classification by type becomes crucial.
Current Gaming Award Categories
Prominent interactive entertainment events offer these classifications covering Action, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Together, these six categories effectively encompass many game types, allowing placement for numerous titles.
Different situation exists for logic-based experiences. No suitable classification appears to accommodate them. Consider three of outstanding current releases, all very different: building puzzles of one title, fast-paced pattern recognition in a different title, engaging interpersonal challenges of a third title. Where could they possibly go among existing types? Unfortunately, nowhere.
Acknowledgment Issues
There are dozens excellent brain-teasers published annually lacking appropriate categories during gaming ceremonies, unless they happen to qualify award groups including Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, or the extremely competitive independent game categories.
- One classic puzzle game got overlooked for anything during that awards season
- Another imaginative release missed out during that ceremony
- A beloved organization game was overlooked in 2021
- Just some logic titles managed to sneak into independent or mobile categories
Significance of Puzzle Games
These are often compact experiences, but the art behind logic titles holds tremendous importance. Well-known matching games rank among the most-played games worldwide and have been for many years.
The famous puzzle experience competes with popular creative games for the title of best-selling game of all time; it also contends for top gaming experience. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks within interactive entertainment, and engaging with almost every other genre.
Recommendation and Reasoning
Puzzle games wouldn’t have this problem. One could readily select five nominees with fascinating, diverse, deserving games every year with ease — perhaps, with difficulty, since numerous excellent numerous deserving experiences.
Restating the point, these include experiences that otherwise have no home in important events. Logic title developers are working at the challenging frontier interactive creation, developing some of most fundamental forms within interactive entertainment. Comparable to cinema stunt performers, they warrant appreciation. Let’s not keep them waiting decades.
