Each time a major prize-giving event draws close, there’s always a clamor for introducing of new categories to acknowledge overlooked contributions and fill the passions of fans with niche passions.
Another commentator made the case for a horror game category. That would be fantastic. So would tabletop games, representing a dedicated supporter's campaign. But they will have to forgive me if I try to elbow in front just as with other blinkered fanatics, there's a strong justification backing this proposal stands as crucial and significant. Here's the proposal: We need a category for puzzle games.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Categorizing art by genre isn't exact; opinions vary greatly, and it will always start arguments concluding with vague boundaries. There’s a reason movie academies avoid this approach. However, it represents an essential concession in the world of video games, showing incredible range it's challenging to consider them a single creative category.
For the full spectrum of gaming accomplishments to be recognized, while allowing diverse titles to compete fairly, specific award classifications remain vital.
Present Award Structure
The major gaming awards offer these classifications covering Action, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Collectively, these six categories effectively encompass numerous genres, making space possible accommodating various experiences.
This doesn't apply to logic-based experiences. There’s simply nowhere to put them. Think about these this year’s best games, all very different: building puzzles from a specific release, intense tile-matching of another game, engaging interpersonal challenges from additional release. Where could they possibly go within current classifications? Simply put, no category fits.
The Representation Problem
Numerous examples exist excellent brain-teasers published annually lacking appropriate categories during gaming ceremonies, unless they happen to qualify for categories like Handheld titles, Virtual reality experiences, and the highly challenging small studio competitions.
- A renowned logic title got overlooked completely during that awards season
- A different innovative game missed out that year
- A beloved organization game received no acknowledgment recently
- Limited numbers of logic titles barely qualified for niche award types
Importance of Logic Titles
Commonly they're compact experiences, but the art behind logic titles is of massive significance. Iconic mobile puzzle games count as the most-played games worldwide continuing this trend for an extended period.
The iconic tile-matching title rivals popular creative games competing to become highest-selling title ever; it’s also in the running for best game of all time. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks for gaming as medium, while interacting across multiple categories.
Proposal and Rationale
Puzzle games wouldn’t have that issue. It would be easy to populate five nominees engaging, different, qualified experiences every year with ease — perhaps, with difficulty, since numerous excellent many worthy titles.
And to reiterate, these are games lacking appropriate categories in important events. Brain-teaser creators function at the demanding boundary interactive creation, developing some of the purest expressions of gaming itself. Comparable to film action specialists, they warrant appreciation. Let’s not keep them waiting decades.
