As any significant awards ceremony nears, you'll find an outcry for the addition additional classifications to recognize underappreciated efforts and delight the hearts of fans dedicated to specific genres.
Another commentator previously argued for a horror game category. That would rule. So would tabletop games, which is someone's personal cause. However, I must insist when I prioritize because like all dedicated enthusiasts, I have a cast-iron argument backing this proposal stands as crucial above others. The demand is this: We need a category for puzzle games.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Categorizing art by genre defies precise measurement; it’s very subjective, and it will always start arguments resulting in unclear classifications. It's understandable that cinema institutions don’t do it. Yet it remains a necessary evil within the realm of video games, which are so diverse they hardly constitute one unified medium.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of interactive entertainment excellence to gain proper attention, while allowing diverse titles to compete fairly, classification by type becomes crucial.
Existing Game Classification System
Leading game ceremonies offer these classifications covering Action, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Fighting, Simulation and strategy titles, plus athletic and racing experiences. Together, these classifications actually cover a lot of ground, and you can find room for most games within them.
This doesn't apply to puzzle games. There’s simply nowhere for their placement. Examine these examples from recent excellent titles, showing diverse approaches: the architectural riddles in a particular game, the pulse-pounding block-matching in a different title, engaging interpersonal challenges in another game. What category would fit them among existing types? Nowhere, that’s where.
Recognition Challenges
Numerous examples exist excellent brain-teasers released every year that have no home at major award shows, unless they happen to qualify award groups including Mobile Game, Virtual reality experiences, and the highly challenging independent game categories.
- An iconic brain-teaser wasn’t nominated in any category in 2014
- Another creative title missed out during that ceremony
- Well-received sorting experience got ignored in 2021
- Limited numbers of brain-teasers barely qualified for niche award types
Value of Brain-Teasers
Commonly they're modest productions, however the design of the puzzle game carries substantial weight. Iconic mobile puzzle games count as most engaged experiences globally continuing this trend for an extended period.
The legendary block-stacking game competes with popular creative games for the title of most purchased experience; it’s also in the running for top gaming experience. Puzzle games are foundational for gaming as medium, and they are in conversation 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 every year with ease — or rather, with difficulty, since numerous excellent numerous deserving experiences.
Restating the point, these represent titles without proper classification during prominent ceremonies. Logic title developers function at the hard edge interactive creation, producing among essential manifestations within interactive entertainment. Comparable to film action specialists, they merit acknowledgment. Don't make them wait decades.
