As any prominent honors show approaches, there’s always a clamor to include additional classifications to acknowledge overlooked contributions and satisfy the passions of fans with niche passions.
My colleague made the case for a horror game category. That would rule. Equally deserving are tabletop games, which is a dedicated supporter's campaign. Yet I need to apologize in advance if I try to elbow in front since similar to blinkered fanatics, there's a strong justification for why my demand stands as crucial and important of all. The demand is this: There should be an award type for logic-based games.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Categorizing art by genre isn't exact; it remains highly personal, and typically start arguments concluding with vague boundaries. This explains why movie academies don’t do it. Yet it remains a necessary evil in the world of gaming, which are so diverse they hardly constitute a single creative category.
For the full spectrum of gaming accomplishments to be recognized, and to ensure all game types to compete fairly, genre categories are essential.
Present Award Structure
Prominent interactive entertainment events currently feature genre categories for Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Fighting, Simulation and strategy titles, plus athletic and racing experiences. Between them, these classifications successfully include a lot of ground, allowing placement accommodating various experiences.
This doesn't apply to puzzle games. No suitable classification appears for their placement. Examine these examples from this year’s best games, all very different: building puzzles from a specific release, fast-paced pattern recognition of another game, thought-provoking social scenarios in another game. What category would fit them between these six categories? Nowhere, that’s where.
The Representation Problem
Many instances occur outstanding logic titles launched regularly that have no home in entertainment awards, unless they happen to qualify for categories like Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, or the extremely competitive independent game categories.
- A renowned logic title received no recognition in any category that year
- Another creative title missed out during that ceremony
- A beloved organization game received no acknowledgment that year
- Limited numbers of brain-teasers managed to sneak into niche award types
Value of Brain-Teasers
These are often modest productions, but the art in brain-teasers holds tremendous importance. Well-known matching games rank among the most-played games globally and have been for an extended period.
The iconic tile-matching title rivals famous sandbox experiences claiming status as most purchased experience; it additionally competes for top gaming experience. Puzzle games are foundational for gaming as medium, and they are in conversation across multiple categories.
Recommendation and Reasoning
Puzzle games wouldn’t have that issue. One could readily select five nominees interesting, varied, worthy titles each ceremony simply — actually, with challenge, because you’d have to leave numerous deserving experiences.
And to reiterate, these are games without proper classification at major gaming awards. Logic title developers function at the hard edge interactive creation, creating some of the purest expressions of the video game form. Just like cinema stunt performers, they warrant appreciation. Let’s not keep them waiting decades.
