Whenever a prominent awards ceremony draws close, one notices a demand for introducing of new categories to recognize unsung work and fill the hearts of fans who have specialized interests.
My colleague previously argued advocating for terror-themed awards. That would be fantastic. Equally deserving are board games, which is a dedicated supporter's campaign. However, I must insist if I try to elbow in front because like all single-minded supporters, there's a strong justification for why my demand remains most pressing and significant. This is the request: We need a category for puzzle games.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Classifying creative works is not a science; it remains highly personal, and inevitably generate discussions resulting in unclear classifications. There’s a reason cinema institutions steer clear of genre categories. However, it represents an unavoidable compromise within the realm of video games, which are so diverse they barely qualify one unified medium.
To recognize the complete range of gaming accomplishments to be recognized, and for games of all stripes to compete fairly, classification by type becomes crucial.
Current Gaming Award Categories
The major gaming awards currently feature genre categories for Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, RPG experiences, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Collectively, these award types effectively encompass numerous genres, and you can find room for numerous titles.
Not so for puzzle games. There’s simply nowhere for their placement. Examine these examples from this year’s best games, showing diverse approaches: structural challenges from a specific release, fast-paced pattern recognition of another game, thought-provoking social scenarios from additional release. Where could they possibly go within current classifications? Nowhere, that’s where.
Recognition Challenges
Many instances occur excellent brain-teasers launched regularly that have no home during gaming ceremonies, except when they manage to fit for categories like Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, and the highly challenging Indie races.
- An iconic brain-teaser received no recognition for anything in 2014
- Another creative title was excluded during that ceremony
- Well-received sorting experience got ignored in 2021
- Only a few brain-teasers scraped into niche award types
Value of Brain-Teasers
Frequently they represent modest productions, however the design in brain-teasers is of massive significance. Famous handheld logic titles stand as most popular titles in the world and have been for an extended period.
The legendary block-stacking game competes with well-known building titles claiming status as most purchased experience; it additionally competes as greatest title ever. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks for gaming as medium, and engaging with diverse game types.
Recommendation and Reasoning
Logic titles wouldn't face that issue. One could readily select five nominees engaging, different, qualified experiences every year with ease — actually, with challenge, since numerous excellent many worthy titles.
To emphasize again, these include experiences without proper classification at major gaming awards. Puzzle game makers are working at the demanding boundary interactive creation, producing among the purest expressions of the video game form. Similar to movie stunt professionals, they deserve recognition. Let’s not keep them waiting 35 years.
