Each time a major awards ceremony approaches, one notices a clamor for the addition of new categories to honor underappreciated efforts and satisfy the hearts of enthusiasts dedicated to specific genres.
My colleague previously argued supporting a scary games classification. That would rule. Equally deserving are board games, representing a passionate advocate's mission. But they will have to forgive me if I try to elbow in front just as with other dedicated enthusiasts, I have a cast-iron argument supporting my request stands as crucial and important of all. This is the request: There should be a classification for brain-teasing titles.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Categorizing art by genre isn't exact; it remains highly personal, and it will always spark debates and end in fuzzy definitions. This explains why cinema institutions avoid this approach. Yet it remains an essential concession within the realm of gaming, showing incredible range they hardly constitute a single creative category.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of achievement in video games to gain proper attention, and for games of all stripes to have a chance for representation, genre categories are essential.
Existing Game Classification System
Prominent interactive entertainment events offer these genre categories for Action, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these award types successfully include numerous genres, allowing placement for most games within them.
This doesn't apply to puzzle games. No appropriate category exists to put them. Examine these examples from recent excellent titles, showing diverse approaches: the architectural riddles of one title, intense tile-matching from another release, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles from additional release. What category would fit them among existing types? Simply put, no category fits.
The Representation Problem
Numerous examples exist excellent brain-teasers released every year lacking appropriate categories in entertainment awards, unless they happen to qualify classification types such as Handheld titles, Virtual reality experiences, or the extremely competitive independent game categories.
- A renowned logic title received no recognition completely that year
- Another creative title was excluded that year
- Well-received sorting experience received no acknowledgment recently
- Limited numbers of logic titles managed to sneak into niche award types
Value of Brain-Teasers
Commonly they're modest productions, however the design behind logic titles is of massive significance. Famous handheld logic titles count as most popular titles in the world continuing this trend for an extended period.
The iconic tile-matching title challenges popular creative games for the title of most purchased experience; it additionally competes as greatest title ever. Puzzle games are foundational to the art of video games, and they are in conversation with almost every other genre.
The Solution and Justification
Puzzle games wouldn’t have such difficulty. One could readily select multiple candidates engaging, different, qualified experiences every year with ease — perhaps, with difficulty, given the need to exclude numerous deserving experiences.
To emphasize again, these represent titles that otherwise have no home at major gaming awards. Puzzle game makers are working at the demanding boundary of video game design, developing some of essential manifestations of gaming itself. Similar to movie stunt professionals, they warrant appreciation. Let’s not keep them waiting generations.
