As any major awards ceremony draws close, one notices a demand for the addition additional classifications to acknowledge unsung work and delight the hearts of enthusiasts dedicated to specific genres.
My colleague made the case advocating for terror-themed awards. It would be amazing. Equally deserving are tabletop games, this being a passionate advocate's mission. But they will have to forgive me if I try to elbow in front because like all single-minded supporters, there's a strong justification supporting my request remains most pressing and significant. The demand is this: It's essential to create a classification for brain-teasing titles.
Categorizing Game Types
Categorizing art by genre is not a science; opinions vary greatly, and inevitably generate discussions and end in fuzzy definitions. This explains why cinema institutions avoid this approach. However, it represents an essential concession within the realm of gaming, which are so diverse they barely qualify a single creative category.
For the full spectrum of interactive entertainment excellence to gain proper attention, and for games of all stripes to compete fairly, specific award classifications remain vital.
Existing Game Classification System
Leading game ceremonies currently feature classifications covering Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, plus athletic and racing experiences. Between them, these award types successfully include a lot of ground, making space possible accommodating various experiences.
Not so for logic-based experiences. No appropriate category exists to put them. Examine these examples from outstanding current releases, each quite distinct: the architectural riddles from a specific release, intense tile-matching from another release, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles in another game. What category would fit them between these six categories? Simply put, no category fits.
Recognition Challenges
There are dozens outstanding logic titles launched regularly without proper recognition at major award shows, unless they happen to qualify award groups including Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, or the intensely contested small studio competitions.
- An iconic brain-teaser got overlooked in any category in 2014
- A different innovative game received no nominations that year
- Popular arranging title received no acknowledgment that year
- Only a few logic titles barely qualified for niche award types
Importance of Logic Titles
Frequently they represent small games, but the art in brain-teasers carries substantial weight. Iconic mobile puzzle games count as the most-played games worldwide continuing this trend for many years.
The iconic tile-matching title challenges popular creative games claiming status as best-selling game of all time; it also contends for top gaming experience. Puzzle games are foundational to the art of video games, and engaging across multiple categories.
The Solution and Justification
Puzzle games wouldn’t have this problem. One could readily select five nominees interesting, varied, worthy titles every year with ease — actually, with challenge, since numerous excellent many worthy titles.
To emphasize again, these include experiences that otherwise have no home in important events. Logic title developers operate at the challenging frontier game development, creating some of the purest expressions within interactive entertainment. Similar to film action specialists, they warrant appreciation. Don't make them wait 35 years.
