As any major awards ceremony draws close, you'll find a demand to include additional classifications to acknowledge underappreciated efforts and fill the hearts of followers with niche passions.
A fellow writer previously argued advocating for terror-themed awards. That would rule. Equally deserving are tabletop games, representing a dedicated supporter's campaign. Yet I need to apologize in advance when I prioritize since similar to single-minded supporters, there's a strong justification for why my demand remains most pressing above others. Here's the proposal: There should be a classification for brain-teasing titles.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Organizing artistic expressions is not a science; it remains highly personal, and typically generate discussions resulting in unclear classifications. This explains why movie academies avoid this approach. Yet it remains an essential concession in the world of gaming, that demonstrate such variety they barely qualify a single creative category.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of gaming accomplishments to be recognized, and for games of all stripes to compete fairly, specific award classifications remain vital.
Existing Game Classification System
Leading game ceremonies currently feature genre categories for Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, RPG experiences, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Collectively, these six categories successfully include numerous genres, allowing placement for most games within them.
This doesn't apply to brain-teasing titles. There’s simply nowhere to put them. Examine these examples from outstanding current releases, all very different: building puzzles from a specific release, the pulse-pounding block-matching from another release, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles of a third title. Where could they possibly go between these six categories? Unfortunately, nowhere.
The Representation Problem
Numerous examples exist excellent brain-teasers released every year lacking appropriate categories in entertainment awards, except when they manage to fit for categories like Mobile Game, Virtual reality experiences, and the highly challenging small studio competitions.
- One classic puzzle game received no recognition in any category in 2014
- Another creative title missed out in 2019
- Well-received sorting experience was overlooked that year
- Only a few brain-teasers scraped into small studio or handheld classifications
Importance of Logic Titles
Frequently they represent compact experiences, however the design behind logic titles carries substantial weight. Iconic mobile puzzle games count as the most-played games worldwide maintaining this status for over a decade.
The famous puzzle experience rivals popular creative games competing to become most purchased experience; it’s also in the running for top gaming experience. Puzzle games are foundational within interactive entertainment, and they are in conversation with almost every other genre.
The Solution and Justification
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter that issue. It would be easy to populate a field of five with fascinating, diverse, deserving games annually without trouble — perhaps, with difficulty, given the need to exclude many worthy titles.
Restating the point, these are games that otherwise have no home during prominent ceremonies. Logic title developers are working at the demanding boundary of video game design, producing among most fundamental forms of gaming itself. Similar to movie stunt professionals, they merit acknowledgment. Don't make them wait generations.
