Whenever a significant prize-giving event approaches, one notices a clamor to include additional classifications to honor unsung work and delight the hearts of fans with niche passions.
A fellow writer previously argued supporting a scary games classification. That would rule. So would strategy board titles, representing someone's personal cause. Yet I need to apologize in advance if I try to elbow in front because like all single-minded supporters, I have a cast-iron argument backing this proposal is the most urgent and significant. Here's the proposal: It's essential to create an award type for logic-based games.
Categorizing Game Types
Classifying creative works defies precise measurement; it remains highly personal, and it will always start arguments concluding with vague boundaries. This explains why film award organizations don’t do it. Yet it remains an essential concession within the realm of interactive entertainment, which are so diverse it's challenging to consider them one unified medium.
For the full spectrum of interactive entertainment excellence to gain proper attention, while allowing diverse titles to receive proper recognition, specific award classifications remain vital.
Existing Game Classification System
Leading game ceremonies presently include genre categories for Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, plus athletic and racing experiences. Collectively, these classifications effectively encompass many game types, and you can find room for most games within them.
Not so for puzzle games. No suitable classification appears to put them. Consider three of this year’s best games, all very different: structural challenges of one title, the pulse-pounding block-matching in a different title, engaging interpersonal challenges from additional release. What category would fit them within current classifications? Simply put, no category fits.
The Representation Problem
There are dozens of brilliant puzzle games launched regularly that have no home during gaming ceremonies, unless they happen to qualify award groups including Mobile Game, Virtual reality experiences, and the highly challenging independent game categories.
- One classic puzzle game wasn’t nominated in any category in 2014
- Another creative title received no nominations during that ceremony
- A beloved organization game got ignored that year
- Only a few puzzle games managed to sneak into independent or mobile categories
Importance of Logic Titles
Frequently they represent modest productions, yet the craft of the puzzle game is of massive significance. Famous handheld logic titles count as most engaged experiences worldwide and have been for over a decade.
The legendary block-stacking game rivals well-known building titles 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.
Proposal and Rationale
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter such difficulty. It would be easy to populate five nominees interesting, varied, worthy titles each ceremony simply — or rather, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave numerous deserving experiences.
To emphasize again, these are games without proper classification during prominent ceremonies. Puzzle game makers operate at the challenging frontier game development, developing some of essential manifestations of the video game form. Comparable to cinema stunt performers, they deserve recognition. Let’s not keep them waiting 35 years.
