As any prominent honors show nears, one notices a demand for the addition fresh award types to acknowledge overlooked contributions and delight the passions of fans dedicated to specific genres.
A fellow writer previously argued supporting a scary games classification. It would be amazing. So would board games, this being a dedicated supporter's campaign. Yet I need to apologize in advance for pushing forward because like all single-minded supporters, I possess a compelling case supporting my request remains most pressing and important of all. Here's the proposal: We need an award type for logic-based games.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Classifying creative works isn't exact; opinions vary greatly, and typically spark debates concluding with vague boundaries. There’s a reason cinema institutions avoid this approach. However, it represents an unavoidable compromise within the realm of interactive entertainment, showing incredible range they barely qualify as a single art form.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of achievement in video games to gain proper attention, and to ensure all game types to receive proper recognition, specific award classifications remain vital.
Present Award Structure
Prominent interactive entertainment events presently include genre categories for Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Collectively, these six categories effectively encompass numerous genres, allowing placement for most games within them.
Not so for logic-based experiences. No suitable classification appears to put them. Examine these examples from this year’s best games, showing diverse approaches: structural challenges of one title, the pulse-pounding block-matching from another release, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles of a third title. Where could they possibly go among existing types? Nowhere, that’s where.
Acknowledgment Issues
Many instances occur of brilliant puzzle games released every year that have no home during gaming ceremonies, if they accidentally match classification types such as Mobile Game, Virtual reality experiences, or the extremely competitive small studio competitions.
- One classic puzzle game received no recognition in any category during that awards season
- Another imaginative release missed out in 2019
- A beloved organization game received no acknowledgment that year
- Just some brain-teasers barely qualified for independent or mobile categories
Value of Brain-Teasers
Frequently they represent small games, yet the craft of the puzzle game holds tremendous importance. Iconic mobile puzzle games rank among most engaged experiences worldwide continuing this trend for over a decade.
The iconic tile-matching title competes with popular creative games competing to become highest-selling title ever; it’s also in the running for best game of all time. Puzzle games are foundational for gaming as medium, while interacting with diverse game types.
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, given the need to exclude so many good games out.
To emphasize again, these include experiences that otherwise have no home at major gaming awards. Logic title developers function at the challenging frontier game development, creating some of the purest expressions within interactive entertainment. Just like movie stunt professionals, they merit acknowledgment. Don't make them wait decades.
