Whenever a major awards ceremony draws close, you'll find an outcry for the addition additional classifications to acknowledge underappreciated efforts and delight the hearts of enthusiasts with niche passions.
Another commentator has already made for a horror game category. That would rule. The same goes for tabletop games, this being someone's personal cause. But they will have to forgive me for pushing forward because like all single-minded supporters, there's a strong justification backing this proposal remains most pressing and significant. Here's the proposal: We need an award type for logic-based games.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Categorizing art by genre defies precise measurement; it remains highly personal, and it will always start arguments resulting in unclear classifications. It's understandable that film award organizations steer clear of genre categories. However, it represents a necessary evil within the realm of gaming, that demonstrate such variety they hardly constitute a single creative category.
For the full spectrum of achievement in video games to receive acknowledgment, while allowing diverse titles to have a chance for representation, specific award classifications remain vital.
Present Award Structure
Leading game ceremonies offer these classifications covering Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, RPG experiences, Fighting, Simulation and strategy titles, plus athletic and racing experiences. Together, these six categories actually cover a lot of ground, allowing placement for most games within them.
Different situation exists for puzzle games. No appropriate category exists for their placement. Consider three of this year’s best games, all very different: the architectural riddles of one title, the pulse-pounding block-matching from another release, engaging interpersonal challenges from additional release. Which classification works between these six categories? Nowhere, that’s where.
Recognition Challenges
Numerous examples exist outstanding logic titles launched regularly lacking appropriate categories in entertainment awards, unless they happen to qualify award groups including Mobile Game, Virtual reality experiences, and the highly challenging small studio competitions.
- A renowned logic title wasn’t nominated in any category that year
- Another imaginative release was excluded in 2019
- Well-received sorting experience received no acknowledgment that year
- Just some puzzle games scraped into niche award types
Value of Brain-Teasers
Commonly they're small games, however the design behind logic titles holds tremendous importance. Famous handheld logic titles rank among most engaged experiences globally and have been for many years.
The legendary block-stacking game rivals popular creative games claiming status as highest-selling title ever; it’s also in the running as greatest title ever. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks for gaming as medium, and they are in conversation with almost every other genre.
Recommendation and Reasoning
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter that issue. One could readily select five nominees interesting, varied, worthy titles each ceremony simply — or rather, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave many worthy titles.
Restating the point, these include experiences without proper classification during prominent ceremonies. Brain-teaser creators function at the demanding boundary of video game design, developing some of most fundamental forms within interactive entertainment. Similar to cinema stunt performers, they merit acknowledgment. We shouldn't delay decades.
