Whenever a significant awards ceremony approaches, one notices an outcry to include of new categories to honor unsung work and satisfy the hearts of enthusiasts who have specialized interests.
Another commentator previously argued for a horror game category. That would rule. Equally deserving are board games, representing someone's personal cause. But they will have to forgive me if I try to elbow in front because like all single-minded supporters, I have a cast-iron argument for why my demand is the most urgent and important of all. This is the request: There should be a category for puzzle games.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Categorizing art by genre is not a science; it’s very subjective, and it will always start arguments and end in fuzzy definitions. There’s a reason cinema institutions steer clear of genre categories. But it is an essential concession for the industry of video games, which are so diverse they hardly constitute one unified medium.
For the full spectrum of gaming accomplishments to gain proper attention, and for games of all stripes to have a chance for representation, classification by type becomes crucial.
Present Award Structure
Leading game ceremonies currently feature genre categories for Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these six categories actually cover numerous genres, and you can find room for most games within them.
Different situation exists for brain-teasing titles. No suitable classification appears for their placement. Examine these examples from this year’s best games, all very different: the architectural riddles of one title, intense tile-matching of another game, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles from additional release. Which classification works among existing types? Nowhere, that’s where.
Recognition Challenges
Numerous examples exist of brilliant puzzle games launched regularly without proper recognition in entertainment awards, except when they manage to fit award groups including Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, or the intensely contested small studio competitions.
- An iconic brain-teaser wasn’t nominated in any category that year
- Another creative title received no nominations that year
- Popular arranging title got ignored that year
- Only a few logic titles managed to sneak into niche award types
Significance of Puzzle Games
Commonly they're small games, however the design in brain-teasers carries substantial weight. Well-known matching games stand as the most-played games globally and have been for an extended period.
The legendary block-stacking game rivals popular creative games competing to become most purchased experience; 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
Logic titles wouldn't face such difficulty. You could fill five nominees with fascinating, diverse, deserving games every year with ease — actually, with challenge, because you’d have to leave so many good games out.
And to reiterate, these are games that otherwise have no home during prominent ceremonies. Brain-teaser creators are working at the hard edge interactive creation, creating some of the purest expressions within interactive entertainment. Just like movie stunt professionals, they deserve recognition. We shouldn't delay 35 years.
