Whenever a significant prize-giving event draws close, one notices an outcry to include of new categories to acknowledge overlooked contributions and delight the passions of fans dedicated to specific genres.
Another commentator previously argued supporting a scary games classification. That would rule. Equally deserving are board games, this being a dedicated supporter's campaign. Yet I need to apologize in advance for pushing forward because like all blinkered fanatics, there's a strong justification backing this proposal remains most pressing and important of all. This is the request: It's essential to create a category for puzzle games.
Categorizing Game Types
Categorizing art by genre isn't exact; it remains highly personal, and typically spark debates concluding with vague boundaries. It's understandable that cinema institutions steer clear of genre categories. Yet it remains an essential concession within the realm of video games, which are so diverse they hardly constitute a single creative category.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of achievement in video games to be recognized, and to ensure all game types to compete fairly, classification by type becomes crucial.
Current Gaming Award Categories
Prominent interactive entertainment events offer these award types recognizing Action, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Between them, these six categories effectively encompass many game types, making space possible for numerous titles.
Different situation exists for logic-based experiences. No appropriate category exists for their placement. Think about these recent excellent titles, all very different: building puzzles from a specific release, fast-paced pattern recognition from another release, engaging interpersonal challenges from additional release. Where could they possibly go between these six categories? Simply put, no category fits.
The Representation Problem
Many instances occur excellent brain-teasers released every year that have no home at major award shows, if they accidentally match classification types such as Mobile Game, Virtual reality experiences, or the extremely competitive Indie races.
- A renowned logic title got overlooked in any category during that awards season
- Another creative title was excluded that year
- A beloved organization game received no acknowledgment that year
- Only a few brain-teasers scraped into niche award types
Significance of Puzzle Games
Frequently they represent modest productions, but the art in brain-teasers carries substantial weight. Iconic mobile puzzle games count as most engaged experiences worldwide continuing this trend for over a decade.
The legendary block-stacking game challenges popular creative games claiming status as most purchased experience; it’s also in the running for best game of all time. Puzzle games are foundational within interactive entertainment, and engaging with diverse game types.
Proposal and Rationale
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter such difficulty. It would be easy to populate multiple candidates with fascinating, diverse, deserving games annually without trouble — perhaps, with difficulty, given the need to exclude numerous deserving experiences.
Restating the point, these are games without proper classification at major gaming awards. Brain-teaser creators are working at the challenging frontier of video game design, creating some of essential manifestations within interactive entertainment. Similar to movie stunt professionals, they merit acknowledgment. We shouldn't delay 35 years.
