Whenever a prominent honors show nears, you'll find an outcry for introducing additional classifications to honor unsung work and satisfy the passions of fans with niche passions.
Another commentator previously argued advocating for terror-themed awards. That would rule. The same goes for strategy board titles, this being someone's personal cause. But they will have to forgive me when I prioritize because like all dedicated enthusiasts, I have a cast-iron argument for why my demand stands as crucial and significant. The demand is this: We need a classification for brain-teasing titles.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Categorizing art by genre is not a science; opinions vary greatly, and typically generate discussions resulting in unclear classifications. There’s a reason cinema institutions steer clear of genre categories. But it is a necessary evil in the world of video games, which are so diverse it's challenging to consider them as a single art form.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of gaming accomplishments 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 currently feature genre categories for Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Between them, these six categories actually cover many game types, and you can find room for most games within them.
Not so for puzzle games. No suitable classification appears to accommodate them. Examine these examples from this year’s best games, showing diverse approaches: structural challenges from a specific release, intense tile-matching in a different title, engaging interpersonal challenges in another game. What category would fit them within current classifications? Nowhere, that’s where.
Recognition Challenges
There are dozens of brilliant puzzle games published annually without proper recognition during gaming ceremonies, unless they happen to qualify award groups including Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, and the highly challenging independent game categories.
- An iconic brain-teaser wasn’t nominated for anything during that awards season
- Another creative title was excluded in 2019
- Popular arranging title was overlooked recently
- Only a few logic titles barely qualified for small studio or handheld classifications
Value of Brain-Teasers
These are often modest productions, yet the craft of the puzzle game carries substantial weight. Famous handheld logic titles count as most engaged experiences in the world and have been for an extended period.
The famous puzzle experience challenges well-known building titles claiming status as most purchased experience; it’s also in the running as greatest title ever. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks to the art of video games, and engaging with diverse game types.
Proposal and Rationale
Logic titles wouldn't face this problem. You could fill multiple candidates interesting, varied, worthy titles every year with ease — perhaps, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave many worthy titles.
Restating the point, these include experiences that otherwise have no home in important events. Logic title developers function at the hard edge interactive creation, producing among the purest expressions of the video game form. Similar to movie stunt professionals, they merit acknowledgment. Don't make them wait decades.
