Whenever a major honors show draws close, you'll find a demand for the addition fresh award types to acknowledge unsung work and fill the spirits of fans who have specialized interests.
Another commentator previously argued supporting a scary games classification. That would rule. The same goes for tabletop games, representing a passionate advocate's mission. However, I must insist if I try to elbow in front since similar to blinkered fanatics, I possess a compelling case supporting my request stands as crucial above others. This is the request: There should be an award type for logic-based games.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Classifying creative works is not a science; it remains highly personal, and inevitably generate discussions concluding with vague boundaries. It's understandable that movie academies steer clear of genre categories. Yet it remains an essential concession in the world of video games, which are so diverse they barely qualify a single creative category.
To recognize the complete range of achievement in video games to receive acknowledgment, and to ensure all game types to compete fairly, classification by type becomes crucial.
Current Gaming Award Categories
Leading game ceremonies presently include classifications covering Action, Adventure-action titles, RPG experiences, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Between them, these classifications effectively encompass numerous genres, allowing placement for most games within them.
Not so for logic-based experiences. No suitable classification appears to accommodate them. Consider three of this year’s best games, each quite distinct: building puzzles of one title, the pulse-pounding block-matching in a different title, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles from additional release. What category would fit them within current classifications? Nowhere, that’s where.
The Representation Problem
There are dozens outstanding logic titles published annually lacking appropriate categories in entertainment awards, if they accidentally match award groups including Handheld titles, Virtual reality experiences, and the highly challenging independent game categories.
- A renowned logic title received no recognition for anything in 2014
- A different innovative game was excluded during that ceremony
- Well-received sorting experience received no acknowledgment that year
- Limited numbers of logic titles barely qualified for small studio or handheld classifications
Significance of Puzzle Games
These are often modest productions, but the art in brain-teasers is of massive significance. Iconic mobile puzzle games stand as most popular titles globally maintaining this status for over a decade.
The famous puzzle experience challenges well-known building titles for the title of most purchased experience; it’s also in the running for best game of all time. Puzzle games are foundational for gaming as medium, and they are in conversation with almost every other genre.
Proposal and Rationale
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter this problem. It would be easy to populate five nominees with fascinating, diverse, deserving games annually without trouble — actually, with challenge, since numerous excellent many worthy titles.
And to reiterate, these represent titles that otherwise have no home at major gaming awards. Brain-teaser creators operate at the hard edge of video game design, creating some of most fundamental forms within interactive entertainment. Comparable to film action specialists, they merit acknowledgment. We shouldn't delay decades.
