Whenever a prominent awards ceremony draws close, there’s always an outcry to include of new categories to honor underappreciated efforts and fill the hearts of enthusiasts dedicated to specific genres.
A fellow writer made the case advocating for terror-themed awards. It would be amazing. So would board games, this being someone's personal cause. However, I must insist if I try to elbow in front just as with other dedicated enthusiasts, I have a cast-iron argument backing this proposal is the most urgent and significant. Here's the proposal: There should be an award type for logic-based games.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Categorizing art by genre is not a science; it’s very subjective, and it will always spark debates resulting in unclear classifications. It's understandable that cinema institutions avoid this approach. However, it represents a necessary evil for the industry of interactive entertainment, that demonstrate such variety they barely qualify one unified medium.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of interactive entertainment excellence to receive acknowledgment, and for games of all stripes to receive proper recognition, specific award classifications remain vital.
Present Award Structure
Prominent interactive entertainment events presently include award types recognizing Action, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Fighting, Simulation and strategy titles, plus athletic and racing experiences. Between them, these classifications actually cover many game types, making space possible for most games within them.
This doesn't apply to puzzle games. No appropriate category exists for their placement. Consider three of this year’s best games, each quite distinct: the architectural riddles in a particular game, intense tile-matching in a different title, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles in another game. Where could they possibly go between these six categories? Simply put, no category fits.
Recognition Challenges
Numerous examples exist excellent brain-teasers launched regularly lacking appropriate categories during gaming ceremonies, unless they happen to qualify for categories like Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, or the extremely competitive small studio competitions.
- One classic puzzle game got overlooked in any category in 2014
- Another creative title received no nominations in 2019
- Well-received sorting experience was overlooked in 2021
- Just some logic titles managed to sneak into independent or mobile categories
Significance of Puzzle Games
Frequently they represent small games, however the design behind logic titles is of massive significance. Well-known matching games count as most engaged experiences globally maintaining this status for many years.
The iconic tile-matching title rivals famous sandbox experiences claiming status as highest-selling title ever; it also contends for top gaming experience. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks for gaming as medium, and they are in conversation with diverse game types.
Recommendation and Reasoning
Logic titles wouldn't face such difficulty. One could readily select five nominees engaging, different, qualified experiences every year with ease — or rather, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave numerous deserving experiences.
Restating the point, these represent titles lacking appropriate categories during prominent ceremonies. Puzzle game makers function at the challenging frontier game development, developing some of most fundamental forms of gaming itself. Just like cinema stunt performers, they deserve recognition. We shouldn't delay 35 years.
