Whenever a prominent awards ceremony approaches, there’s always an outcry to include of new categories to honor unsung work and satisfy the passions of fans dedicated to specific genres.
A fellow writer made the case for a horror game category. It would be amazing. Equally deserving are board games, which is a passionate advocate's mission. However, I must insist when I prioritize since similar to blinkered fanatics, I possess a compelling case supporting my request stands as crucial above others. This is the request: It's essential to create a category for puzzle games.
Categorizing Game Types
Organizing artistic expressions defies precise measurement; it remains highly personal, and typically start arguments and end in fuzzy definitions. This explains why cinema institutions don’t do it. Yet it remains an essential concession in the world of gaming, that demonstrate such variety it's challenging to consider them one unified medium.
To recognize the complete range of gaming accomplishments to be recognized, while allowing diverse titles to receive proper recognition, classification by type becomes crucial.
Existing Game Classification System
The major gaming awards presently include genre categories for Action, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Between them, these classifications effectively encompass a lot of ground, allowing placement for numerous titles.
This doesn't apply to puzzle games. No suitable classification appears for their placement. Think about these recent excellent titles, each quite distinct: the architectural riddles of one title, the pulse-pounding block-matching of another game, thought-provoking social scenarios from additional release. Which classification works between these six categories? Simply put, no category fits.
Recognition Challenges
Numerous examples exist excellent brain-teasers published annually that have no home in entertainment awards, if they accidentally match for categories like Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, or the intensely contested Indie races.
- An iconic brain-teaser received no recognition for anything that year
- A different innovative game was excluded that year
- Well-received sorting experience was overlooked that year
- Just some brain-teasers barely qualified for independent or mobile categories
Importance of Logic Titles
These are often small games, however the design of the puzzle game carries substantial weight. Iconic mobile puzzle games stand as most engaged experiences in the world and have been for an extended period.
The legendary block-stacking game competes with famous sandbox experiences claiming status as best-selling game of all time; it’s also in the running for top gaming experience. Logic titles represent cornerstones to the art of video games, and they are in conversation across multiple categories.
Recommendation and Reasoning
Puzzle games wouldn’t have such difficulty. One could readily select multiple candidates engaging, different, qualified experiences annually without trouble — perhaps, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave many worthy titles.
And to reiterate, these include experiences that otherwise have no home at major gaming awards. Puzzle game makers function at the demanding boundary of video game design, creating some of most fundamental forms within interactive entertainment. Just like film action specialists, they warrant appreciation. Don't make them wait generations.
