Whenever a major prize-giving event approaches, there’s always a clamor to include of new categories to recognize underappreciated efforts and satisfy the spirits of followers with niche passions.
Another commentator has already made advocating for terror-themed awards. That would rule. So would tabletop games, this being a passionate advocate's mission. However, I must insist when I prioritize because like all dedicated enthusiasts, there's a strong justification backing this proposal remains most pressing and significant. The demand is this: There should be a category for puzzle games.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Categorizing art by genre is not a science; it’s very subjective, and inevitably generate discussions resulting in unclear classifications. There’s a reason movie academies avoid this approach. Yet it remains an essential concession within the realm of video games, which are so diverse it's challenging to consider them a single creative category.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of gaming accomplishments to receive acknowledgment, and for games of all stripes to compete fairly, classification by type becomes crucial.
Present Award Structure
Prominent interactive entertainment events currently feature genre categories for Action, Adventure-action titles, RPG experiences, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these award types successfully include numerous genres, allowing placement for numerous titles.
Not so for logic-based experiences. No appropriate category exists to put them. Think about these outstanding current releases, all very different: building puzzles of one title, fast-paced pattern recognition of another game, engaging interpersonal challenges from additional release. Which classification works within current classifications? Unfortunately, nowhere.
Recognition Challenges
Numerous examples exist of brilliant puzzle games released every year that have no home at major award shows, unless they happen to qualify award groups including Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, or the extremely competitive small studio competitions.
- A renowned logic title got overlooked in any category in 2014
- A different innovative game missed out in 2019
- A beloved organization game received no acknowledgment in 2021
- Limited numbers of brain-teasers managed to sneak into niche award types
Importance of Logic Titles
Commonly they're compact experiences, but the art behind logic titles is of massive significance. Iconic mobile puzzle games stand as most engaged experiences in the world continuing this trend for over a decade.
The famous puzzle experience challenges well-known building titles claiming status as best-selling game of all time; it’s also in the running for top gaming experience. Puzzle games are foundational within interactive entertainment, while interacting with almost every other genre.
Recommendation and Reasoning
Logic titles wouldn't face this problem. It would be easy to populate a field of five interesting, varied, worthy titles annually without trouble — or rather, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave so many good games out.
Restating the point, these include experiences without proper classification in important events. Puzzle game makers are working at the hard edge of video game design, developing some of most fundamental forms within interactive entertainment. Similar to cinema stunt performers, they deserve recognition. Don't make them wait 35 years.
