Each time a major honors show nears, there’s always an outcry for introducing of new categories to honor unsung work and fill the spirits of enthusiasts with niche passions.
A fellow writer has already made for a horror game category. That would be fantastic. The same goes for tabletop games, representing a dedicated supporter's campaign. But they will have to forgive me when I prioritize since similar to blinkered fanatics, I have a cast-iron argument supporting my request remains most pressing and significant. The demand is this: There should be an award type for logic-based games.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Categorizing art by genre defies precise measurement; it remains highly personal, and it will always spark debates and end in fuzzy definitions. It's understandable that movie academies steer clear of genre categories. However, it represents an essential concession for the industry of interactive entertainment, which are so diverse it's challenging to consider them as a single art form.
For the full spectrum of interactive entertainment excellence to gain proper attention, while allowing diverse titles to receive proper recognition, genre categories are essential.
Existing Game Classification System
Leading game ceremonies currently feature classifications covering Action, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these award types successfully include a lot of ground, and you can find room for numerous titles.
Different situation exists for brain-teasing titles. There’s simply nowhere for their placement. Think about these outstanding current releases, showing diverse approaches: the architectural riddles in a particular game, the pulse-pounding block-matching in a different title, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles in another game. Which classification works between these six categories? Simply put, no category fits.
Acknowledgment Issues
There are dozens outstanding logic titles released every year without proper recognition at major award shows, except when they manage to fit for categories like Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, or the extremely competitive Indie races.
- One classic puzzle game got overlooked completely during that awards season
- A different innovative game received no nominations during that ceremony
- Popular arranging title was overlooked in 2021
- Just some logic titles managed to sneak into niche award types
Significance of Puzzle Games
These are often small games, however the design in brain-teasers carries substantial weight. Iconic mobile puzzle games count as most popular titles in the world and have been for over a decade.
The legendary block-stacking game competes with popular creative games claiming status as most purchased experience; it also contends as greatest title ever. 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 that issue. You could fill a field of five with fascinating, diverse, deserving games every year with ease — or rather, with difficulty, given the need to exclude many worthy titles.
And to reiterate, these are games without proper classification in important events. Logic title developers are working at the demanding boundary game development, developing some of essential manifestations of gaming itself. Just like film action specialists, they warrant appreciation. Don't make them wait decades.
