Whenever a significant prize-giving event draws close, there’s always an outcry for introducing of new categories to acknowledge overlooked contributions and satisfy the hearts of followers who have specialized interests.
A fellow writer has already made supporting a scary games classification. That would rule. Equally deserving are tabletop games, which is someone's personal cause. But they will have to forgive me for pushing forward because like all dedicated enthusiasts, I possess a compelling case backing this proposal stands as crucial above others. This is the request: There should be a category for puzzle games.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Categorizing art by genre isn't exact; it remains highly personal, and it will always start arguments and end in fuzzy definitions. There’s a reason movie academies avoid this approach. Yet it remains a necessary evil in the world of interactive entertainment, that demonstrate such variety it's challenging to consider them as a single art form.
For the full spectrum of achievement in video games to be recognized, and for games of all stripes to have a chance for representation, classification by type becomes crucial.
Present Award Structure
The major gaming awards currently feature award types recognizing Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Between them, these award types effectively encompass a lot of ground, making space possible for numerous titles.
Different situation exists for brain-teasing titles. There’s simply nowhere for their placement. Think about these recent excellent titles, all very different: building puzzles in a particular game, the pulse-pounding block-matching of another game, engaging interpersonal challenges from additional release. Where could they possibly go between these six categories? Unfortunately, nowhere.
Recognition Challenges
Many instances occur of brilliant puzzle games published annually that have no home during gaming ceremonies, except when they manage to fit award groups including Handheld titles, Virtual reality experiences, or the extremely competitive Indie races.
- An iconic brain-teaser received no recognition for anything during that awards season
- A different innovative game missed out in 2019
- Popular arranging title received no acknowledgment in 2021
- Limited numbers of puzzle games scraped into niche award types
Importance of Logic Titles
Frequently they represent modest productions, however the design in brain-teasers carries substantial weight. Iconic mobile puzzle games count as most engaged experiences in the world maintaining this status for many years.
The legendary block-stacking game competes with famous sandbox experiences for the title of most purchased experience; it’s also in the running for best game of all time. Puzzle games are foundational within interactive entertainment, while interacting across multiple categories.
The Solution and Justification
Puzzle games wouldn’t have this problem. You could fill five nominees engaging, different, qualified experiences each ceremony simply — perhaps, with difficulty, since numerous excellent so many good games out.
And to reiterate, these represent titles without proper classification in important events. Puzzle game makers are working at the demanding boundary of video game design, developing some of most fundamental forms of the video game form. Similar to cinema stunt performers, they deserve recognition. Don't make them wait 35 years.
