Each time a major prize-giving event nears, you'll find an outcry for the addition of new categories to acknowledge overlooked contributions and fill the hearts of followers who have specialized interests.
A fellow writer made the case supporting a scary games classification. That would be fantastic. So would strategy board titles, representing someone's personal cause. But they will have to forgive me if I try to elbow in front because like all dedicated enthusiasts, I possess a compelling case backing this proposal stands as crucial and important of all. Here's the proposal: We need a category for puzzle games.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Organizing artistic expressions defies precise measurement; opinions vary greatly, and it will always spark debates and end in fuzzy definitions. It's understandable that cinema institutions steer clear of genre categories. But it is a necessary evil in the world of video games, which are so diverse it's challenging to consider them a single creative category.
For the full spectrum of gaming accomplishments to receive acknowledgment, while allowing diverse titles to have a chance for representation, genre categories are essential.
Existing Game Classification System
Leading game ceremonies currently feature genre categories for Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, RPG experiences, Fighting, Simulation and strategy titles, plus athletic and racing experiences. Together, these classifications effectively encompass many game types, making space possible accommodating various experiences.
Not so for puzzle games. No suitable classification appears to put them. Examine these examples from recent excellent titles, all very different: building puzzles in a particular game, the pulse-pounding block-matching from another release, thought-provoking social scenarios in another game. Where could they possibly go among existing types? Nowhere, that’s where.
Recognition Challenges
There are dozens excellent brain-teasers published annually lacking appropriate categories in entertainment awards, unless they happen to qualify award groups including Mobile Game, Virtual reality experiences, or the extremely competitive Indie races.
- One classic puzzle game wasn’t nominated for anything in 2014
- A different innovative game was excluded in 2019
- A beloved organization game was overlooked recently
- Only a few brain-teasers barely qualified for niche award types
Value of Brain-Teasers
These are often compact experiences, yet the craft behind logic titles is of massive significance. Famous handheld logic titles rank among most engaged experiences worldwide continuing this trend for an extended period.
The legendary block-stacking game challenges famous sandbox experiences for the title of highest-selling title ever; it’s also in the running for top gaming experience. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks within interactive entertainment, and they are in conversation across multiple categories.
Recommendation and Reasoning
Puzzle games wouldn’t have this problem. It would be easy to populate a field of five engaging, different, qualified experiences each ceremony simply — actually, with challenge, given the need to exclude many worthy titles.
Restating the point, these are games lacking appropriate categories at major gaming awards. Logic title developers function at the challenging frontier interactive creation, developing some of most fundamental forms of gaming itself. Just like film action specialists, they warrant appreciation. Don't make them wait generations.
