Whenever a prominent awards ceremony approaches, there’s always a demand for the addition of new categories to recognize underappreciated efforts and delight the spirits of enthusiasts dedicated to specific genres.
My colleague previously argued for a horror game category. That would be fantastic. Equally deserving are board games, this being a passionate advocate's mission. Yet I need to apologize in advance when I prioritize because like all dedicated enthusiasts, I have a cast-iron argument backing this proposal stands as crucial and significant. Here's the proposal: We need a classification for brain-teasing titles.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Classifying creative works defies precise measurement; it remains highly personal, and typically spark debates and end in fuzzy definitions. It's understandable that film award organizations avoid this approach. But it is an essential concession in the world of gaming, which are so diverse they hardly constitute a single creative category.
To recognize the complete range of achievement in video games to be recognized, while allowing diverse titles to compete fairly, specific award classifications remain vital.
Existing Game Classification System
Prominent interactive entertainment events currently feature genre categories for Action, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Between them, these award types actually cover a lot of ground, and you can find room for numerous titles.
Different situation exists for brain-teasing titles. There’s simply nowhere to put them. Consider three of this year’s best games, each quite distinct: the architectural riddles from a specific release, intense tile-matching from another release, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles of a third title. Which classification works among existing types? Unfortunately, nowhere.
The Representation Problem
There are dozens outstanding logic titles published annually that have no home during gaming ceremonies, unless they happen to qualify award groups including Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, or the intensely contested Indie races.
- A renowned logic title wasn’t nominated for anything during that awards season
- Another imaginative release was excluded that year
- A beloved organization game was overlooked that year
- Limited numbers of puzzle games scraped into niche award types
Value of Brain-Teasers
Commonly they're small games, however the design behind logic titles holds tremendous importance. Iconic mobile puzzle games rank among the most-played games globally continuing this trend for an extended period.
The iconic tile-matching title rivals well-known building titles claiming status as most purchased experience; it additionally competes as greatest title ever. Logic titles represent cornerstones within interactive entertainment, and engaging with almost every other genre.
The Solution and Justification
Puzzle games wouldn’t have such difficulty. It would be easy to populate five nominees interesting, varied, worthy titles annually without trouble — actually, with challenge, given the need to exclude many worthy titles.
Restating the point, these are games without proper classification in important events. Brain-teaser creators operate at the challenging frontier of video game design, creating some of most fundamental forms of gaming itself. Similar to movie stunt professionals, they warrant appreciation. Don't make them wait generations.
