As any major awards ceremony approaches, you'll find a clamor for the addition of new categories to honor unsung work and fill the hearts of fans who have specialized interests.
A fellow writer previously argued advocating for terror-themed awards. That would rule. So would board games, which is a passionate advocate's mission. However, I must insist when I prioritize because like all dedicated enthusiasts, I have a cast-iron argument backing this proposal stands as crucial above others. Here's the proposal: We need an award type for logic-based games.
Categorizing Game Types
Classifying creative works is not a science; it’s very subjective, and typically generate discussions and end in fuzzy definitions. It's understandable that movie academies steer clear of genre categories. But it is an unavoidable compromise for the industry of video games, that demonstrate such variety they barely qualify a single creative category.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of achievement in video games to gain proper attention, and for games of all stripes to compete fairly, specific award classifications remain vital.
Present Award Structure
The major gaming awards currently feature classifications covering Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these six categories effectively encompass numerous genres, making space possible for most games within them.
Not so for brain-teasing titles. There’s simply nowhere to put them. Consider three of recent excellent titles, showing diverse approaches: building puzzles of one title, the pulse-pounding block-matching from another release, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles in another game. Which classification works among existing types? Simply put, no category fits.
Acknowledgment Issues
Numerous examples exist excellent brain-teasers launched regularly lacking appropriate categories at major award shows, if they accidentally match classification types such as Mobile Game, Virtual reality experiences, or the intensely contested small studio competitions.
- An iconic brain-teaser got overlooked in any category that year
- Another imaginative release missed out during that ceremony
- A beloved organization game received no acknowledgment in 2021
- Only a few puzzle games scraped into small studio or handheld classifications
Value of Brain-Teasers
These are often small games, but the art in brain-teasers carries substantial weight. Well-known matching games rank among most popular titles globally and have been for an extended period.
The iconic tile-matching title challenges popular creative games competing to become highest-selling title ever; it’s also in the running for best game of all time. Logic titles represent cornerstones to the art of video games, while interacting with almost every other genre.
The Solution and Justification
Puzzle games wouldn’t have this problem. You could fill five nominees engaging, different, qualified experiences annually without trouble — actually, with challenge, given the need to exclude numerous deserving experiences.
To emphasize again, these include experiences without proper classification in important events. Brain-teaser creators operate at the challenging frontier interactive creation, developing some of most fundamental forms within interactive entertainment. Similar to film action specialists, they warrant appreciation. Let’s not keep them waiting decades.
