Each time a significant honors show draws close, you'll find a demand for introducing fresh award types to honor overlooked contributions and fill the spirits of fans with niche passions.
Another commentator made the case supporting a scary games classification. It would be amazing. So would tabletop games, representing someone's personal cause. Yet I need to apologize in advance for pushing forward since similar to single-minded supporters, I have a cast-iron argument for why my demand stands as crucial and important of all. Here's the proposal: It's essential to create an award type for logic-based games.
Categorizing Game Types
Categorizing art by genre defies precise measurement; opinions vary greatly, and inevitably start arguments resulting in unclear classifications. It's understandable that movie academies avoid this approach. Yet it remains an essential concession within the realm of interactive entertainment, showing incredible range they barely qualify as a single art form.
To recognize the complete range of gaming accomplishments to receive acknowledgment, and for games of all stripes to receive proper recognition, specific award classifications remain vital.
Present Award Structure
Leading game ceremonies currently feature award types recognizing Action, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Between them, these six categories successfully include numerous genres, allowing placement for most games within them.
Different situation exists for brain-teasing titles. No suitable classification appears to put them. Think about these outstanding current releases, all very different: structural challenges of one title, intense tile-matching in a different title, engaging interpersonal challenges from additional release. What category would fit them between these six categories? Unfortunately, nowhere.
Recognition Challenges
Many instances occur excellent brain-teasers released every year without proper recognition during gaming ceremonies, if they accidentally match award groups including Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, and the highly challenging independent game categories.
- One classic puzzle game received no recognition in any category in 2014
- Another creative title was excluded during that ceremony
- Well-received sorting experience got ignored that year
- Just some brain-teasers barely qualified for independent or mobile categories
Value of Brain-Teasers
Frequently they represent modest productions, but the art behind logic titles is of massive significance. Iconic mobile puzzle games stand as most popular titles in the world and have been for many years.
The famous puzzle experience rivals well-known building titles competing to become highest-selling title ever; it’s also in the running for top gaming experience. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks to the art of video games, and engaging with almost every other genre.
Recommendation and Reasoning
Logic titles wouldn't face this problem. One could readily select multiple candidates interesting, varied, worthy titles each ceremony simply — actually, with challenge, given the need to exclude so many good games out.
Restating the point, these are games lacking appropriate categories at major gaming awards. Puzzle game makers function at the hard edge game development, creating some of essential manifestations of gaming itself. Just like film action specialists, they merit acknowledgment. Don't make them wait decades.
