As any prominent honors show draws close, there’s always a clamor for the addition fresh award types to recognize unsung work and fill the spirits of followers with niche passions.
My colleague previously argued for a horror game category. That would be fantastic. So would strategy board titles, this being a dedicated supporter's campaign. However, I must insist if I try to elbow in front because like all dedicated enthusiasts, I possess a compelling case backing this proposal is the most urgent above others. Here's the proposal: There should be a category for puzzle games.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Categorizing art by genre isn't exact; it’s very subjective, and it will always generate discussions and end in fuzzy definitions. There’s a reason cinema institutions steer clear of genre categories. However, it represents a necessary evil within the realm of video games, that demonstrate such variety they hardly constitute as a single art form.
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
Leading game ceremonies offer these classifications covering Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, RPG experiences, Fighting, Simulation and strategy titles, plus athletic and racing experiences. Collectively, these award types effectively encompass a lot of ground, allowing placement accommodating various experiences.
Different situation exists for puzzle games. No appropriate category exists for their placement. Consider three of outstanding current releases, each quite distinct: the architectural riddles from a specific release, fast-paced pattern recognition from another release, engaging interpersonal challenges from additional release. Which classification works between these six categories? Simply put, no category fits.
Acknowledgment Issues
Many instances occur of brilliant puzzle games published annually lacking appropriate categories in entertainment awards, except when they manage to fit award groups including Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, or the intensely contested independent game categories.
- An iconic brain-teaser got overlooked for anything during that awards season
- Another imaginative release was excluded in 2019
- Well-received sorting experience got ignored that year
- Limited numbers of logic titles managed to sneak into niche award types
Significance of Puzzle Games
Commonly they're compact experiences, but the art in brain-teasers carries substantial weight. Iconic mobile puzzle games count as the most-played games in the world continuing this trend for an extended period.
The famous puzzle experience rivals popular creative games for the title of best-selling game of all time; it’s also in the running for top gaming experience. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks for gaming as medium, and engaging with almost every other genre.
The Solution and Justification
Logic titles wouldn't face such difficulty. It would be easy to populate five nominees engaging, different, qualified experiences each ceremony simply — actually, with challenge, given the need to exclude many worthy titles.
Restating the point, these represent titles lacking appropriate categories in important events. Puzzle game makers function at the demanding boundary interactive creation, creating some of most fundamental forms within interactive entertainment. Just like movie stunt professionals, they merit acknowledgment. Don't make them wait 35 years.
