As any prominent honors show nears, there’s always a clamor for the addition fresh award types to honor overlooked contributions and fill the hearts of enthusiasts who have specialized interests.
Another commentator previously argued advocating for terror-themed awards. It would be amazing. Equally deserving are tabletop games, this being a passionate advocate's mission. However, I must insist for pushing forward just as with other dedicated enthusiasts, I possess a compelling case supporting my request remains most pressing and significant. This is the request: There should be a classification for brain-teasing titles.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Classifying creative works is not a science; it remains highly personal, and typically start arguments resulting in unclear classifications. It's understandable that film award organizations avoid this approach. Yet it remains a necessary evil in the world of video games, showing incredible range they hardly constitute as a single art form.
To recognize the complete range of achievement in video games to be recognized, and for games of all stripes to compete fairly, classification by type becomes crucial.
Present Award Structure
The major gaming awards presently include award types recognizing Action, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Fighting, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these six categories actually cover many game types, making space possible accommodating various experiences.
Different situation exists for puzzle games. No suitable classification appears to accommodate them. Consider three of this year’s best games, all very different: the architectural riddles of one title, the pulse-pounding block-matching from another release, engaging interpersonal challenges in another game. What category would fit them between these six categories? Unfortunately, nowhere.
Acknowledgment Issues
There are dozens excellent brain-teasers published annually lacking appropriate categories at major award shows, if they accidentally match award groups including Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, and the highly challenging small studio competitions.
- A renowned logic title wasn’t nominated for anything during that awards season
- Another creative title received no nominations that year
- Well-received sorting experience got ignored in 2021
- Just some puzzle games barely qualified for niche award types
Significance of Puzzle Games
These are often small games, however the design behind logic titles holds tremendous importance. Iconic mobile puzzle games stand as the most-played games in the world maintaining this status for an extended period.
The famous puzzle experience rivals famous sandbox experiences claiming status as highest-selling title ever; it also contends as greatest title ever. Puzzle games are foundational for gaming as medium, and they are in conversation with almost every other genre.
Recommendation and Reasoning
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter this problem. One could readily select a field of five interesting, varied, worthy titles each ceremony simply — perhaps, with difficulty, since numerous excellent so many good games out.
Restating the point, these represent titles lacking appropriate categories in important events. Brain-teaser creators are working at the challenging frontier game development, creating some of the purest expressions of the video game form. Just like film action specialists, they warrant appreciation. Don't make them wait decades.
