As any prominent honors show nears, there’s always an outcry for introducing additional classifications to acknowledge overlooked contributions and delight the passions of fans who have specialized interests.
Another commentator made the case supporting a scary games classification. That would rule. Equally deserving are board games, representing a passionate advocate's mission. But they will have to forgive me for pushing forward just as with other dedicated enthusiasts, I possess a compelling case backing this proposal remains most pressing and important of all. Here's the proposal: It's essential to create a classification for brain-teasing titles.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Classifying creative works isn't exact; opinions vary greatly, and it will always start arguments resulting in unclear classifications. This explains why cinema institutions steer clear of genre categories. However, it represents a necessary evil for the industry of interactive entertainment, that demonstrate such variety they hardly constitute one unified medium.
For the full spectrum of achievement in video games to gain proper attention, and for games of all stripes to have a chance for representation, specific award classifications remain vital.
Present Award Structure
The major gaming awards currently feature genre categories for Action, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Between them, these award types effectively encompass many game types, allowing placement accommodating various experiences.
Not so for logic-based experiences. There’s simply nowhere to accommodate them. Consider three of outstanding current releases, each quite distinct: building puzzles from a specific release, the pulse-pounding block-matching in a different title, engaging interpersonal challenges in another game. Which classification works between these six categories? Nowhere, that’s where.
Acknowledgment Issues
There are dozens excellent brain-teasers published annually without proper recognition in entertainment awards, unless they happen to qualify classification types such as Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, or the intensely contested independent game categories.
- An iconic brain-teaser got overlooked completely in 2014
- A different innovative game received no nominations that year
- Well-received sorting experience received no acknowledgment that year
- Only a few puzzle games managed to sneak into independent or mobile categories
Importance of Logic Titles
Frequently they represent compact experiences, yet the craft in brain-teasers holds tremendous importance. Famous handheld logic titles count as the most-played games globally and have been for over a decade.
The iconic tile-matching title challenges famous sandbox experiences claiming status as highest-selling title ever; it additionally competes for best game of all time. Puzzle games are foundational for gaming as medium, and they are in conversation across multiple categories.
The Solution and Justification
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter that issue. You could fill multiple candidates engaging, different, qualified experiences annually without trouble — or rather, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave numerous deserving experiences.
To emphasize again, these are games without proper classification at major gaming awards. Brain-teaser creators are working at the challenging frontier of video game design, producing among most fundamental forms of the video game form. Similar to movie stunt professionals, they merit acknowledgment. Let’s not keep them waiting 35 years.
