Whenever a prominent honors show approaches, you'll find an outcry for the addition of new categories to recognize overlooked contributions and fill the spirits of enthusiasts who have specialized interests.
My colleague previously argued supporting a scary games classification. It would be amazing. The same goes for strategy board titles, representing a passionate advocate's mission. Yet I need to apologize in advance if I try to elbow in front since similar to dedicated enthusiasts, there's a strong justification supporting my request is the most urgent above others. Here's the proposal: We need a category for puzzle games.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Classifying creative works defies precise measurement; it remains highly personal, and typically start arguments resulting in unclear classifications. This explains why film award organizations avoid this approach. However, it represents an essential concession in the world of video games, that demonstrate such variety they barely qualify as a single art form.
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, genre categories are essential.
Present Award Structure
Prominent interactive entertainment events currently feature classifications covering Action, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Fighting, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Between them, these classifications actually cover a lot of ground, making space possible for numerous titles.
Not so for brain-teasing titles. There’s simply nowhere for their placement. Consider three of recent excellent titles, each quite distinct: building puzzles of one title, the pulse-pounding block-matching in a different title, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles of a third title. What category would fit them between these six categories? Unfortunately, nowhere.
The Representation Problem
Many instances occur of brilliant puzzle games launched regularly that have no home at major award shows, unless they happen to qualify classification types such as Mobile Game, Virtual reality experiences, or the intensely contested Indie races.
- One classic puzzle game received no recognition completely during that awards season
- A different innovative game missed out during that ceremony
- A beloved organization game was overlooked that year
- Only a few puzzle games barely qualified for niche award types
Importance of Logic Titles
Frequently they represent small games, yet the craft behind logic titles carries substantial weight. Well-known matching games count as the most-played games in the world continuing this trend for many years.
The legendary block-stacking game rivals famous sandbox experiences for the title of best-selling game of all time; it also contends for best game of all time. Logic titles represent cornerstones to the art of video games, while interacting with diverse game types.
Proposal and Rationale
Logic titles wouldn't face this problem. It would be easy to populate five nominees with fascinating, diverse, deserving games every year with ease — perhaps, with difficulty, given the need to exclude so many good games out.
Restating the point, these represent titles that otherwise have no home in important events. Puzzle game makers operate at the challenging frontier game development, producing among essential manifestations of gaming itself. Just like cinema stunt performers, they deserve recognition. Let’s not keep them waiting generations.
