Whenever a significant honors show nears, there’s always an outcry for introducing fresh award types to acknowledge underappreciated efforts and satisfy the hearts of fans dedicated to specific genres.
My colleague made the case supporting a scary games classification. It would be amazing. So would tabletop games, which is a dedicated supporter's campaign. However, I must insist if I try to elbow in front since similar to blinkered fanatics, there's a strong justification backing this proposal remains most pressing above others. The demand is this: We need a category for puzzle games.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Classifying creative works defies precise measurement; it remains highly personal, and inevitably generate discussions resulting in unclear classifications. This explains why film award organizations don’t do it. But it is a necessary evil within the realm of gaming, that demonstrate such variety it's challenging to consider them one unified medium.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of achievement in video games to gain proper attention, and to ensure all game types to have a chance for representation, specific award classifications remain vital.
Existing Game Classification System
Prominent interactive entertainment events offer these classifications covering Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Together, these award types actually cover numerous genres, and you can find room accommodating various experiences.
This doesn't apply to brain-teasing titles. There’s simply nowhere for their placement. Examine these examples from outstanding current releases, showing diverse approaches: the architectural riddles of one title, intense tile-matching from another release, engaging interpersonal challenges of a third title. Which classification works within current classifications? Simply put, no category fits.
Recognition Challenges
Numerous examples exist of brilliant puzzle games published annually that have no home at major award shows, if they accidentally match classification types such as Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, and the highly challenging independent game categories.
- An iconic brain-teaser got overlooked completely that year
- A different innovative game was excluded in 2019
- Well-received sorting experience was overlooked that year
- Only a few brain-teasers managed to sneak into niche award types
Significance of Puzzle Games
Commonly they're compact experiences, however the design behind logic titles holds tremendous importance. Well-known matching games rank among the most-played games globally and have been for over a decade.
The legendary block-stacking game rivals famous sandbox experiences claiming status as most purchased experience; it additionally competes as greatest title ever. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks for gaming as medium, while interacting with diverse game types.
The Solution and Justification
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter such difficulty. You could fill a field of five interesting, varied, worthy titles every year with ease — or rather, with difficulty, since numerous excellent so many good games out.
And to reiterate, these include experiences lacking appropriate categories during prominent ceremonies. Puzzle game makers are working at the demanding boundary of video game design, developing some of essential manifestations of gaming itself. Comparable to film action specialists, they deserve recognition. We shouldn't delay decades.
