As any major prize-giving event nears, there’s always an outcry for introducing of new categories to honor unsung work and fill the hearts of enthusiasts with niche passions.
My colleague has already made advocating for terror-themed awards. That would rule. Equally deserving are tabletop games, 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 stands as crucial and important of all. The demand is this: We need an award type for logic-based games.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Organizing artistic expressions is not a science; opinions vary greatly, and typically spark debates concluding with vague boundaries. There’s a reason cinema institutions steer clear of genre categories. But it is an unavoidable compromise within the realm of gaming, which are so diverse they hardly constitute one unified medium.
To recognize the complete range of gaming accomplishments to be recognized, while allowing diverse titles to have a chance for representation, classification by type becomes crucial.
Existing Game Classification System
The major gaming awards currently feature award types recognizing Action, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, plus athletic and racing experiences. Together, these classifications actually cover numerous genres, making space possible accommodating various experiences.
This doesn't apply to brain-teasing titles. There’s simply nowhere for their placement. Consider three of outstanding current releases, all very different: building puzzles in a particular game, the pulse-pounding block-matching from another release, engaging interpersonal challenges in another game. What category would fit them between these six categories? Simply put, no category fits.
Recognition Challenges
Numerous examples exist outstanding logic titles published annually without proper recognition during gaming ceremonies, except when they manage to fit for categories like Handheld titles, Virtual reality experiences, or the extremely competitive Indie races.
- An iconic brain-teaser received no recognition in any category in 2014
- A different innovative game missed out in 2019
- A beloved organization game received no acknowledgment recently
- Just some puzzle games managed to sneak into small studio or handheld classifications
Significance of Puzzle Games
These are often small games, yet the craft in brain-teasers holds tremendous importance. Iconic mobile puzzle games stand as most popular titles globally continuing this trend for an extended period.
The legendary block-stacking game competes with well-known building titles claiming status as best-selling game of all time; it additionally competes for top gaming experience. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks for gaming as medium, while interacting across multiple categories.
Proposal and Rationale
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter this problem. One could readily select five nominees with fascinating, diverse, deserving games annually without trouble — actually, with challenge, because you’d have to leave so many good games out.
And to reiterate, these are games lacking appropriate categories during prominent ceremonies. Brain-teaser creators are working at the challenging frontier interactive creation, creating some of the purest expressions of the video game form. Comparable to movie stunt professionals, they merit acknowledgment. Don't make them wait decades.
