Each time a prominent honors show draws close, one notices a clamor for the addition of new categories to recognize unsung work and fill the passions of followers with niche passions.
A fellow writer previously argued advocating for terror-themed awards. That would rule. Equally deserving are board games, representing a passionate advocate's mission. But they will have to forgive me for pushing forward because like all dedicated enthusiasts, there's a strong justification for why my demand stands as crucial and important of all. This is the request: There should be a category for puzzle games.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Organizing artistic expressions is not a science; it’s very subjective, and typically generate discussions and end in fuzzy definitions. There’s a reason movie academies steer clear of genre categories. Yet it remains a necessary evil for the industry of video games, which are so diverse it's challenging to consider them as a single art form.
For the full spectrum of achievement in video games to receive acknowledgment, and to ensure all game types to receive proper recognition, classification by type becomes crucial.
Present Award Structure
The major gaming awards presently include classifications covering Action, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Collectively, these classifications effectively encompass numerous genres, and you can find room for numerous titles.
This doesn't apply to puzzle games. No appropriate category exists for their placement. Examine these examples from outstanding current releases, all very different: structural challenges of one title, intense tile-matching of another game, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles from additional release. What category would fit them within current classifications? Nowhere, that’s where.
Recognition Challenges
There are dozens outstanding logic titles released every year lacking appropriate categories in entertainment awards, if they accidentally match for categories like Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, or the extremely competitive independent game categories.
- A renowned logic title received no recognition completely that year
- Another imaginative release was excluded during that ceremony
- Well-received sorting experience received no acknowledgment recently
- Just some logic titles barely qualified for small studio or handheld classifications
Importance of Logic Titles
These are often compact experiences, but the art behind logic titles holds tremendous importance. Well-known matching games count as the most-played games in the world maintaining this status for many years.
The legendary block-stacking game challenges famous sandbox experiences claiming status as highest-selling title ever; it also contends as greatest title ever. Puzzle games are foundational within interactive entertainment, and they are in conversation with almost every other genre.
Proposal and Rationale
Logic titles wouldn't face such difficulty. It would be easy to populate multiple candidates interesting, varied, worthy titles annually without trouble — actually, with challenge, given the need to exclude so many good games out.
Restating the point, these are games lacking appropriate categories during prominent ceremonies. Puzzle game makers function at the challenging frontier game development, producing among the purest expressions of gaming itself. Just like movie stunt professionals, they merit acknowledgment. Don't make them wait generations.
