Each time a prominent awards ceremony draws close, there’s always a demand for the addition fresh award types to honor overlooked contributions and satisfy the passions of followers dedicated to specific genres.
My colleague previously argued supporting a scary games classification. It would be amazing. So would tabletop games, this being a dedicated supporter's campaign. Yet I need to apologize in advance for pushing forward because like all single-minded supporters, I possess a compelling case backing this proposal remains most pressing and significant. The demand is this: We need a classification for brain-teasing titles.
Categorizing Game Types
Organizing artistic expressions isn't exact; it remains highly personal, and inevitably start arguments resulting in unclear classifications. This explains why film award organizations steer clear of genre categories. But it is an essential concession for the industry of gaming, which are so diverse they hardly constitute a single creative category.
To recognize the complete range of achievement in video games to receive acknowledgment, and for games of all stripes to have a chance for representation, classification by type becomes crucial.
Existing Game Classification System
The major gaming awards offer these award types recognizing Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these classifications actually cover many game types, making space possible for numerous titles.
Different situation exists for brain-teasing titles. No suitable classification appears to put them. Think about these recent excellent titles, all very different: building puzzles in a particular game, fast-paced pattern recognition of another game, engaging interpersonal challenges of a third title. What category would fit them within current classifications? Simply put, no category fits.
Acknowledgment Issues
There are dozens of brilliant puzzle games released every year lacking appropriate categories at major award shows, if they accidentally match for categories like Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, or the extremely competitive Indie races.
- A renowned logic title received no recognition in any category during that awards season
- Another imaginative release was excluded that year
- Well-received sorting experience got ignored that year
- Only a few logic titles managed to sneak into niche award types
Value of Brain-Teasers
These are often compact experiences, yet the craft behind logic titles holds tremendous importance. Well-known matching games count as the most-played games globally and have been for over a decade.
The famous puzzle experience competes with famous sandbox experiences competing to become highest-selling title ever; it additionally competes for top gaming experience. Logic titles represent cornerstones within interactive entertainment, and engaging across multiple categories.
The Solution and Justification
Logic titles wouldn't face this problem. You could fill a field of five with fascinating, diverse, deserving games each ceremony simply — perhaps, with difficulty, given the need to exclude numerous deserving experiences.
Restating the point, these are games lacking appropriate categories in important events. Brain-teaser creators function at the hard edge game development, creating some of essential manifestations of gaming itself. Similar to cinema stunt performers, they merit acknowledgment. Let’s not keep them waiting 35 years.
