As any prominent prize-giving event approaches, there’s always a demand for introducing of new categories to acknowledge underappreciated efforts and satisfy the spirits of fans with niche passions.
A fellow writer made the case for a horror game category. That would be fantastic. Equally deserving are strategy board titles, which is a passionate advocate's mission. However, I must insist when I prioritize because like all blinkered fanatics, there's a strong justification backing this proposal remains most pressing and important of all. The demand is this: There should be a classification for brain-teasing titles.
Categorizing Game Types
Organizing artistic expressions defies precise measurement; it remains highly personal, and inevitably spark debates and end in fuzzy definitions. This explains why cinema institutions steer clear of genre categories. Yet it remains an unavoidable compromise in the world of interactive entertainment, that demonstrate such variety they hardly constitute one unified medium.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of interactive entertainment excellence to receive acknowledgment, while allowing diverse titles to have a chance for representation, classification by type becomes crucial.
Existing Game Classification System
Leading game ceremonies currently feature award types recognizing Action, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, plus athletic and racing experiences. Together, these classifications successfully include numerous genres, making space possible for most games within them.
This doesn't apply to puzzle games. No appropriate category exists to accommodate them. Examine these examples from this year’s best games, showing diverse approaches: the architectural riddles of one title, intense tile-matching in a different title, thought-provoking social scenarios in another game. Where could they possibly go within current classifications? Nowhere, that’s where.
The Representation Problem
Many instances occur excellent brain-teasers published annually without proper recognition during gaming ceremonies, except when they manage to fit for categories like Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, and the highly challenging Indie races.
- A renowned logic title got overlooked in any category that year
- Another creative title received no nominations in 2019
- Well-received sorting experience was overlooked in 2021
- Limited numbers of puzzle games barely qualified for independent or mobile categories
Value of Brain-Teasers
Commonly they're modest productions, however the design behind logic titles carries substantial weight. Well-known matching games rank among most engaged experiences globally maintaining this status for an extended period.
The iconic tile-matching title rivals well-known building titles for the title of best-selling game of all time; it also contends as greatest title ever. Logic titles represent cornerstones for gaming as medium, and they are in conversation with almost every other genre.
Proposal and Rationale
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter that issue. One could readily select five nominees interesting, varied, worthy titles annually without trouble — perhaps, with difficulty, given the need to exclude so many good games out.
Restating the point, these represent titles lacking appropriate categories during prominent ceremonies. Puzzle game makers function at the hard edge game development, developing some of essential manifestations of the video game form. Comparable to movie stunt professionals, they deserve recognition. We shouldn't delay 35 years.
