As any major prize-giving event approaches, you'll find an outcry to include additional classifications to recognize unsung work and satisfy the spirits of followers who have specialized interests.
A fellow writer has already made supporting a scary games classification. That would rule. The same goes for board games, representing a dedicated supporter's campaign. Yet I need to apologize in advance if I try to elbow in front because like all blinkered fanatics, I possess a compelling case for why my demand stands as crucial above others. Here's the proposal: We need a category for puzzle games.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Classifying creative works isn't exact; it remains highly personal, and inevitably spark debates resulting in unclear classifications. This explains why film award organizations steer clear of genre categories. However, it represents a necessary evil in the world of gaming, that demonstrate such variety they hardly constitute a single creative category.
For the full spectrum of interactive entertainment excellence to gain proper attention, and to ensure all game types to have a chance for representation, classification by type becomes crucial.
Present Award Structure
Leading game ceremonies currently feature genre categories for Action, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Between them, these award types effectively encompass numerous genres, allowing placement accommodating various experiences.
Not so for puzzle games. No appropriate category exists for their placement. Examine these examples from recent excellent titles, showing diverse approaches: structural challenges of one title, the pulse-pounding block-matching from another release, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles in another game. What category would fit them between these six categories? Unfortunately, nowhere.
The Representation Problem
Many instances occur outstanding logic titles launched regularly without proper recognition during gaming ceremonies, if they accidentally match classification types such as Handheld titles, Virtual reality experiences, or the intensely contested Indie races.
- An iconic brain-teaser received no recognition for anything that year
- Another imaginative release received no nominations during that ceremony
- Popular arranging title was overlooked recently
- Just some logic titles barely qualified for independent or mobile categories
Importance of Logic Titles
Commonly they're small games, however the design of the puzzle game is of massive significance. Well-known matching games stand as the most-played games worldwide continuing this trend for over a decade.
The legendary block-stacking game challenges famous sandbox experiences competing to become highest-selling title ever; it’s also in the running for top gaming experience. Puzzle games are foundational for gaming as medium, and engaging with almost every other genre.
Recommendation and Reasoning
Logic titles wouldn't face this problem. One could readily select a field of five interesting, varied, worthy titles every year with ease — perhaps, with difficulty, given the need to exclude many worthy titles.
And to reiterate, these include experiences that otherwise have no home in important events. Puzzle game makers function at the demanding boundary of video game design, creating some of most fundamental forms of gaming itself. Just like movie stunt professionals, they warrant appreciation. We shouldn't delay 35 years.
