Whenever a major prize-giving event nears, one notices a clamor for introducing of new categories to acknowledge underappreciated efforts and satisfy the spirits of fans with niche passions.
My colleague previously argued for a horror game category. It would be amazing. So would strategy board titles, representing a passionate advocate's mission. However, I must insist for pushing forward because like all blinkered fanatics, I have a cast-iron argument backing this proposal is the most urgent and important of all. Here's the proposal: We need a category for puzzle games.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Classifying creative works isn't exact; it’s very subjective, and inevitably start arguments concluding with vague boundaries. It's understandable that film award organizations steer clear of genre categories. Yet it remains an essential concession in the world of gaming, showing incredible range they hardly constitute one unified medium.
For the full spectrum of gaming accomplishments to gain proper attention, while allowing diverse titles to receive proper recognition, specific award classifications remain vital.
Existing Game Classification System
The major gaming awards offer these classifications covering Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Collectively, these six categories actually cover a lot of ground, allowing placement accommodating various experiences.
This doesn't apply to logic-based experiences. There’s simply nowhere to accommodate them. Think about these this year’s best games, each quite distinct: structural challenges from a specific release, the pulse-pounding block-matching in a different title, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles in another game. Where could they possibly go among existing types? Simply put, no category fits.
Recognition Challenges
There are dozens outstanding logic titles released every year lacking appropriate categories during gaming ceremonies, if they accidentally match for categories like Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, and the highly challenging independent game categories.
- A renowned logic title received no recognition in any category during that awards season
- Another imaginative release received no nominations during that ceremony
- A beloved organization game got ignored in 2021
- Only a few brain-teasers scraped into niche award types
Value of Brain-Teasers
These are often compact experiences, yet the craft of the puzzle game is of massive significance. Well-known matching games rank among most engaged experiences globally and have been for an extended period.
The famous puzzle experience competes with popular creative games competing to become highest-selling title ever; it’s also in the running as greatest title ever. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks to the art of video games, and engaging with diverse game types.
Proposal and Rationale
Puzzle games wouldn’t have this problem. It would be easy to populate multiple candidates interesting, varied, worthy titles every year with ease — actually, with challenge, since numerous excellent many worthy titles.
And to reiterate, these are games without proper classification at major gaming awards. Brain-teaser creators are working at the challenging frontier game development, producing among the purest expressions of gaming itself. Just like movie stunt professionals, they warrant appreciation. Let’s not keep them waiting generations.
