Each time a significant prize-giving event approaches, one notices a demand for the addition of new categories to honor unsung work and fill the spirits of fans dedicated to specific genres.
A fellow writer made the case for a horror game category. It would be amazing. The same goes for strategy board titles, this being a passionate advocate's mission. But they will have to forgive me for pushing forward just as with other single-minded supporters, I have a cast-iron argument for why my demand is the most urgent and significant. Here's the proposal: We need a classification for brain-teasing titles.
Categorizing Game Types
Organizing artistic expressions is not a science; it’s very subjective, and inevitably start arguments concluding with vague boundaries. It's understandable that cinema institutions steer clear of genre categories. However, it represents a necessary evil in the world of gaming, which are so diverse it's challenging to consider them one unified medium.
To recognize the complete range of achievement in video games to receive acknowledgment, and to ensure all game types to receive proper recognition, specific award classifications remain vital.
Present Award Structure
Leading game ceremonies currently feature award types recognizing Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, RPG experiences, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Between them, these award types successfully include a lot of ground, allowing placement accommodating various experiences.
Not so for brain-teasing titles. No appropriate category exists to put them. Examine these examples from this year’s best games, showing diverse approaches: building puzzles of one title, intense tile-matching of another game, thought-provoking social scenarios from additional release. Where could they possibly go between these six categories? Unfortunately, nowhere.
Recognition Challenges
Many instances occur excellent brain-teasers released every year that have no home at major award shows, except when they manage to fit classification types such as Mobile Game, Virtual reality experiences, or the intensely contested Indie races.
- One classic puzzle game received no recognition in any category during that awards season
- Another imaginative release received no nominations that year
- A beloved organization game was overlooked that year
- Only a few brain-teasers scraped into niche award types
Significance of Puzzle Games
Commonly they're modest productions, yet the craft of the puzzle game carries substantial weight. Iconic mobile puzzle games stand as most popular titles in the world maintaining this status for many years.
The famous puzzle experience competes with popular creative games competing to become most purchased experience; it’s also in the running for top gaming experience. Logic titles represent cornerstones to the art of video games, and engaging with almost every other genre.
Proposal and Rationale
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter 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 include experiences that otherwise have no home during prominent ceremonies. Puzzle game makers are working at the hard edge game development, producing among essential manifestations of the video game form. Comparable to cinema stunt performers, they deserve recognition. We shouldn't delay 35 years.
