Whenever a significant awards ceremony draws close, one notices a clamor to include additional classifications to recognize underappreciated efforts and delight the passions of enthusiasts who have specialized interests.
Another commentator made the case advocating for terror-themed awards. That would rule. 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 dedicated enthusiasts, I have a cast-iron argument backing this proposal is the most urgent above others. The demand is this: We need a category for puzzle games.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Categorizing art by genre defies precise measurement; it remains highly personal, and inevitably generate discussions and end in fuzzy definitions. There’s a reason cinema institutions don’t do it. But it is an essential concession within the realm of gaming, showing incredible range they hardly constitute one unified medium.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of interactive entertainment excellence to receive acknowledgment, while allowing diverse titles to receive proper recognition, genre categories are essential.
Present Award Structure
Prominent interactive entertainment events offer these classifications covering Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Between them, these classifications actually cover numerous genres, allowing placement for most games within them.
Different situation exists for logic-based experiences. There’s simply nowhere to accommodate them. Think about these outstanding current releases, showing diverse approaches: building puzzles in a particular game, intense tile-matching in a different title, engaging interpersonal challenges from additional release. What category would fit them among existing types? Unfortunately, nowhere.
Acknowledgment Issues
Many instances occur excellent brain-teasers launched regularly lacking appropriate categories at major award shows, except when they manage to fit for categories like Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, or the intensely contested Indie races.
- A renowned logic title got overlooked for anything that year
- Another creative title received no nominations in 2019
- Well-received sorting experience was overlooked that year
- Just some logic titles managed to sneak into independent or mobile categories
Significance of Puzzle Games
Frequently they represent small games, but the art behind logic titles carries substantial weight. Iconic mobile puzzle games count as the most-played games globally maintaining this status for over a decade.
The legendary block-stacking game rivals famous sandbox experiences claiming status as best-selling game of all time; it also contends for top gaming experience. Puzzle games are foundational within interactive entertainment, while interacting 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, because you’d have to leave so many good games out.
To emphasize again, these are games that otherwise have no home in important events. Brain-teaser creators function at the challenging frontier game development, producing among essential manifestations within interactive entertainment. Similar to movie stunt professionals, they warrant appreciation. Don't make them wait decades.
