As any prominent honors show draws close, you'll find a clamor for the addition of new categories to recognize underappreciated efforts and fill the passions of followers dedicated to specific genres.
My colleague has already made for a horror game category. That would rule. So would board games, representing a dedicated supporter's campaign. However, I must insist when I prioritize since similar to single-minded supporters, there's a strong justification supporting my request stands as crucial and significant. The demand is this: There should be a classification for brain-teasing titles.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Classifying creative works is not a science; opinions vary greatly, and it will always generate discussions concluding with vague boundaries. It's understandable that film award organizations steer clear of genre categories. Yet it remains a necessary evil for the industry of interactive entertainment, that demonstrate such variety they barely qualify one unified medium.
For the full spectrum of interactive entertainment excellence to be recognized, and for games of all stripes to compete fairly, classification by type becomes crucial.
Present Award Structure
Leading game ceremonies currently feature genre categories for Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, plus athletic and racing experiences. Together, these six categories effectively encompass many game types, allowing placement for most games within them.
This doesn't apply to brain-teasing titles. No appropriate category exists for their placement. Consider three of recent excellent titles, all very different: building puzzles in a particular game, the pulse-pounding block-matching in a different title, engaging interpersonal challenges in another game. Which classification works within current classifications? Unfortunately, nowhere.
Recognition Challenges
There are dozens of brilliant puzzle games launched regularly without proper recognition in entertainment awards, if they accidentally match classification types such as Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, or the intensely contested small studio competitions.
- One classic puzzle game got overlooked completely in 2014
- A different innovative game received no nominations that year
- Well-received sorting experience was overlooked recently
- Only a few puzzle games managed to sneak into small studio or handheld classifications
Importance of Logic Titles
Frequently they represent compact experiences, but the art in brain-teasers is of massive significance. Iconic mobile puzzle games stand as most popular titles worldwide and have been for over a decade.
The legendary block-stacking game challenges well-known building titles competing to become best-selling game of all time; it additionally competes as greatest title ever. Puzzle games are foundational for gaming as medium, and they are in conversation with diverse game types.
Recommendation and Reasoning
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter that issue. You could fill multiple candidates engaging, different, qualified experiences annually without trouble — perhaps, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave many worthy titles.
Restating the point, these include experiences that otherwise have no home in important events. Brain-teaser creators are working at the hard edge interactive creation, creating some of essential manifestations of gaming itself. Comparable to film action specialists, they deserve recognition. We shouldn't delay decades.
