Whenever a prominent prize-giving event approaches, there’s always an outcry to include of new categories to recognize underappreciated efforts and fill the passions of enthusiasts who have specialized interests.
My colleague made the case for a horror game category. That would rule. So would tabletop games, this being a passionate advocate's mission. However, I must insist for pushing forward because like all dedicated enthusiasts, I have a cast-iron argument for why my demand remains most pressing and significant. This is the request: We need a category for puzzle games.
Categorizing Game Types
Organizing artistic expressions is not a science; it remains highly personal, and inevitably generate discussions and end in fuzzy definitions. This explains why movie academies avoid this approach. Yet it remains a necessary evil for the industry of interactive entertainment, that demonstrate such variety it's challenging to consider them one unified medium.
For the full spectrum of gaming accomplishments to gain proper attention, while allowing diverse titles to receive proper recognition, genre categories are essential.
Existing Game Classification System
The major gaming awards currently feature award types recognizing Action, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these classifications successfully include many game types, making space possible for numerous titles.
This doesn't apply to puzzle games. No appropriate category exists for their placement. Consider three of recent excellent titles, each quite distinct: building puzzles of one title, fast-paced pattern recognition from another release, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles in another game. Where could they possibly go within current classifications? Unfortunately, nowhere.
The Representation Problem
Numerous examples exist outstanding logic titles published annually that have no home in entertainment awards, if they accidentally match award groups including Mobile Game, Virtual reality experiences, or the intensely contested Indie races.
- An iconic brain-teaser wasn’t nominated completely in 2014
- A different innovative game missed out that year
- Well-received sorting experience got ignored recently
- Just some brain-teasers scraped into niche award types
Value of Brain-Teasers
Commonly they're modest productions, however the design in brain-teasers carries substantial weight. Famous handheld logic titles count as the most-played games worldwide continuing this trend for over a decade.
The iconic tile-matching title competes with well-known building titles competing to become most purchased experience; it’s also in the running as greatest title ever. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks to the art of video games, and they are in conversation with diverse game types.
Proposal and Rationale
Puzzle games wouldn’t have this problem. One could readily select a field of five with fascinating, diverse, deserving games each ceremony simply — or rather, with difficulty, given the need to exclude many worthy titles.
Restating the point, these represent titles that otherwise have no home during prominent ceremonies. Puzzle game makers function at the hard edge of video game design, developing some of essential manifestations within interactive entertainment. Similar to cinema stunt performers, they merit acknowledgment. Let’s not keep them waiting generations.
