As any major awards ceremony approaches, one notices a clamor for the addition of new categories to recognize unsung work and satisfy the passions of followers who have specialized interests.
My colleague previously argued supporting a scary games classification. It would be amazing. So would tabletop games, this being someone's personal cause. But they will have to forgive me if I try to elbow in front because like all dedicated enthusiasts, there's a strong justification backing this proposal remains most pressing above others. This is the request: There should be an award type for logic-based games.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Categorizing art by genre isn't exact; it’s very subjective, and it will always generate discussions concluding with vague boundaries. There’s a reason cinema institutions avoid this approach. But it is an unavoidable compromise in the world of video games, showing incredible range they barely qualify one unified medium.
For the full spectrum of interactive entertainment excellence to receive acknowledgment, and for games of all stripes to have a chance for representation, classification by type becomes crucial.
Present Award Structure
The major gaming awards presently include classifications covering Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Between them, these six categories effectively encompass a lot of ground, making space possible accommodating various experiences.
Not so for puzzle games. No suitable classification appears to put them. Examine these examples from outstanding current releases, showing diverse approaches: structural challenges in a particular game, fast-paced pattern recognition in a different title, engaging interpersonal challenges of a third title. Where could they possibly go within current classifications? Nowhere, that’s where.
The Representation Problem
Numerous examples exist of brilliant puzzle games launched regularly without proper recognition at major award shows, if they accidentally match award groups including Handheld titles, Virtual reality experiences, or the intensely contested Indie races.
- A renowned logic title received no recognition completely during that awards season
- Another creative title missed out that year
- Well-received sorting experience got ignored that year
- Limited numbers of brain-teasers scraped into niche award types
Importance of Logic Titles
Commonly they're compact experiences, however the design of the puzzle game holds tremendous importance. Iconic mobile puzzle games stand as most engaged experiences in the world continuing this trend for many years.
The famous puzzle experience rivals well-known building titles for the title of highest-selling title ever; it additionally competes as greatest title ever. Logic titles represent cornerstones to the art of video games, and they are in conversation with diverse game types.
Proposal and Rationale
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter such difficulty. One could readily select a field of five engaging, different, qualified experiences every year with ease — or rather, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave many worthy titles.
To emphasize again, these include experiences without proper classification in important events. Brain-teaser creators are working at the demanding boundary of video game design, creating some of essential manifestations of the video game form. Just like cinema stunt performers, they warrant appreciation. Let’s not keep them waiting 35 years.
