As any significant prize-giving event draws close, you'll find a demand for introducing of new categories to honor underappreciated efforts and satisfy the spirits of enthusiasts dedicated to specific genres.
A fellow writer previously argued supporting a scary games classification. That would be fantastic. So would strategy board titles, which is a dedicated supporter's campaign. But they will have to forgive me for pushing forward because like all single-minded supporters, I have a cast-iron argument backing this proposal is the most urgent and significant. This is the request: It's essential to create a classification for brain-teasing titles.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Categorizing art by genre is not a science; it’s very subjective, and it will always generate discussions and end in fuzzy definitions. It's understandable that film award organizations don’t do it. But it is a necessary evil in the world of interactive entertainment, which are so diverse they barely qualify a single creative category.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of interactive entertainment excellence to gain proper attention, while allowing diverse titles to have a chance for representation, genre categories are essential.
Existing Game Classification System
The major gaming awards offer these classifications covering Action, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Collectively, these six categories effectively encompass many game types, making space possible for numerous titles.
Not so for puzzle games. There’s simply nowhere for their placement. Examine these examples from recent excellent titles, all very different: structural challenges from a specific release, intense tile-matching in a different title, engaging interpersonal challenges of a third title. Which classification works between these six categories? Simply put, no category fits.
The Representation Problem
There are dozens of brilliant puzzle games published annually without proper recognition in entertainment awards, except when they manage to fit for categories like Handheld titles, Virtual reality experiences, and the highly challenging independent game categories.
- One classic puzzle game got overlooked for anything that year
- Another imaginative release was excluded in 2019
- A beloved organization game was overlooked recently
- Limited numbers of brain-teasers barely qualified for small studio or handheld classifications
Importance of Logic Titles
Commonly they're compact experiences, yet the craft behind logic titles holds tremendous importance. Iconic mobile puzzle games rank among most engaged experiences worldwide maintaining this status for over a decade.
The legendary block-stacking game rivals famous sandbox experiences claiming status as highest-selling title ever; it’s also in the running as greatest title ever. Puzzle games are foundational within interactive entertainment, and engaging with diverse game types.
Proposal and Rationale
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter such difficulty. One could readily select multiple candidates interesting, varied, worthy titles every year with ease — actually, with challenge, given the need to exclude so many good games out.
To emphasize again, these represent titles lacking appropriate categories in important events. Brain-teaser creators operate at the hard edge game development, creating some of most fundamental forms of gaming itself. Comparable to movie stunt professionals, they deserve recognition. Don't make them wait decades.
