As any prominent prize-giving event approaches, there’s always a demand for introducing additional classifications to recognize overlooked contributions and delight the spirits of enthusiasts with niche passions.
Another commentator made the case advocating for terror-themed awards. That would rule. Equally deserving are board games, which is a passionate advocate's mission. Yet I need to apologize in advance when I prioritize because like all blinkered fanatics, there's a strong justification for why my demand is the most urgent and important of all. This is the request: We need an award type for logic-based games.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Organizing artistic expressions is not a science; opinions vary greatly, and typically spark debates and end in fuzzy definitions. This explains why film award organizations avoid this approach. But it is an unavoidable compromise in the world of interactive entertainment, that demonstrate such variety they hardly constitute one unified medium.
For the full spectrum of achievement in video games to receive acknowledgment, and for games of all stripes to have a chance for representation, genre categories are essential.
Present Award Structure
The major gaming awards offer these genre categories for Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, RPG experiences, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Together, these classifications successfully include numerous genres, allowing placement accommodating various experiences.
Different situation exists for logic-based experiences. No appropriate category exists to accommodate them. Consider three of outstanding current releases, all very different: the architectural riddles in a particular game, the pulse-pounding block-matching from another release, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles in another game. Which classification works among existing types? Unfortunately, nowhere.
Recognition Challenges
Many instances occur outstanding logic titles released every year without proper recognition during gaming ceremonies, if they accidentally match classification types such as Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, or the intensely contested small studio competitions.
- An iconic brain-teaser got overlooked completely during that awards season
- Another creative title was excluded that year
- Popular arranging title was overlooked recently
- Only a few logic titles barely qualified for niche award types
Importance of Logic Titles
These are often small games, however the design of the puzzle game holds tremendous importance. Famous handheld logic titles stand as most popular titles in the world continuing this trend for many years.
The legendary block-stacking game competes with famous sandbox experiences competing to become most purchased experience; it also contends for top gaming experience. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks to the art of video games, while interacting with almost every other genre.
The Solution and Justification
Puzzle games wouldn’t have such difficulty. It would be easy to populate multiple candidates with fascinating, diverse, deserving games every year with ease — or rather, with difficulty, given the need to exclude many worthy titles.
To emphasize again, these are games without proper classification during prominent ceremonies. Puzzle game makers function at the demanding boundary game development, developing some of the purest expressions of gaming itself. Similar to movie stunt professionals, they merit acknowledgment. Don't make them wait 35 years.
