As any prominent awards ceremony approaches, there’s always a demand to include fresh award types to recognize underappreciated efforts and fill the passions of fans with niche passions.
A fellow writer made the case advocating for terror-themed awards. That would rule. So would board games, this being a passionate advocate's mission. However, I must insist when I prioritize since similar to blinkered fanatics, there's a strong justification for why my demand remains most pressing and important of all. This is the request: There should be an award type for logic-based games.
Categorizing Game Types
Categorizing art by genre isn't exact; it’s very subjective, and it will always spark debates resulting in unclear classifications. There’s a reason movie academies don’t do it. But it is an essential concession in the world of interactive entertainment, showing incredible range it's challenging to consider them one unified medium.
For the full spectrum of gaming accomplishments to receive acknowledgment, and for games of all stripes to receive proper recognition, specific award classifications remain vital.
Current Gaming Award Categories
Leading game ceremonies currently feature genre categories for Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, RPG experiences, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Between them, these six categories effectively encompass numerous genres, allowing placement for most games within them.
Not so for puzzle games. No appropriate category exists to put them. Consider three of this year’s best games, showing diverse approaches: structural challenges from a specific release, fast-paced pattern recognition of another game, engaging interpersonal challenges in another game. Which classification works within current classifications? Nowhere, that’s where.
The Representation Problem
Numerous examples exist outstanding logic titles launched regularly that have no home at major award shows, unless they happen to qualify classification types such as Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, or the extremely competitive small studio competitions.
- One classic puzzle game received no recognition completely during that awards season
- Another creative title was excluded in 2019
- A beloved organization game got ignored recently
- Limited numbers of puzzle games scraped into niche award types
Significance of Puzzle Games
Commonly they're small games, however the design behind logic titles holds tremendous importance. Famous handheld logic titles rank among most popular titles globally maintaining this status for an extended period.
The legendary block-stacking game challenges famous sandbox experiences claiming status as highest-selling title ever; it also contends for best game of all time. Logic titles represent cornerstones within interactive entertainment, while interacting with diverse game types.
Proposal and Rationale
Puzzle games wouldn’t have that issue. You could fill multiple candidates interesting, varied, worthy titles every year with ease — perhaps, with difficulty, given the need to exclude so many good games out.
And to reiterate, these are games without proper classification at major gaming awards. Brain-teaser creators function at the demanding boundary of video game design, creating some of essential manifestations of gaming itself. Comparable to film action specialists, they warrant appreciation. Don't make them wait generations.
