Whenever a prominent prize-giving event nears, you'll find an outcry to include of new categories to recognize overlooked contributions and satisfy the hearts of enthusiasts who have specialized interests.
Another commentator made the case advocating for terror-themed awards. It would be amazing. So would strategy board titles, representing a passionate advocate's mission. However, I must insist if I try to elbow in front since similar to dedicated enthusiasts, I possess a compelling case backing this proposal is the most urgent and significant. This is the request: We need an award type for logic-based games.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Categorizing art by genre is not a science; it’s very subjective, and it will always spark debates and end in fuzzy definitions. It's understandable that film award organizations steer clear of genre categories. But it is a necessary evil within the realm of video games, showing incredible range they hardly constitute as a single art form.
For the full spectrum of interactive entertainment excellence to receive acknowledgment, and for games of all stripes to compete fairly, classification by type becomes crucial.
Existing Game Classification System
The major gaming awards offer these genre categories for Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, RPG experiences, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these award types successfully include numerous genres, allowing placement accommodating various experiences.
Not so for logic-based experiences. No appropriate category exists to put them. Consider three of outstanding current releases, all very different: the architectural riddles from a specific release, fast-paced pattern recognition of another game, thought-provoking social scenarios in another game. What category would fit them between these six categories? Simply put, no category fits.
Recognition Challenges
Numerous examples exist excellent brain-teasers launched regularly lacking appropriate categories at major award shows, unless they happen to qualify classification types such as Mobile Game, Virtual reality experiences, or the extremely competitive Indie races.
- An iconic brain-teaser received no recognition in any category in 2014
- A different innovative game was excluded in 2019
- A beloved organization game was overlooked recently
- Limited numbers of brain-teasers managed to sneak into independent or mobile categories
Importance of Logic Titles
These are often compact experiences, yet the craft in brain-teasers is of massive significance. Famous handheld logic titles rank among most engaged experiences globally continuing this trend for an extended period.
The legendary block-stacking game rivals famous sandbox experiences competing to become best-selling game of all time; it’s also in the running for best game of all time. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks for gaming as medium, and they are in conversation across multiple categories.
Recommendation and Reasoning
Puzzle games wouldn’t have such difficulty. It would be easy to populate multiple candidates with fascinating, diverse, deserving games each ceremony simply — or rather, with difficulty, since numerous excellent many worthy titles.
And to reiterate, these include experiences without proper classification during prominent ceremonies. Brain-teaser creators are working at the demanding boundary game development, developing some of essential manifestations of gaming itself. Comparable to cinema stunt performers, they warrant appreciation. Don't make them wait 35 years.
