As any major awards ceremony draws close, there’s always a clamor for introducing of new categories to recognize unsung work and fill the spirits of fans with niche passions.
My colleague made the case advocating for terror-themed awards. That would rule. Equally deserving are board games, this being a dedicated supporter's campaign. Yet I need to apologize in advance for pushing forward because like all single-minded supporters, I have a cast-iron argument backing this proposal is the most urgent and important of all. Here's the proposal: We need a classification for brain-teasing titles.
Categorizing Game Types
Classifying creative works is not a science; it remains highly personal, and typically generate discussions concluding with vague boundaries. This explains why movie academies avoid this approach. However, it represents a necessary evil in the world of gaming, that demonstrate such variety they barely qualify one unified medium.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of gaming accomplishments to be recognized, and for games of all stripes to compete fairly, specific award classifications remain vital.
Current Gaming Award Categories
The major gaming awards offer these genre categories for Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Fighting, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these classifications actually cover numerous genres, allowing placement for numerous titles.
This doesn't apply to brain-teasing titles. There’s simply nowhere to put them. Think about these recent excellent titles, all very different: the architectural riddles from a specific release, intense tile-matching of another game, thought-provoking social scenarios in another game. Where could they possibly go among existing types? Unfortunately, nowhere.
Recognition Challenges
Numerous examples exist of brilliant puzzle games published annually without proper recognition in entertainment awards, except when they manage to fit classification types such as Handheld titles, Virtual reality experiences, or the extremely competitive small studio competitions.
- A renowned logic title wasn’t nominated in any category in 2014
- Another creative title received no nominations during that ceremony
- Well-received sorting experience was overlooked that year
- Only a few puzzle games scraped into independent or mobile categories
Value of Brain-Teasers
Frequently they represent modest productions, yet the craft in brain-teasers carries substantial weight. Well-known matching games rank among the most-played games in the world continuing this trend for many years.
The iconic tile-matching title competes with popular creative games competing to become best-selling game of all time; it’s also in the running for best game of all time. Logic titles represent cornerstones to the art of video games, and engaging with almost every other genre.
The Solution and Justification
Puzzle games wouldn’t have that issue. It would be easy to populate multiple candidates interesting, varied, worthy titles annually without trouble — perhaps, with difficulty, given the need to exclude numerous deserving experiences.
To emphasize again, these represent titles lacking appropriate categories in important events. Logic title developers function at the challenging frontier game development, developing some of most fundamental forms within interactive entertainment. Similar to movie stunt professionals, they warrant appreciation. Don't make them wait generations.
