As any prominent honors show draws close, there’s always an outcry for introducing fresh award types to recognize unsung work and satisfy the hearts of fans with niche passions.
My colleague has already made advocating for terror-themed awards. That would be fantastic. Equally deserving are strategy board titles, representing someone's personal cause. Yet I need to apologize in advance if I try to elbow in front just as with other dedicated enthusiasts, I have a cast-iron argument supporting my request stands as crucial and important of all. The demand is this: There should be a classification for brain-teasing titles.
Categorizing Game Types
Classifying creative works defies precise measurement; opinions vary greatly, and typically spark debates and end in fuzzy definitions. There’s a reason cinema institutions steer clear of genre categories. But it is an essential concession in the world of interactive entertainment, that demonstrate such variety they barely qualify as a single art form.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of achievement in video games to be recognized, and for games of all stripes to compete fairly, classification by type becomes crucial.
Existing Game Classification System
Leading game ceremonies offer these classifications covering Action, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Collectively, these award types successfully include a lot of ground, making space possible accommodating various experiences.
Different situation exists for logic-based experiences. No suitable classification appears for their placement. Examine these examples from recent excellent titles, showing diverse approaches: the architectural riddles of one title, fast-paced pattern recognition of another game, engaging interpersonal challenges in another game. Which classification works between these six categories? Unfortunately, nowhere.
The Representation Problem
Many instances occur outstanding logic titles published annually without proper recognition in entertainment awards, unless they happen to qualify classification types such as Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, or the intensely contested small studio competitions.
- A renowned logic title got overlooked in any category in 2014
- Another creative title missed out that year
- A beloved organization game got ignored recently
- Just some puzzle games barely qualified for small studio or handheld classifications
Significance of Puzzle Games
These are often small games, yet the craft in brain-teasers holds tremendous importance. Iconic mobile puzzle games stand as most popular titles in the world and have been for an extended period.
The famous puzzle experience competes with well-known building titles for the title of best-selling game of all time; it also contends for top gaming experience. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks to the art of video games, and engaging with almost every other genre.
Recommendation and Reasoning
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter this problem. One could readily select multiple candidates with fascinating, diverse, deserving games every year with ease — or rather, with difficulty, given the need to exclude many worthy titles.
Restating the point, these represent titles without proper classification at major gaming awards. Puzzle game makers function at the demanding boundary interactive creation, developing some of essential manifestations within interactive entertainment. Just like film action specialists, they warrant appreciation. We shouldn't delay generations.
