Each time a major prize-giving event approaches, you'll find a clamor to include fresh award types to acknowledge overlooked contributions and satisfy the hearts of enthusiasts dedicated to specific genres.
My colleague has already made advocating for terror-themed awards. That would rule. So would board games, this being someone's personal cause. Yet I need to apologize in advance when I prioritize because like all dedicated enthusiasts, there's a strong justification supporting my request is the most urgent and significant. The demand is this: There should be a classification for brain-teasing titles.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Organizing artistic expressions defies precise measurement; opinions vary greatly, and it will always spark debates resulting in unclear classifications. There’s a reason cinema institutions steer clear of genre categories. But it is a necessary evil within the realm of video games, showing incredible range it's challenging to consider them as a single art form.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of gaming accomplishments to receive acknowledgment, and to ensure all game types to have a chance for representation, genre categories are essential.
Present Award Structure
Prominent interactive entertainment events currently feature classifications covering Action, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Collectively, these six categories effectively encompass numerous genres, making space possible for numerous titles.
Not so for brain-teasing titles. There’s simply nowhere to put them. Consider three of outstanding current releases, all very different: structural challenges of one title, fast-paced pattern recognition of another game, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles from additional release. What category would fit them within current classifications? Unfortunately, nowhere.
The Representation Problem
Numerous examples exist of brilliant puzzle games released every year lacking appropriate categories during gaming ceremonies, unless they happen to qualify for categories like Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, and the highly challenging small studio competitions.
- A renowned logic title wasn’t nominated in any category in 2014
- A different innovative game was excluded in 2019
- Well-received sorting experience was overlooked that year
- Limited numbers of brain-teasers scraped into niche award types
Importance of Logic Titles
Frequently they represent modest productions, but the art behind logic titles is of massive significance. Well-known matching games stand as the most-played games worldwide and have been for over a decade.
The legendary block-stacking game challenges well-known building titles for the title of best-selling game of all time; it additionally competes for best game of all time. Logic titles represent cornerstones for gaming as medium, and engaging with diverse game types.
Proposal and Rationale
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 so many good games out.
To emphasize again, these represent titles without proper classification during prominent ceremonies. Brain-teaser creators are working at the hard edge of video game design, developing some of essential manifestations within interactive entertainment. Similar to film action specialists, they warrant appreciation. We shouldn't delay 35 years.
