Each time a prominent awards ceremony approaches, you'll find a clamor to include of new categories to recognize underappreciated efforts and delight the passions of followers who have specialized interests.
My colleague made the case supporting a scary games classification. That would be fantastic. Equally deserving are board games, this being a dedicated supporter's campaign. However, I must insist if I try to elbow in front because like all single-minded supporters, I possess a compelling case backing this proposal remains most pressing and important of all. Here's the proposal: We need a classification for brain-teasing titles.
Categorizing Game Types
Categorizing art by genre isn't exact; it remains highly personal, and inevitably spark debates concluding with vague boundaries. It's understandable that cinema institutions don’t do it. Yet it remains an unavoidable compromise within the realm of interactive entertainment, showing incredible range they hardly constitute a single creative category.
To recognize the complete range of interactive entertainment excellence to gain proper attention, and to ensure all game types to compete fairly, genre categories are essential.
Present Award Structure
Leading game ceremonies presently include classifications covering Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Collectively, these classifications effectively encompass numerous genres, and you can find room accommodating various experiences.
Not so for brain-teasing titles. There’s simply nowhere to put them. Examine these examples from outstanding current releases, all very different: building puzzles of one title, fast-paced pattern recognition of another game, engaging interpersonal challenges of a third title. What category would fit them within current classifications? Simply put, no category fits.
Acknowledgment Issues
Many instances occur excellent brain-teasers published annually that have no home during gaming ceremonies, if they accidentally match for categories like Handheld titles, Virtual reality experiences, or the intensely contested Indie races.
- A renowned logic title received no recognition for anything that year
- Another creative title missed out that year
- A beloved organization game got ignored that year
- Limited numbers of brain-teasers scraped into small studio or handheld classifications
Value of Brain-Teasers
These are often small games, however the design of the puzzle game holds tremendous importance. Well-known matching games stand as most popular titles in the world maintaining this status for many years.
The legendary block-stacking game competes with popular creative games claiming status as best-selling game of all time; it’s also in the running as greatest title ever. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks for gaming as medium, while interacting with diverse game types.
The Solution and Justification
Puzzle games wouldn’t have such difficulty. One could readily select five nominees interesting, varied, worthy titles every year with ease — perhaps, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave numerous deserving experiences.
And to reiterate, these are games lacking appropriate categories at major gaming awards. Logic title developers are working at the demanding boundary of video game design, creating some of the purest expressions of the video game form. Similar to film action specialists, they warrant appreciation. We shouldn't delay decades.