As any prominent prize-giving event nears, you'll find an outcry for introducing fresh award types to acknowledge overlooked contributions and fill the spirits of enthusiasts with niche passions.
Another commentator has already made supporting a scary games classification. That would rule. Equally deserving are board games, representing a passionate advocate's mission. Yet I need to apologize in advance if I try to elbow in front because like all blinkered fanatics, I have a cast-iron argument supporting my request is the most urgent and significant. This is the request: We need a classification for brain-teasing titles.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Organizing artistic expressions defies precise measurement; opinions vary greatly, and inevitably spark debates and end in fuzzy definitions. This explains why film award organizations steer clear of genre categories. Yet it remains an unavoidable compromise in the world of interactive entertainment, that demonstrate such variety they hardly constitute as a single art form.
For the full spectrum of gaming accomplishments to receive acknowledgment, while allowing diverse titles to have a chance for representation, genre categories are essential.
Present Award Structure
Leading game ceremonies presently include classifications covering Action, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Collectively, these classifications actually cover many game types, and you can find room accommodating various experiences.
Different situation exists for puzzle games. There’s simply nowhere to accommodate them. Think about these recent excellent titles, all very different: structural challenges of one title, the pulse-pounding block-matching from another release, engaging interpersonal challenges in another game. Which classification works between these six categories? Nowhere, that’s where.
Recognition Challenges
Many instances occur outstanding logic titles launched regularly lacking appropriate categories at major award shows, if they accidentally match classification types such as Mobile Game, Virtual reality experiences, and the highly challenging Indie races.
- A renowned logic title received no recognition for anything in 2014
- Another creative title received no nominations that year
- Popular arranging title received no acknowledgment that year
- Just some brain-teasers barely qualified for independent or mobile categories
Significance of Puzzle Games
These are often modest productions, but the art of the puzzle game holds tremendous importance. Well-known matching games count as the most-played games in the world and have been for an extended period.
The iconic tile-matching title competes with famous sandbox experiences claiming status as best-selling game of all time; it also contends as greatest title ever. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks within interactive entertainment, and they are in conversation with almost every other genre.
The Solution and Justification
Puzzle games wouldn’t have that issue. One could readily select five nominees with fascinating, diverse, deserving games each ceremony simply — or rather, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave many worthy titles.
To emphasize again, these represent titles that otherwise have no home at major gaming awards. Logic title developers operate at the hard edge interactive creation, producing among essential manifestations of gaming itself. Comparable to cinema stunt performers, they deserve recognition. Let’s not keep them waiting decades.
