As any significant honors show nears, you'll find an outcry for introducing additional classifications to recognize underappreciated efforts and fill the passions of enthusiasts dedicated to specific genres.
A fellow writer previously argued advocating for terror-themed awards. It would be amazing. So would board games, this being someone's personal cause. However, I must insist when I prioritize because like all dedicated enthusiasts, there's a strong justification backing this proposal stands as crucial above others. Here's the proposal: We need an award type for logic-based games.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Classifying creative works is not a science; it’s very subjective, and it will always start arguments and end in fuzzy definitions. It's understandable that film award organizations don’t do it. Yet it remains a necessary evil in the world of gaming, which are so diverse they barely qualify a single creative category.
To recognize the complete range of gaming accomplishments to be recognized, and to ensure all game types to compete fairly, specific award classifications remain vital.
Existing Game Classification System
Prominent interactive entertainment events presently include award types recognizing Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, RPG experiences, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Collectively, these six categories effectively encompass numerous genres, making space possible for most games within them.
This doesn't apply to logic-based experiences. No suitable classification appears for their placement. Think about these this year’s best games, showing diverse approaches: building puzzles from a specific release, intense tile-matching from another release, engaging interpersonal challenges in another game. Which classification works within current classifications? Simply put, no category fits.
Acknowledgment Issues
There are dozens of brilliant puzzle games launched regularly that have no home during gaming ceremonies, except when they manage to fit for categories like Mobile Game, Virtual reality experiences, or the intensely contested independent game categories.
- One classic puzzle game wasn’t nominated in any category in 2014
- A different innovative game received no nominations during that ceremony
- A beloved organization game was overlooked in 2021
- Only a few logic titles managed to sneak into small studio or handheld classifications
Value of Brain-Teasers
These are often small games, however the design of the puzzle game carries substantial weight. Well-known matching games rank among most popular titles globally maintaining this status for an extended period.
The legendary block-stacking game competes with popular creative games claiming status as most purchased experience; it also contends for best game of all time. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks for gaming as medium, and they are in conversation with almost every other genre.
Recommendation and Reasoning
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter this problem. You could fill five nominees with fascinating, diverse, deserving games annually without trouble — or rather, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave numerous deserving experiences.
And to reiterate, these include experiences that otherwise have no home during prominent ceremonies. Logic title developers are working at the hard edge game development, producing among most fundamental forms of the video game form. Similar to cinema stunt performers, they deserve recognition. Don't make them wait decades.
