As any prominent honors show nears, there’s always a clamor for the addition of new categories to honor underappreciated efforts and delight the passions of followers who have specialized interests.
A fellow writer previously argued supporting a scary games classification. It would be amazing. Equally deserving are strategy board titles, representing a dedicated supporter's campaign. Yet I need to apologize in advance for pushing forward just as with other blinkered fanatics, there's a strong justification supporting my request remains most pressing and important of all. Here's the proposal: There should be a classification for brain-teasing titles.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Classifying creative works defies precise measurement; opinions vary greatly, and typically start arguments concluding with vague boundaries. It's understandable that movie academies steer clear of genre categories. However, it represents a necessary evil in the world of gaming, which are so diverse they barely qualify a single creative category.
For the full spectrum of gaming accomplishments to gain proper attention, while allowing diverse titles to receive proper recognition, genre categories are essential.
Existing Game Classification System
Leading game ceremonies currently feature genre categories for Action, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, plus athletic and racing experiences. Between them, these award types successfully include many game types, and you can find room for most games within them.
Not so for puzzle games. No suitable classification appears for their placement. Consider three of outstanding current releases, all very different: building puzzles from a specific release, fast-paced pattern recognition in a different title, engaging interpersonal challenges of a third title. What category would fit them within current classifications? Unfortunately, nowhere.
The Representation Problem
There are dozens outstanding logic titles published annually lacking appropriate categories in entertainment awards, if they accidentally match award groups including Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, or the extremely competitive independent game categories.
- An iconic brain-teaser got overlooked for anything during that awards season
- Another creative title missed out in 2019
- Popular arranging title got ignored that year
- Only a few puzzle games managed to sneak into independent or mobile categories
Significance of Puzzle Games
Commonly they're compact experiences, but the art of the puzzle game holds tremendous importance. Iconic mobile puzzle games stand as most popular titles in the world continuing this trend for an extended period.
The famous puzzle experience rivals well-known building titles for the title of highest-selling title ever; it’s also in the running for top gaming experience. Puzzle games are foundational for gaming as medium, while interacting with almost every other genre.
Recommendation and Reasoning
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter this problem. You could fill five nominees interesting, varied, worthy titles every year with ease — perhaps, with difficulty, given the need to exclude so many good games out.
Restating the point, these include experiences without proper classification in important events. Logic title developers operate at the challenging frontier interactive creation, producing among essential manifestations of the video game form. Similar to film action specialists, they deserve recognition. Don't make them wait 35 years.
