Each time a significant honors show nears, you'll find an outcry for introducing additional classifications to honor unsung work and satisfy the spirits of fans who have specialized interests.
Another commentator previously argued advocating for terror-themed awards. That would be fantastic. The same goes for tabletop games, this being a passionate advocate's mission. Yet I need to apologize in advance for pushing forward since similar to blinkered fanatics, I have a cast-iron argument for why my demand remains most pressing above others. The demand is this: There should be a classification for brain-teasing titles.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Organizing artistic expressions is not a science; it’s very subjective, and it will always spark debates and end in fuzzy definitions. This explains why film award organizations don’t do it. Yet it remains a necessary evil within the realm of gaming, that demonstrate such variety it's challenging to consider them a single creative category.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of gaming accomplishments to gain proper attention, and to ensure all game types to have a chance for representation, classification by type becomes crucial.
Present Award Structure
Leading game ceremonies presently include genre categories for Action, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Between them, these award types successfully include numerous genres, and you can find room accommodating various experiences.
Not so for puzzle games. No suitable classification appears to accommodate them. Consider three of this year’s best games, all very different: building puzzles in a particular game, intense tile-matching in a different title, thought-provoking social scenarios from additional release. Where could they possibly go within current classifications? Simply put, no category fits.
Acknowledgment Issues
Many instances occur of brilliant puzzle games published annually that have no home at major award shows, except when they manage to fit classification types such as Handheld titles, Virtual reality experiences, or the extremely competitive Indie races.
- One classic puzzle game wasn’t nominated completely during that awards season
- A different innovative game was excluded in 2019
- Well-received sorting experience got ignored recently
- Only a few puzzle games barely qualified for small studio or handheld classifications
Value of Brain-Teasers
Commonly they're small games, however the design behind logic titles carries substantial weight. Iconic mobile puzzle games stand as the most-played games globally and have been for over a decade.
The legendary block-stacking game challenges well-known building titles claiming status as most purchased experience; it’s also in the running for best game of all time. Puzzle games are foundational to the art of video games, and engaging with diverse game types.
Proposal and Rationale
Puzzle games wouldn’t have this problem. One could readily select five nominees with fascinating, diverse, deserving games every year with ease — actually, with challenge, because you’d have to leave many worthy titles.
Restating the point, these are games without proper classification at major gaming awards. Brain-teaser creators are working at the demanding boundary interactive creation, producing among the purest expressions of the video game form. Just like cinema stunt performers, they warrant appreciation. We shouldn't delay 35 years.
