As any significant prize-giving event draws close, one notices a demand to include fresh award types to recognize overlooked contributions and fill the passions of fans dedicated to specific genres.
My colleague previously argued for a horror game category. It would be amazing. Equally deserving are tabletop games, this being a passionate advocate's mission. But they will have to forgive me if I try to elbow in front since similar to dedicated enthusiasts, I have a cast-iron argument supporting my request remains most pressing and important of all. Here's the proposal: There should be a category for puzzle games.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Organizing artistic expressions isn't exact; it’s very subjective, and typically spark debates concluding with vague boundaries. There’s a reason film award organizations steer clear of genre categories. But it is an essential concession for the industry of interactive entertainment, that demonstrate such variety they hardly constitute a single creative category.
For the full spectrum of achievement in video games to receive acknowledgment, and to ensure all game types to compete fairly, specific award classifications remain vital.
Current Gaming Award Categories
Leading game ceremonies offer these classifications covering Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, RPG experiences, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Between them, these award types effectively encompass numerous genres, and you can find room for numerous titles.
This doesn't apply to puzzle games. No appropriate category exists to put them. Consider three of this year’s best games, each quite distinct: structural challenges in a particular game, the pulse-pounding block-matching from another release, engaging interpersonal challenges of a third title. Which classification works between these six categories? Nowhere, that’s where.
Acknowledgment Issues
There are dozens of brilliant puzzle games launched regularly that have no home at major award shows, if they accidentally match classification types such as Handheld titles, Virtual reality experiences, or the extremely competitive small studio competitions.
- A renowned logic title got overlooked for anything during that awards season
- Another imaginative release received no nominations in 2019
- Well-received sorting experience got ignored that year
- Only a few puzzle games scraped into small studio or handheld classifications
Significance of Puzzle Games
Frequently they represent modest productions, but the art in brain-teasers carries substantial weight. Iconic mobile puzzle games rank among most engaged experiences globally continuing this trend for over a decade.
The legendary block-stacking game rivals well-known building titles for the title of most purchased experience; it also contends for top gaming experience. Logic titles represent cornerstones for gaming as medium, while interacting across multiple categories.
Recommendation and Reasoning
Puzzle games wouldn’t have this problem. One could readily select multiple candidates interesting, varied, worthy titles annually without trouble — actually, with challenge, given the need to exclude numerous deserving experiences.
And to reiterate, these represent titles lacking appropriate categories in important events. Brain-teaser creators operate at the challenging frontier game development, creating some of most fundamental forms within interactive entertainment. Just like cinema stunt performers, they warrant appreciation. Let’s not keep them waiting decades.
