As any significant honors show draws close, one notices a clamor for the addition of new categories to acknowledge underappreciated efforts and fill the hearts of followers dedicated to specific genres.
My colleague made the case for a horror game category. That would rule. Equally deserving are strategy board titles, which is a passionate advocate's mission. However, I must insist for pushing forward since similar to dedicated enthusiasts, I have a cast-iron argument supporting my request stands as crucial and important of all. This is the request: We need a category for puzzle games.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Categorizing art by genre isn't exact; it remains highly personal, and it will always start arguments concluding with vague boundaries. This explains why film award organizations steer clear of genre categories. However, it represents a necessary evil within the realm of interactive entertainment, which are so diverse it's challenging to consider them as a single art form.
For the full spectrum of interactive entertainment excellence to be recognized, and for games of all stripes to have a chance for representation, specific award classifications remain vital.
Existing Game Classification System
The major gaming awards offer these classifications covering Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Collectively, these six categories successfully include many game types, allowing placement for numerous titles.
This doesn't apply to brain-teasing titles. No appropriate category exists to put them. Examine these examples from recent excellent titles, each quite distinct: structural challenges of one title, intense tile-matching from another release, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles from additional release. What category would fit them among existing types? Unfortunately, nowhere.
Acknowledgment Issues
Numerous examples exist excellent brain-teasers launched regularly lacking appropriate categories at major award shows, if they accidentally match award groups including Mobile Game, Virtual reality experiences, or the intensely contested independent game categories.
- An iconic brain-teaser wasn’t nominated in any category during that awards season
- A different innovative game was excluded during that ceremony
- Well-received sorting experience was overlooked that year
- Just some puzzle games managed to sneak into small studio or handheld classifications
Value of Brain-Teasers
Commonly they're modest productions, but the art in brain-teasers is of massive significance. Iconic mobile puzzle games rank among most engaged experiences globally and have been for over a decade.
The famous puzzle experience rivals well-known building titles for the title of highest-selling title ever; it’s also in the running as greatest title ever. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks within interactive entertainment, while interacting with almost every other genre.
The Solution and Justification
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter that issue. One could readily select multiple candidates engaging, different, qualified experiences each ceremony simply — perhaps, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave numerous deserving experiences.
Restating the point, these include experiences lacking appropriate categories in important events. Puzzle game makers operate at the hard edge game development, creating some of essential manifestations of the video game form. Similar to cinema stunt performers, they warrant appreciation. Let’s not keep them waiting decades.
