Whenever a major prize-giving event draws close, you'll find a clamor for the addition of new categories to honor overlooked contributions and delight the spirits of followers who have specialized interests.
A fellow writer previously argued for a horror game category. That would rule. Equally deserving are strategy board titles, this being a dedicated supporter's campaign. But they will have to forgive me for pushing forward because like all dedicated enthusiasts, I have a cast-iron argument backing this proposal remains most pressing above others. The demand is this: It's essential to create a category for puzzle games.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Classifying creative works is not a science; opinions vary greatly, and it will always spark debates resulting in unclear classifications. It's understandable that film award organizations avoid this approach. But it is an unavoidable compromise for the industry of video games, that demonstrate such variety it's challenging to consider them one unified medium.
For the full spectrum of interactive entertainment excellence to receive acknowledgment, and for games of all stripes to compete fairly, specific award classifications remain vital.
Current Gaming Award Categories
Leading game ceremonies offer these genre categories for Action, Adventure-action titles, RPG experiences, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, plus athletic and racing experiences. Between them, these award types effectively encompass many game types, making space possible for most games within them.
Different situation exists for puzzle games. No appropriate category exists to accommodate them. Think about these this year’s best games, showing diverse approaches: structural challenges of one title, the pulse-pounding block-matching in a different title, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles in another game. Which classification works between these six categories? Unfortunately, nowhere.
Recognition Challenges
Numerous examples exist excellent brain-teasers launched regularly that have no home in entertainment awards, unless they happen to qualify for categories like Handheld titles, Virtual reality experiences, or the intensely contested independent game categories.
- A renowned logic title received no recognition for anything in 2014
- Another imaginative release missed out during that ceremony
- Well-received sorting experience received no acknowledgment in 2021
- Just some brain-teasers scraped into small studio or handheld classifications
Value of Brain-Teasers
These are often compact experiences, but the art of the puzzle game holds tremendous importance. Famous handheld logic titles count as most popular titles globally continuing this trend for many years.
The legendary block-stacking game competes with well-known building titles competing to become highest-selling title ever; it additionally competes as greatest title ever. Puzzle games are foundational within interactive entertainment, and they are in conversation across multiple categories.
Proposal and Rationale
Logic titles wouldn't face that issue. You could fill five nominees interesting, varied, worthy titles annually without trouble — or rather, with difficulty, given the need to exclude so many good games out.
To emphasize again, these are games without proper classification in important events. Puzzle game makers function at the hard edge of video game design, creating some of essential manifestations of the video game form. Similar to film action specialists, they deserve recognition. We shouldn't delay decades.
