As any prominent awards ceremony draws close, there’s always a clamor for introducing fresh award types to honor unsung work and fill the passions of followers with niche passions.
A fellow writer made the case supporting a scary games classification. That would be fantastic. So would tabletop games, this being a dedicated supporter's campaign. Yet I need to apologize in advance if I try to elbow in front just as with other dedicated enthusiasts, I have a cast-iron argument for why my demand is the most urgent above others. The demand is this: It's essential to create a category for puzzle games.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Organizing artistic expressions defies precise measurement; it’s very subjective, and it will always start arguments concluding with vague boundaries. It's understandable that cinema institutions avoid this approach. But it is a necessary evil for the industry of interactive entertainment, showing incredible range it's challenging to consider them as a single art form.
To recognize the complete range of interactive entertainment excellence to receive acknowledgment, while allowing diverse titles to receive proper recognition, classification by type becomes crucial.
Existing Game Classification System
Leading game ceremonies currently feature classifications covering Action, Adventure-action titles, RPG experiences, Fighting, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these six categories successfully include numerous genres, making space possible accommodating various experiences.
This doesn't apply to puzzle games. No appropriate category exists to put them. Consider three of outstanding current releases, each quite distinct: structural challenges from a specific release, the pulse-pounding block-matching of another game, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles of a third title. Which classification works within current classifications? Nowhere, that’s where.
Recognition Challenges
Many instances occur outstanding logic titles released every year lacking appropriate categories in entertainment awards, unless they happen to qualify award groups including Handheld titles, Virtual reality experiences, or the extremely competitive Indie races.
- One classic puzzle game received no recognition completely that year
- Another imaginative release was excluded in 2019
- A beloved organization game received no acknowledgment in 2021
- Only a few puzzle games barely qualified for niche award types
Importance of Logic Titles
Commonly they're modest productions, but the art behind logic titles is of massive significance. Well-known matching games stand as the most-played games worldwide maintaining this status for many years.
The legendary block-stacking game challenges well-known building titles competing to become most purchased experience; it’s also in the running as greatest title ever. Puzzle games are foundational for gaming as medium, and engaging with diverse game types.
The Solution and Justification
Puzzle games wouldn’t have this problem. You could fill a field of five interesting, varied, worthy titles annually without trouble — or rather, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave so many good games out.
And to reiterate, these are games without proper classification at major gaming awards. Puzzle game makers operate at the hard edge game development, developing some of essential manifestations of the video game form. Similar to film action specialists, they warrant appreciation. We shouldn't delay 35 years.
