🔗 Share this article

As any prominent awards ceremony approaches, one notices a clamor to include additional classifications to recognize unsung work and fill the passions of enthusiasts who have specialized interests.

A fellow writer previously argued advocating for terror-themed awards. That would rule. The same goes for board games, representing a passionate advocate's mission. However, I must insist if I try to elbow in front just as with other blinkered fanatics, there's a strong justification backing this proposal stands as crucial and important of all. This is the request: We need an award type for logic-based games.

The Genre Classification Challenge

Classifying creative works is not a science; it’s very subjective, and inevitably generate discussions and end in fuzzy definitions. This explains why cinema institutions steer clear of genre categories. But it is a necessary evil in the world of gaming, which are so diverse they barely qualify a single creative category.

For the full spectrum of achievement in video games to be recognized, and to ensure all game types to have a chance for representation, genre categories are essential.

Current Gaming Award Categories

The major gaming awards currently feature genre categories for Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Between them, these six categories actually cover numerous genres, and you can find room for most games within them.

Not so for brain-teasing titles. No appropriate category exists to put them. Think about these outstanding current releases, all very different: building puzzles from a specific release, intense tile-matching of another game, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles of a third title. Which classification works between these six categories? Nowhere, that’s where.

The Representation Problem

There are dozens of brilliant puzzle games published annually that have no home during gaming ceremonies, except when they manage to fit classification types such as Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, or the intensely contested independent game categories.

• One classic puzzle game got overlooked in any category during that awards season
• Another creative title received no nominations in 2019
• Popular arranging title received no acknowledgment that year
• Limited numbers of puzzle games barely qualified for independent or mobile categories

Value of Brain-Teasers

Commonly they're small games, yet the craft behind logic titles holds tremendous importance. Famous handheld logic titles stand as the most-played games globally maintaining this status for many years.

The iconic tile-matching title rivals famous sandbox experiences competing to become most purchased experience; it also contends as greatest title ever. Puzzle games are foundational within interactive entertainment, and they are in conversation across multiple categories.

The Solution and Justification

Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter that issue. One could readily select five nominees interesting, varied, worthy titles every year with ease — actually, with challenge, given the need to exclude so many good games out.

To emphasize again, these include experiences that otherwise have no home during prominent ceremonies. Puzzle game makers are working at the demanding boundary interactive creation, creating some of the purest expressions of gaming itself. Just like movie stunt professionals, they deserve recognition. We shouldn't delay 35 years.