Each time a prominent honors show draws close, one notices a clamor for the addition fresh award types to recognize overlooked contributions and fill the spirits of fans who have specialized interests.
Another commentator has already made supporting a scary games classification. That would rule. The same goes for strategy board titles, representing a passionate advocate's mission. Yet I need to apologize in advance if I try to elbow in front because like all dedicated enthusiasts, there's a strong justification backing this proposal is the most urgent above others. The demand is this: There should be an award type for logic-based games.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Classifying creative works isn't exact; opinions vary greatly, and inevitably start arguments concluding with vague boundaries. This explains why movie academies avoid this approach. But it is an unavoidable compromise in the world of video games, that demonstrate such variety they barely qualify one unified medium.
For the full spectrum of achievement in video games to gain proper attention, while allowing diverse titles to compete fairly, specific award classifications remain vital.
Present Award Structure
Leading game ceremonies presently include classifications covering Action, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, plus athletic and racing experiences. Between them, these award types effectively encompass many game types, and you can find room for numerous titles.
Different situation exists for puzzle games. No suitable classification appears to put them. Consider three of this year’s best games, each quite distinct: the architectural riddles in a particular game, intense tile-matching in a different title, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles in another game. What category would fit them within current classifications? Simply put, no category fits.
The Representation Problem
Many instances occur excellent brain-teasers launched regularly that have no home during gaming ceremonies, if they accidentally match for categories like Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, or the intensely contested Indie races.
- One classic puzzle game wasn’t nominated in any category in 2014
- A different innovative game received no nominations in 2019
- Well-received sorting experience was overlooked in 2021
- Just some logic titles scraped into small studio or handheld classifications
Significance of Puzzle Games
Commonly they're compact experiences, however the design of the puzzle game carries substantial weight. Well-known matching games stand as the most-played games in the world and have been for many years.
The famous puzzle experience rivals well-known building titles competing to become highest-selling title ever; it additionally competes for best game of all time. Logic titles represent cornerstones for gaming as medium, while interacting with diverse game types.
The Solution and Justification
Logic titles wouldn't face such difficulty. One could readily select a field of five with fascinating, diverse, deserving games every year with ease — or rather, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave numerous deserving experiences.
To emphasize again, these are games that otherwise have no home at major gaming awards. Logic title developers are working at the demanding boundary of video game design, producing among most fundamental forms of the video game form. Just like movie stunt professionals, they deserve recognition. Let’s not keep them waiting generations.
