Whenever a significant honors show draws close, there’s always a demand to include fresh award types to honor underappreciated efforts and satisfy the hearts of enthusiasts who have specialized interests.
A fellow writer made the case for a horror game category. That would be fantastic. Equally deserving are board games, which is a dedicated supporter's campaign. However, I must insist if I try to elbow in front because like all blinkered fanatics, there's a strong justification backing this proposal is the most urgent and important of all. Here's the proposal: There should be a category for puzzle games.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Categorizing art by genre defies precise measurement; opinions vary greatly, and it will always start arguments concluding with vague boundaries. This explains why film award organizations steer clear of genre categories. But it is an unavoidable compromise in the world of interactive entertainment, showing incredible range they barely qualify one unified medium.
For the full spectrum of interactive entertainment excellence to gain proper attention, and to ensure all game types to compete fairly, classification by type becomes crucial.
Existing Game Classification System
Prominent interactive entertainment events presently include award types recognizing Action, Adventure-action titles, RPG experiences, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Collectively, these award types effectively encompass a lot of ground, and you can find room for most games within them.
This doesn't apply to puzzle games. There’s simply nowhere to put them. Examine these examples from this year’s best games, showing diverse approaches: the architectural riddles from a specific release, the pulse-pounding block-matching of another game, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles in another game. Which classification works between these six categories? Unfortunately, nowhere.
Acknowledgment Issues
Many instances occur excellent brain-teasers published annually without proper recognition at major award shows, if they accidentally match 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 that year
- Another creative title was excluded during that ceremony
- Well-received sorting experience got ignored recently
- Just some puzzle games managed to sneak into independent or mobile categories
Value of Brain-Teasers
Frequently they represent small games, but the art in brain-teasers carries substantial weight. Iconic mobile puzzle games stand as most popular titles in the world continuing this trend for an extended period.
The legendary block-stacking game rivals well-known building titles claiming status as most purchased experience; it additionally competes for best game of all time. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks to the art of video games, and engaging with diverse game types.
The Solution and Justification
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter this problem. You could fill multiple candidates interesting, varied, worthy titles every year with ease — actually, with challenge, given the need to exclude numerous deserving experiences.
And to reiterate, these represent titles without proper classification in important events. Logic title developers function at the challenging frontier game development, developing some of essential manifestations within interactive entertainment. Just like movie stunt professionals, they warrant appreciation. Let’s not keep them waiting generations.
