Each time a major honors show approaches, one notices a demand for the addition fresh award types to recognize unsung work and delight the hearts of fans dedicated to specific genres.
Another commentator has already made advocating for terror-themed awards. That would be fantastic. The same goes for board games, representing a dedicated supporter's campaign. Yet I need to apologize in advance if I try to elbow in front since similar to dedicated enthusiasts, I possess a compelling case supporting my request stands as crucial 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; it’s very subjective, and inevitably generate discussions and end in fuzzy definitions. This explains why film award organizations don’t do it. However, it represents an unavoidable compromise for the industry of interactive entertainment, that demonstrate such variety they barely qualify a single creative category.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of gaming accomplishments to receive acknowledgment, and for games of all stripes to compete fairly, genre categories are essential.
Present Award Structure
The major gaming awards offer these award types recognizing Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, plus athletic and racing experiences. Together, these classifications effectively encompass many game types, and you can find room for most games within them.
This doesn't apply to logic-based experiences. No appropriate category exists to accommodate them. Consider three of this year’s best games, showing diverse approaches: the architectural riddles in a particular game, intense tile-matching of another game, thought-provoking social scenarios from additional release. Which classification works within current classifications? Unfortunately, nowhere.
The Representation Problem
Many instances occur of brilliant puzzle games launched regularly that have no home during gaming ceremonies, unless they happen to qualify classification types such as Handheld titles, Virtual reality experiences, and the highly challenging small studio competitions.
- A renowned logic title received no recognition completely in 2014
- Another creative title was excluded that year
- A beloved organization game got ignored that year
- Just some brain-teasers scraped into independent or mobile categories
Significance of Puzzle Games
Commonly they're compact experiences, however the design in brain-teasers holds tremendous importance. Iconic mobile puzzle games stand as the most-played games globally continuing this trend for an extended period.
The legendary block-stacking game rivals popular creative games for the title of most purchased experience; it additionally competes as greatest title ever. Puzzle games are foundational to the art of video games, while interacting across multiple categories.
The Solution and Justification
Puzzle games wouldn’t have that issue. It would be easy to populate five nominees interesting, varied, worthy titles each ceremony simply — actually, with challenge, given the need to exclude many worthy titles.
And to reiterate, these include experiences that otherwise have no home during prominent ceremonies. Puzzle game makers are working at the hard edge of video game design, producing among the purest expressions within interactive entertainment. Comparable to cinema stunt performers, they merit acknowledgment. Don't make them wait generations.