Whenever a prominent awards ceremony draws close, you'll find an outcry to include additional classifications to acknowledge underappreciated efforts and delight the hearts of enthusiasts with niche passions.
Another commentator has already made supporting a scary games classification. That would rule. Equally deserving are board games, this being a passionate advocate's mission. But they will have to forgive me for pushing forward just as with other single-minded supporters, I have a cast-iron argument for why my demand is the most urgent and important of all. Here's the proposal: We need an award type for logic-based games.
Categorizing Game Types
Classifying creative works is not a science; it’s very subjective, and it will always spark debates and end in fuzzy definitions. This explains why film award organizations steer clear of genre categories. Yet it remains a necessary evil for the industry of gaming, that demonstrate such variety they hardly constitute one unified medium.
To recognize the complete range of interactive entertainment excellence to receive acknowledgment, and for games of all stripes to have a chance for representation, specific award classifications remain vital.
Existing Game Classification System
Leading game ceremonies offer these award types recognizing Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Fighting, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these award types effectively encompass a lot of ground, allowing placement for numerous titles.
Different situation exists for logic-based experiences. There’s simply nowhere for their placement. Consider three of outstanding current releases, all very different: structural challenges from a specific release, the pulse-pounding block-matching of another game, thought-provoking social scenarios of a third title. Which classification works between these six categories? Simply put, no category fits.
Acknowledgment Issues
Many instances occur of brilliant puzzle games released every year without proper recognition at major award shows, except when they manage to fit award groups including Handheld titles, Virtual reality experiences, and the highly challenging Indie races.
- An iconic brain-teaser received no recognition for anything that year
- A different innovative game received no nominations that year
- A beloved organization game got ignored that year
- Limited numbers of logic titles scraped into niche award types
Value of Brain-Teasers
These are often small games, however the design of the puzzle game holds tremendous importance. Iconic mobile puzzle games stand as most popular titles worldwide continuing this trend for over a decade.
The iconic tile-matching title challenges popular creative games claiming status as best-selling game of all time; it also contends as greatest title ever. Puzzle games are foundational to the art of video games, and engaging with diverse game types.
The Solution and Justification
Logic titles wouldn't face that issue. You could fill multiple candidates engaging, different, qualified experiences every year with ease — perhaps, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave so many good games out.
And to reiterate, these are games that otherwise have no home at major gaming awards. Logic title developers are working at the challenging frontier game development, developing some of the purest expressions within interactive entertainment. Just like movie stunt professionals, they deserve recognition. Let’s not keep them waiting decades.
