Tetris Didn't Triumph at This Gaming Ceremony — A New Category Might Solve This
Whenever a major awards ceremony nears, there’s always an outcry for the addition additional classifications to recognize overlooked contributions and satisfy the hearts of followers dedicated to specific genres.
Another commentator has already made supporting a scary games classification. That would be fantastic. Equally deserving are strategy board titles, this being a passionate advocate's mission. Yet I need to apologize in advance if I try to elbow in front just as with other dedicated enthusiasts, I have a cast-iron argument backing this proposal is the most urgent above others. Here's the proposal: There should be a category for puzzle games.
Categorizing Game Types
Categorizing art by genre is not a science; it’s very subjective, and inevitably spark debates resulting in unclear classifications. This explains why movie academies don’t do it. Yet it remains an unavoidable compromise within the realm of video games, which are so diverse it's challenging to consider them one unified medium.
To recognize the complete range of gaming accomplishments to gain proper attention, and for games of all stripes to have a chance for representation, classification by type becomes crucial.
Current Gaming Award Categories
Leading game ceremonies offer these classifications covering Action, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Collectively, these classifications actually cover numerous genres, making space possible for numerous titles.
This doesn't apply to logic-based experiences. No suitable classification appears to put them. Examine these examples from outstanding current releases, all very different: building puzzles in a particular game, fast-paced pattern recognition from another release, thought-provoking social scenarios from additional release. What category would fit them within current classifications? Unfortunately, nowhere.
Recognition Challenges
Many instances occur outstanding logic titles published annually that have no home at major award shows, unless they happen to qualify classification types such as Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, or the extremely competitive small studio competitions.
- A renowned logic title got overlooked in any category that year
- Another creative title missed out that year
- Well-received sorting experience was overlooked that year
- Only a few puzzle games managed to sneak into small studio or handheld classifications
Significance of Puzzle Games
Commonly they're small games, however the design in brain-teasers holds tremendous importance. Iconic mobile puzzle games count as most engaged experiences in the world maintaining this status for many years.
The famous puzzle experience competes with popular creative games claiming status as best-selling game of all time; it’s also in the running for top gaming experience. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks within interactive entertainment, while interacting across multiple categories.
Recommendation and Reasoning
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter such difficulty. One could readily select multiple candidates interesting, varied, worthy titles annually without trouble — actually, with challenge, given the need to exclude many worthy titles.
To emphasize again, these represent titles lacking appropriate categories at major gaming awards. Puzzle game makers operate at the hard edge game development, creating some of most fundamental forms of gaming itself. Similar to cinema stunt performers, they warrant appreciation. We shouldn't delay generations.