Each time a prominent honors show draws close, one notices an outcry for the addition of new categories to recognize unsung work and fill the passions of enthusiasts dedicated to specific genres.
Another commentator made the case advocating for terror-themed awards. It would be amazing. The same goes for tabletop games, this being a passionate advocate's mission. Yet I need to apologize in advance for pushing forward just as with other blinkered fanatics, I possess a compelling case backing this proposal stands as crucial and significant. This is the request: We need an award type for logic-based games.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Categorizing art by genre is not a science; opinions vary greatly, and it will always generate discussions resulting in unclear classifications. This explains why film award organizations steer clear of genre categories. But it is a necessary evil in the world of interactive entertainment, which are so diverse it's challenging to consider them one unified medium.
To recognize the complete range of achievement in video games to gain proper attention, and to ensure all game types to have a chance for representation, specific award classifications remain vital.
Present Award Structure
The major gaming awards currently feature award types recognizing Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Collectively, these six categories successfully include many game types, allowing placement for most games within them.
Different situation exists for puzzle games. No suitable classification appears to accommodate them. Examine these examples from recent excellent titles, each quite distinct: building puzzles in a particular game, fast-paced pattern recognition in a different title, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles of a third title. What category would fit them between these six categories? Unfortunately, nowhere.
The Representation Problem
Numerous examples exist outstanding logic titles published annually lacking appropriate categories in entertainment awards, if they accidentally match classification types such as Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, or the intensely contested independent game categories.
- An iconic brain-teaser wasn’t nominated for anything in 2014
- A different innovative game was excluded during that ceremony
- A beloved organization game received no acknowledgment recently
- Only a few brain-teasers barely qualified for small studio or handheld classifications
Value of Brain-Teasers
Commonly they're modest productions, but the art behind logic titles is of massive significance. Well-known matching games rank among most engaged experiences globally maintaining this status for an extended period.
The famous puzzle experience competes with popular creative games for the title of most purchased experience; it’s also in the running as greatest title ever. Puzzle games are foundational to the art of video games, and they are in conversation with diverse game types.
Recommendation and Reasoning
Logic titles wouldn't face this problem. One could readily select a field of five interesting, varied, worthy titles annually without trouble — perhaps, with difficulty, given the need to exclude numerous deserving experiences.
Restating the point, these represent titles without proper classification during prominent ceremonies. Logic title developers function at the demanding boundary interactive creation, developing some of the purest expressions within interactive entertainment. Comparable to movie stunt professionals, they deserve recognition. Don't make them wait 35 years.
