Each time a significant awards ceremony nears, you'll find a clamor to include of new categories to honor unsung work and fill the spirits of enthusiasts with niche passions.
Another commentator previously argued advocating for terror-themed awards. That would be fantastic. So would board games, this being a passionate advocate's mission. However, I must insist when I prioritize because like all single-minded supporters, there's a strong justification for why my demand stands as crucial and significant. Here's the proposal: We need a classification for brain-teasing titles.
Categorizing Game Types
Classifying creative works defies precise measurement; it remains highly personal, and inevitably generate discussions resulting in unclear classifications. It's understandable that movie academies don’t do it. However, it represents a necessary evil for the industry of video games, which are so diverse they barely qualify a single creative category.
To recognize the complete range of interactive entertainment excellence to gain proper attention, and to ensure all game types to compete fairly, specific award classifications remain vital.
Current Gaming Award Categories
Prominent interactive entertainment events offer these award types recognizing Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Collectively, these classifications effectively encompass numerous genres, making space possible accommodating various experiences.
Not so for logic-based experiences. No appropriate category exists to put them. Consider three of this year’s best games, all very different: the architectural riddles in a particular game, the pulse-pounding block-matching from another release, engaging interpersonal challenges from additional release. Which classification works within current classifications? Simply put, no category fits.
Recognition Challenges
Numerous examples exist of brilliant puzzle games published annually lacking appropriate categories at major award shows, except when they manage to fit for categories like Handheld titles, Virtual reality experiences, or the extremely competitive small studio competitions.
- An iconic brain-teaser got overlooked in any category during that awards season
- A different innovative game received no nominations during that ceremony
- A beloved organization game received no acknowledgment recently
- Just some logic titles managed to sneak into small studio or handheld classifications
Importance of Logic Titles
These are often small games, however the design behind logic titles holds tremendous importance. Famous handheld logic titles count as most engaged experiences in the world and have been for over a decade.
The legendary block-stacking game challenges popular creative games for the title of best-selling game of all time; it also contends as greatest title ever. Logic titles represent cornerstones within interactive entertainment, and engaging with almost every other genre.
Proposal and Rationale
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter this problem. One could readily select five nominees with fascinating, diverse, deserving games annually without trouble — actually, with challenge, given the need to exclude so many good games out.
Restating the point, these include experiences that otherwise have no home at major gaming awards. Brain-teaser creators function at the challenging frontier game development, creating some of essential manifestations within interactive entertainment. Comparable to cinema stunt performers, they merit acknowledgment. Don't make them wait generations.
