Each time a prominent prize-giving event nears, there’s always an outcry for the addition of new categories to acknowledge underappreciated efforts and delight the spirits of fans who have specialized interests.
Another commentator previously argued for a horror game category. That would be fantastic. Equally deserving are tabletop games, this being someone's personal cause. But they will have to forgive me for pushing forward just as with other blinkered fanatics, there's a strong justification supporting my request is the most urgent and important of all. Here's the proposal: There should be an award type for logic-based games.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Classifying creative works is not a science; it remains highly personal, and typically start arguments concluding with vague boundaries. There’s a reason cinema institutions avoid this approach. But it is a necessary evil within the realm of interactive entertainment, which are so diverse they hardly constitute one unified medium.
For the full spectrum of interactive entertainment excellence to receive acknowledgment, while allowing diverse titles to compete fairly, classification by type becomes crucial.
Present Award Structure
The major gaming awards currently feature classifications covering Action, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Between them, these award types effectively encompass many game types, making space possible for numerous titles.
Different situation exists for puzzle games. No appropriate category exists to accommodate them. Examine these examples from this year’s best games, each quite distinct: building puzzles in a particular game, fast-paced pattern recognition in a different title, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles from additional release. Where could they possibly go within current classifications? Simply put, no category fits.
Acknowledgment Issues
Many instances occur of brilliant puzzle games published annually lacking appropriate categories at major award shows, if they accidentally match classification types such as Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, or the extremely competitive independent game categories.
- One classic puzzle game wasn’t nominated for anything during that awards season
- Another imaginative release was excluded in 2019
- Well-received sorting experience was overlooked in 2021
- Just some logic titles managed to sneak into independent or mobile categories
Importance of Logic Titles
Frequently they represent modest productions, yet the craft behind logic titles is of massive significance. Famous handheld logic titles stand as the most-played games globally and have been for many years.
The famous puzzle experience rivals well-known building titles competing to become most purchased experience; it’s also in the running for best game of all time. Logic titles represent cornerstones for gaming as medium, while interacting with almost every other genre.
The Solution and Justification
Logic titles wouldn't face this problem. One could readily select multiple candidates engaging, different, qualified experiences annually without trouble — or rather, with difficulty, since numerous excellent so many good games out.
Restating the point, these include experiences lacking appropriate categories in important events. Brain-teaser creators are working at the hard edge game development, producing among most fundamental forms of gaming itself. Just like film action specialists, they deserve recognition. Don't make them wait generations.
