As any major prize-giving event approaches, one notices a clamor for introducing of new categories to recognize underappreciated efforts and fill the hearts of followers with niche passions.
A fellow writer made the case advocating for terror-themed awards. That would rule. Equally deserving are strategy board titles, which is someone's personal cause. Yet I need to apologize in advance for pushing forward since similar to single-minded supporters, I have a cast-iron argument supporting my request is the most urgent and important of all. The demand is this: There should be a classification for brain-teasing titles.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Classifying creative works is not a science; it’s very subjective, and it will always start arguments and end in fuzzy definitions. It's understandable that cinema institutions avoid this approach. However, it represents an essential concession in the world of video games, showing incredible range they barely qualify one unified medium.
To recognize the complete range of achievement in video games to be recognized, and for games of all stripes to have a chance for representation, genre categories are essential.
Present Award Structure
Prominent interactive entertainment events offer these classifications covering Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these classifications actually cover a lot of ground, allowing placement for most games within them.
Different situation exists for logic-based experiences. No appropriate category exists to accommodate them. Consider three of this year’s best games, each quite distinct: structural challenges from a specific release, the pulse-pounding block-matching in a different title, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles of a third title. Which classification works within current classifications? Simply put, no category fits.
The Representation Problem
Numerous examples exist of brilliant puzzle games launched regularly without proper recognition at major award shows, except when they manage to fit classification types such as Mobile Game, Virtual reality experiences, and the highly challenging small studio competitions.
- A renowned logic title got overlooked for anything in 2014
- Another creative title missed out that year
- Popular arranging title got ignored recently
- Limited numbers of logic titles scraped into small studio or handheld classifications
Importance of Logic Titles
Frequently they represent modest productions, yet the craft of the puzzle game carries substantial weight. Iconic mobile puzzle games stand as the most-played games in the world continuing this trend for many years.
The legendary block-stacking game rivals famous sandbox experiences for the title of most purchased experience; it’s also in the running for best game of all time. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks within interactive entertainment, and they are in conversation across multiple categories.
The Solution and Justification
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter such difficulty. It would be easy to populate five nominees with fascinating, diverse, deserving games every year with ease — or rather, with difficulty, since numerous excellent numerous deserving experiences.
And to reiterate, these are games that otherwise have no home in important events. Brain-teaser creators are working at the challenging frontier game development, producing among the purest expressions of the video game form. Just like movie stunt professionals, they merit acknowledgment. Let’s not keep them waiting decades.
