Each time a major honors show draws close, you'll find a clamor to include additional classifications to honor underappreciated efforts and delight the spirits of fans with niche passions.
A fellow writer made the case for a horror game category. It would be amazing. So would board games, which is a passionate advocate's mission. But they will have to forgive me when I prioritize because like all blinkered fanatics, there's a strong justification supporting my request remains most pressing above others. The demand is this: There should be an award type for logic-based games.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Classifying creative works defies precise measurement; it’s very subjective, and inevitably generate discussions concluding with vague boundaries. It's understandable that cinema institutions steer clear of genre categories. But it is a necessary evil within the realm of video games, that demonstrate such variety they barely qualify one unified medium.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of achievement in video games to gain proper attention, while allowing diverse titles to receive proper recognition, specific award classifications remain vital.
Current Gaming Award Categories
Prominent interactive entertainment events currently feature classifications covering Action, Adventure-action titles, RPG experiences, Fighting, Simulation and strategy titles, plus athletic and racing experiences. Together, these six categories successfully include many game types, 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 recent excellent titles, all very different: structural challenges in a particular game, fast-paced pattern recognition from another release, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles from additional release. What category would fit them among existing types? Unfortunately, nowhere.
Acknowledgment Issues
Numerous examples exist outstanding logic titles published annually lacking appropriate categories at major award shows, unless they happen to qualify for categories like Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, and the highly challenging Indie races.
- A renowned logic title wasn’t nominated in any category that year
- A different innovative game was excluded during that ceremony
- A beloved organization game was overlooked that year
- Only a few puzzle games managed to sneak into independent or mobile categories
Value of Brain-Teasers
These are often small games, however the design of the puzzle game is of massive significance. Iconic mobile puzzle games count as most engaged experiences in the world and have been for an extended period.
The legendary block-stacking game challenges well-known building titles for the title of best-selling game of all time; it’s also in the running for best game of all time. Logic titles represent cornerstones within interactive entertainment, and engaging with almost every other genre.
The Solution and Justification
Logic titles wouldn't face that issue. You could fill multiple candidates with fascinating, diverse, deserving games annually without trouble — actually, with challenge, since numerous excellent many worthy titles.
To emphasize again, these are games that otherwise have no home during prominent ceremonies. Logic title developers operate at the challenging frontier of video game design, creating some of the purest expressions within interactive entertainment. Similar to cinema stunt performers, they deserve recognition. We shouldn't delay 35 years.
