As any significant awards ceremony approaches, one notices an outcry for introducing of new categories to recognize unsung work and delight the hearts of enthusiasts dedicated to specific genres.
A fellow writer previously argued supporting a scary games classification. It would be amazing. So would tabletop games, representing a dedicated supporter's campaign. Yet I need to apologize in advance when I prioritize just as with other single-minded supporters, there's a strong justification for why my demand stands as crucial and important of all. This is the request: There should be a classification for brain-teasing titles.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Classifying creative works is not a science; it remains highly personal, and inevitably spark debates resulting in unclear classifications. It's understandable that cinema institutions avoid this approach. But it is an essential concession in the world of video games, which are so diverse they hardly constitute one unified medium.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of interactive entertainment excellence to gain proper attention, and for games of all stripes to have a chance for representation, classification by type becomes crucial.
Current Gaming Award Categories
The major gaming awards presently include genre categories for Action, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, plus athletic and racing experiences. Together, these classifications actually cover a lot of ground, making space possible for numerous titles.
Different situation exists for puzzle games. There’s simply nowhere to put them. Consider three of this year’s best games, each quite distinct: structural challenges of one title, fast-paced pattern recognition from another release, thought-provoking social scenarios in another game. Which classification works within current classifications? Unfortunately, nowhere.
The Representation Problem
There are dozens outstanding logic titles published annually that have no home during gaming ceremonies, unless they happen to qualify for categories like Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, and the highly challenging Indie races.
- An iconic brain-teaser received no recognition completely in 2014
- Another imaginative release was excluded during that ceremony
- A beloved organization game received no acknowledgment in 2021
- Only a few logic titles barely qualified for niche award types
Value of Brain-Teasers
Frequently they represent compact experiences, yet the craft in brain-teasers carries substantial weight. Well-known matching games count as the most-played games worldwide and have been for over a decade.
The legendary block-stacking game rivals well-known building titles claiming status as most purchased experience; it also contends for top gaming experience. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks for gaming as medium, and engaging with diverse game types.
Proposal and Rationale
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter that issue. You could fill a field of five interesting, varied, worthy titles each ceremony simply — perhaps, with difficulty, given the need to exclude many worthy titles.
And to reiterate, these represent titles that otherwise have no home during prominent ceremonies. Puzzle game makers operate at the challenging frontier of video game design, creating some of most fundamental forms within interactive entertainment. Comparable to cinema stunt performers, they warrant appreciation. Don't make them wait decades.
