As any major awards ceremony nears, one notices a clamor for the addition additional classifications to recognize unsung work and delight the passions of fans with niche passions.
A fellow writer previously argued supporting a scary games classification. That would rule. The same goes for tabletop games, which is a passionate advocate's mission. However, I must insist if I try to elbow in front since similar to dedicated enthusiasts, I have a cast-iron argument for why my demand stands as crucial and significant. This is the request: We need a classification for brain-teasing titles.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Organizing artistic expressions defies precise measurement; it remains highly personal, and inevitably generate discussions concluding with vague boundaries. It's understandable that movie academies don’t do it. But it is an unavoidable compromise for the industry of interactive entertainment, which are so diverse it's challenging to consider them one unified medium.
To recognize the complete range of interactive entertainment excellence to gain proper attention, while allowing diverse titles to compete fairly, classification by type becomes crucial.
Existing Game Classification System
Prominent interactive entertainment events currently feature genre categories for Action, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these award types effectively encompass many game types, allowing placement for most games within them.
Different situation exists for logic-based experiences. No appropriate category exists to put them. Consider three of this year’s best games, each quite distinct: structural challenges in a particular game, fast-paced pattern recognition in a different title, thought-provoking social scenarios of a third title. Which classification works among existing types? Nowhere, that’s where.
Recognition Challenges
There are dozens outstanding logic titles launched regularly without proper recognition at major award shows, unless they happen to qualify for categories like Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, or the extremely competitive independent game categories.
- One classic puzzle game got overlooked in any category in 2014
- Another creative title received no nominations during that ceremony
- Popular arranging title was overlooked recently
- Limited numbers of puzzle games barely qualified for independent or mobile categories
Importance of Logic Titles
These are often compact experiences, but the art behind logic titles carries substantial weight. Famous handheld logic titles stand as most engaged experiences worldwide maintaining this status for many years.
The legendary block-stacking game rivals famous sandbox experiences for the title of best-selling game of all time; it also contends for best game of all time. Puzzle games are foundational for gaming as medium, and engaging with almost every other genre.
Proposal and Rationale
Logic titles wouldn't face that issue. It would be easy to populate a field of five with fascinating, diverse, deserving games each ceremony simply — actually, with challenge, given the need to exclude many worthy titles.
To emphasize again, these represent titles that otherwise have no home at major gaming awards. Logic title developers are working at the demanding boundary interactive creation, developing some of essential manifestations of the video game form. Comparable to cinema stunt performers, they warrant appreciation. Don't make them wait generations.
