As any major honors show nears, one notices a demand for introducing of new categories to acknowledge underappreciated efforts and satisfy the spirits of enthusiasts with niche passions.
A fellow writer has already made supporting a scary games classification. It would be amazing. The same goes for tabletop games, which is a passionate advocate's mission. Yet I need to apologize in advance if I try to elbow in front because like all blinkered fanatics, I possess a compelling case for why my demand is the most urgent and important of all. Here's the proposal: It's essential to create a classification for brain-teasing titles.
Categorizing Game Types
Organizing artistic expressions defies precise measurement; opinions vary greatly, and it will always generate discussions concluding with vague boundaries. There’s a reason film award organizations steer clear of genre categories. Yet it remains an unavoidable compromise within the realm of gaming, that demonstrate such variety it's challenging to consider them one unified medium.
To recognize the complete range of achievement in video games to gain proper attention, and to ensure all game types to have a chance for representation, classification by type becomes crucial.
Current Gaming Award Categories
Leading game ceremonies currently feature classifications covering Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, RPG experiences, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Collectively, these six categories actually cover many game types, making space possible accommodating various experiences.
Different situation exists for brain-teasing titles. There’s simply nowhere to put them. Examine these examples from recent excellent titles, all very different: building puzzles from a specific release, fast-paced pattern recognition from another release, thought-provoking social scenarios from additional release. What category would fit them among existing types? Simply put, no category fits.
Acknowledgment Issues
Numerous examples exist excellent brain-teasers published annually without proper recognition at major award shows, except when they manage to fit award groups including Handheld titles, Virtual reality experiences, or the extremely competitive independent game categories.
- One classic puzzle game got overlooked completely in 2014
- Another creative title received no nominations during that ceremony
- Popular arranging title got ignored that year
- Just some logic titles managed to sneak into independent or mobile categories
Value of Brain-Teasers
These are often compact experiences, however the design of the puzzle game carries substantial weight. Well-known matching games rank among most engaged experiences worldwide and have been for over a decade.
The legendary block-stacking game competes with well-known building titles for the title of highest-selling title ever; it’s also in the running as greatest title ever. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks within interactive entertainment, while interacting with almost every other genre.
Recommendation and Reasoning
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter that issue. One could readily select multiple candidates engaging, different, qualified experiences each ceremony simply — or rather, with difficulty, given the need to exclude numerous deserving experiences.
Restating the point, these include experiences lacking appropriate categories at major gaming awards. Logic title developers function at the demanding boundary interactive creation, developing some of the purest expressions of the video game form. Just like movie stunt professionals, they merit acknowledgment. Let’s not keep them waiting decades.
