As any prominent prize-giving event draws close, you'll find a clamor for introducing of new categories to acknowledge underappreciated efforts and delight the hearts of enthusiasts who have specialized interests.
A fellow writer has already made for a horror game category. It would be amazing. Equally deserving are tabletop games, this being a dedicated supporter's campaign. Yet I need to apologize in advance when I prioritize because like all blinkered fanatics, there's a strong justification supporting my request is the most urgent above others. This is the request: 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 typically generate discussions concluding with vague boundaries. There’s a reason film award organizations don’t do it. Yet it remains a necessary evil within the realm of gaming, which are so diverse they hardly constitute a single creative category.
To recognize the complete range of gaming accomplishments to gain proper attention, and for games of all stripes to receive proper recognition, specific award classifications remain vital.
Present Award Structure
Prominent interactive entertainment events offer these award types recognizing Action, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, plus athletic and racing experiences. Between them, these six categories actually cover a lot of ground, allowing placement for numerous titles.
Different situation exists for logic-based experiences. There’s simply nowhere to put them. Consider three of this year’s best games, showing diverse approaches: building puzzles from a specific release, intense tile-matching in a different title, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles in another game. Which classification works among existing types? Unfortunately, nowhere.
The Representation Problem
Numerous examples exist outstanding logic titles released every year that have no home during gaming ceremonies, except when they manage to fit for categories like Mobile Game, Virtual reality experiences, or the extremely competitive Indie races.
- An iconic brain-teaser received no recognition in any category during that awards season
- Another creative title received no nominations that year
- A beloved organization game received no acknowledgment in 2021
- Limited numbers of puzzle games barely qualified for niche award types
Value of Brain-Teasers
Frequently they represent modest productions, yet the craft behind logic titles is of massive significance. Famous handheld logic titles stand as most engaged experiences in the world and have been for an extended period.
The famous puzzle experience rivals well-known building titles competing to become most purchased experience; it’s also in the running for top gaming experience. Logic titles represent cornerstones to the art of video games, while interacting with almost every other genre.
The Solution and Justification
Logic titles wouldn't face this problem. It would be easy to populate a field of five engaging, different, qualified experiences each ceremony simply — or rather, with difficulty, given the need to exclude many worthy titles.
To emphasize again, these represent titles that otherwise have no home in important events. Brain-teaser creators are working at the demanding boundary of video game design, producing among most fundamental forms of the video game form. Comparable to film action specialists, they warrant appreciation. Don't make them wait decades.
