As any major awards ceremony approaches, there’s always a demand to include additional classifications to acknowledge overlooked contributions and fill the passions of enthusiasts with niche passions.
My colleague previously argued supporting a scary games classification. That would be fantastic. The same goes for board games, which is someone's personal cause. Yet I need to apologize in advance when I prioritize just as with other dedicated enthusiasts, there's a strong justification backing this proposal remains most pressing above others. The demand is this: There should be an award type for logic-based games.
Categorizing Game Types
Classifying creative works is not a science; it remains highly personal, and it will always generate discussions and end in fuzzy definitions. This explains why film award organizations don’t do it. However, it represents an essential concession within the realm of video games, which are so diverse they hardly constitute a single creative category.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of interactive entertainment excellence to gain proper attention, and for games of all stripes to receive proper recognition, genre categories are essential.
Current Gaming Award Categories
The major gaming awards presently include classifications covering Action, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Between them, these award types effectively encompass numerous genres, and you can find room for numerous titles.
Not so for brain-teasing titles. No suitable classification appears to put them. Consider three of outstanding current releases, all very different: the architectural riddles from a specific release, fast-paced pattern recognition in a different title, engaging interpersonal challenges in another game. Which classification works between these six categories? Unfortunately, nowhere.
Recognition Challenges
Numerous examples exist outstanding logic titles launched regularly without proper recognition during gaming ceremonies, except when they manage to fit for categories like Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, and the highly challenging Indie races.
- An iconic brain-teaser got overlooked for anything in 2014
- Another creative title received no nominations during that ceremony
- Well-received sorting experience got ignored in 2021
- Just some puzzle games managed to sneak into niche award types
Importance of Logic Titles
Commonly they're modest productions, however the design behind logic titles carries substantial weight. Well-known matching games stand as most engaged experiences worldwide and have been for over a decade.
The legendary block-stacking game rivals well-known building titles claiming status as best-selling game of all time; it also contends for top gaming experience. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks to the art of video games, and they are in conversation with diverse game types.
The Solution and Justification
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter this problem. One could readily select multiple candidates with fascinating, diverse, deserving games annually without trouble — actually, with challenge, given the need to exclude so many good games out.
To emphasize again, these include experiences lacking appropriate categories in important events. Logic title developers operate at the hard edge of video game design, developing some of essential manifestations of the video game form. Just like film action specialists, they warrant appreciation. We shouldn't delay decades.