As any significant prize-giving event nears, you'll find a clamor for the addition fresh award types to recognize unsung work and delight the spirits of fans who have specialized interests.
My colleague has already made for a horror game category. That would rule. So would strategy board titles, representing a dedicated supporter's campaign. But they will have to forgive me for pushing forward just as with other single-minded supporters, there's a strong justification backing this proposal remains most pressing above others. This is the request: We need an award type for logic-based games.
Categorizing Game Types
Organizing artistic expressions is not a science; it’s very subjective, and it will always start arguments resulting in unclear classifications. This explains why film award organizations avoid this approach. However, it represents an unavoidable compromise within the realm of interactive entertainment, showing incredible range they barely qualify a single creative category.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of gaming accomplishments to be recognized, and to ensure all game types to have a chance for representation, classification by type becomes crucial.
Existing Game Classification System
Leading game ceremonies presently include classifications covering Action, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, plus athletic and racing experiences. Together, these classifications effectively encompass many game types, and you can find room for numerous titles.
Not so for brain-teasing titles. No suitable classification appears to put them. Examine these examples from this year’s best games, all very different: building puzzles in a particular game, fast-paced pattern recognition of another game, engaging interpersonal challenges from additional release. Which classification works between these six categories? Simply put, no category fits.
Acknowledgment Issues
Many instances occur outstanding logic titles launched regularly that have no home in entertainment awards, except when they manage to fit award groups including Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, or the intensely contested independent game categories.
- A renowned logic title got overlooked completely that year
- Another imaginative release received no nominations during that ceremony
- Well-received sorting experience was overlooked recently
- Just some puzzle games managed to sneak into independent or mobile categories
Value of Brain-Teasers
These are often small games, yet the craft behind logic titles carries substantial weight. Famous handheld logic titles count as the most-played games globally and have been for over a decade.
The iconic tile-matching title rivals famous sandbox experiences for the title of best-selling game of all time; it’s also in the running for top gaming experience. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks for gaming as medium, and engaging with almost every other genre.
Recommendation and Reasoning
Logic titles wouldn't face that issue. It would be easy to populate multiple candidates with fascinating, diverse, deserving games every year with ease — or rather, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave numerous deserving experiences.
And to reiterate, these include experiences that otherwise have no home at major gaming awards. Logic title developers function at the demanding boundary game development, creating some of most fundamental forms of gaming itself. Just like film action specialists, they warrant appreciation. Let’s not keep them waiting decades.
