Each time a significant awards ceremony draws close, there’s always a demand for introducing fresh award types to honor unsung work and delight the passions of enthusiasts dedicated to specific genres.
My colleague previously argued for a horror game category. It would be amazing. The same goes for strategy board titles, which is a dedicated supporter's campaign. Yet I need to apologize in advance for pushing forward because like all single-minded supporters, I have a cast-iron argument for why my demand stands as crucial above others. This is the request: There should be a category for puzzle games.
Categorizing Game Types
Categorizing art by genre defies precise measurement; opinions vary greatly, and inevitably generate discussions and end in fuzzy definitions. There’s a reason film award organizations steer clear of genre categories. But it is an unavoidable compromise within the realm of interactive entertainment, showing incredible range they barely qualify a single creative category.
For the full spectrum of interactive entertainment excellence to receive acknowledgment, while allowing diverse titles to have a chance for representation, specific award classifications remain vital.
Present Award Structure
The major gaming awards currently feature classifications covering Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, plus athletic and racing experiences. Between them, these award types actually cover many game types, allowing placement accommodating various experiences.
Different situation exists for puzzle games. There’s simply nowhere for their placement. Think about these this year’s best games, all very different: building puzzles from a specific release, the pulse-pounding block-matching in a different title, thought-provoking social scenarios of a third title. Which classification works between these six categories? Nowhere, that’s where.
Acknowledgment Issues
Many instances occur outstanding logic titles launched regularly lacking appropriate categories at major award shows, unless they happen to qualify classification types such as Handheld titles, Virtual reality experiences, or the extremely competitive small studio competitions.
- An iconic brain-teaser received no recognition for anything in 2014
- A different innovative game received no nominations in 2019
- Popular arranging title received no acknowledgment that year
- Limited numbers of puzzle games barely qualified for independent or mobile categories
Significance of Puzzle Games
Frequently they represent small games, yet the craft of the puzzle game carries substantial weight. Iconic mobile puzzle games count as most popular titles in the world maintaining this status for over a decade.
The legendary block-stacking game rivals popular creative games competing to become highest-selling title ever; it also contends as greatest title ever. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks to the art of video games, while interacting with almost every other genre.
The Solution and Justification
Logic titles wouldn't face that issue. It would be easy to populate a field of five with fascinating, diverse, deserving games every year with ease — perhaps, with difficulty, given the need to exclude so many good games out.
And to reiterate, these are games that otherwise have no home in important events. Puzzle game makers operate at the demanding boundary of video game design, creating some of the purest expressions of gaming itself. Comparable to movie stunt professionals, they merit acknowledgment. We shouldn't delay 35 years.
