As any major honors show approaches, one notices a demand for introducing fresh award types to recognize underappreciated efforts and delight the spirits of fans dedicated to specific genres.
My colleague has already made supporting a scary games classification. That would be fantastic. So would tabletop games, which is a passionate advocate's mission. Yet I need to apologize in advance for pushing forward because like all single-minded supporters, there's a strong justification supporting my request remains most pressing above others. Here's the proposal: We need a classification for brain-teasing titles.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Categorizing art by genre isn't exact; it remains highly personal, and it will always generate discussions and end in fuzzy definitions. It's understandable that cinema institutions don’t do it. However, it represents an unavoidable compromise within the realm of interactive entertainment, showing incredible range they barely qualify as a single art form.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of achievement in video games to be recognized, and to ensure all game types to have a chance for representation, classification by type becomes crucial.
Existing Game Classification System
Prominent interactive entertainment events currently feature classifications covering Action, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Collectively, these award types successfully include numerous genres, making space possible for numerous titles.
Different situation exists for logic-based experiences. No appropriate category exists for their placement. Examine these examples from outstanding current releases, showing diverse approaches: the architectural riddles from a specific release, fast-paced pattern recognition from another release, engaging interpersonal challenges from additional release. What category would fit them among existing types? Unfortunately, nowhere.
The Representation Problem
Many instances occur excellent brain-teasers released every year without proper recognition in entertainment awards, unless they happen to qualify classification types such as Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, or the extremely competitive Indie races.
- One classic puzzle game got overlooked in any category that year
- Another imaginative release missed out that year
- Well-received sorting experience received no acknowledgment that year
- Only a few brain-teasers scraped into niche award types
Value of Brain-Teasers
These are often compact experiences, but the art behind logic titles carries substantial weight. Iconic mobile puzzle games rank among most engaged experiences globally and have been for an extended period.
The iconic tile-matching title rivals famous sandbox experiences claiming status as highest-selling title ever; it additionally competes for best game of all time. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks within interactive entertainment, and engaging with almost every other genre.
The Solution and Justification
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter that issue. You could fill a field of five with fascinating, diverse, deserving games each ceremony simply — or rather, with difficulty, since numerous excellent many worthy titles.
And to reiterate, these include experiences without proper classification at major gaming awards. Brain-teaser creators are working at the challenging frontier game development, creating some of essential manifestations of the video game form. Just like movie stunt professionals, they warrant appreciation. Don't make them wait decades.
