🔗 Share this article

As any significant prize-giving event nears, one notices an outcry to include fresh award types to recognize unsung work and delight the hearts of enthusiasts dedicated to specific genres.

Another commentator previously argued for a horror game category. That would be fantastic. So would strategy board titles, representing someone's personal cause. However, I must insist when I prioritize because like all blinkered fanatics, I have a cast-iron argument backing this proposal remains most pressing and important of all. The demand is this: There should be a category for puzzle games.

The Genre Classification Challenge

Categorizing art by genre defies precise measurement; opinions vary greatly, and it will always start arguments concluding with vague boundaries. This explains why movie academies steer clear of genre categories. But it is an essential concession in the world of interactive entertainment, that demonstrate such variety they barely qualify one unified medium.

For the full spectrum of achievement in video games to gain proper attention, while allowing diverse titles to compete fairly, specific award classifications remain vital.

Existing Game Classification System

Prominent interactive entertainment events offer these classifications covering Action, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Together, these classifications successfully include a lot of ground, making space possible for numerous titles.

Different situation exists for puzzle games. No suitable classification appears to put them. Consider three of recent excellent titles, all very different: structural challenges from a specific release, the pulse-pounding block-matching from another release, engaging interpersonal challenges in another game. Where could they possibly go among existing types? Simply put, no category fits.

Recognition Challenges

Many instances occur excellent brain-teasers published annually that have no home during gaming ceremonies, if they accidentally match for categories like Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, or the intensely contested Indie races.

• One classic puzzle game received no recognition for anything in 2014
• Another imaginative release received no nominations that year
• A beloved organization game got ignored that year
• Limited numbers of logic titles scraped into niche award types

Significance of Puzzle Games

Frequently they represent small games, however the design behind logic titles is of massive significance. Iconic mobile puzzle games stand as most engaged experiences in the world maintaining this status for over a decade.

The famous puzzle experience rivals well-known building titles for the title of highest-selling title ever; it additionally competes for best game of all time. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks within interactive entertainment, and they are in conversation with almost every other genre.

Proposal and Rationale

Puzzle games wouldn’t have such difficulty. You could fill five nominees interesting, varied, worthy titles annually without trouble — or rather, with difficulty, given the need to exclude numerous deserving experiences.

And to reiterate, these are games that otherwise have no home at major gaming awards. Logic title developers function at the challenging frontier interactive creation, creating some of the purest expressions of the video game form. Just like cinema stunt performers, they merit acknowledgment. Don't make them wait decades.