The Iconic Puzzle Game Couldn't Triumph at This Gaming Ceremony — Another Award Type May Address This Issue

Each time a prominent awards ceremony draws close, you'll find a demand for introducing additional classifications to recognize unsung work and delight the spirits of followers dedicated to specific genres.

Another commentator made the case advocating for terror-themed awards. It would be amazing. So would tabletop games, which is someone's personal cause. But they will have to forgive me for pushing forward because like all dedicated enthusiasts, I possess a compelling case for why my demand is the most urgent and important of all. Here's the proposal: There should be an award type for logic-based games.

Categorizing Game Types

Organizing artistic expressions is not a science; it’s very subjective, and inevitably start arguments concluding with vague boundaries. There’s a reason movie academies steer clear of genre categories. Yet it remains an essential concession in the world of video games, that demonstrate such variety it's challenging to consider them a single creative category.

To recognize the complete range of gaming accomplishments to be recognized, and for games of all stripes to compete fairly, genre categories are essential.

Existing Game Classification System

Leading game ceremonies offer these genre categories for Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Collectively, these classifications actually cover a lot of ground, making space possible for numerous titles.

Different situation exists for logic-based experiences. There’s simply nowhere to put them. Examine these examples from this year’s best games, all very different: the architectural riddles from a specific release, fast-paced pattern recognition from another release, engaging interpersonal challenges of a third title. Which classification works among existing types? Simply put, no category fits.

The Representation Problem

There are dozens of brilliant puzzle games launched regularly that have no home at major award shows, unless they happen to qualify for categories like Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, and the highly challenging small studio competitions.

  • A renowned logic title got overlooked in any category in 2014
  • Another imaginative release was excluded that year
  • Popular arranging title got ignored that year
  • Limited numbers of logic titles managed to sneak into independent or mobile categories

Value of Brain-Teasers

Frequently they represent compact experiences, but the art in brain-teasers holds tremendous importance. Famous handheld logic titles count as most popular titles globally continuing this trend for an extended period.

The iconic tile-matching title competes with popular creative games 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.

Recommendation and Reasoning

Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter such difficulty. It would be easy to populate a field of five interesting, varied, worthy titles each ceremony simply — or rather, with difficulty, since numerous excellent so many good games out.

Restating the point, these include experiences lacking appropriate categories at major gaming awards. Logic title developers are working at the demanding boundary of video game design, creating some of most fundamental forms of gaming itself. Just like cinema stunt performers, they merit acknowledgment. We shouldn't delay decades.

Ryan Spencer
Ryan Spencer

Elara is a tech journalist with a decade of experience covering software development and digital innovation trends.