Whenever a prominent prize-giving event nears, you'll find a demand for the addition fresh award types to acknowledge unsung work and satisfy the hearts of fans with niche passions.
Another commentator made the case supporting a scary games classification. That would be fantastic. The same goes for tabletop games, this being a passionate advocate's mission. But they will have to forgive me if I try to elbow in front just as with other single-minded supporters, I have a cast-iron argument supporting my request stands as crucial and important of all. The demand is this: There should be a classification for brain-teasing titles.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Classifying creative works defies precise measurement; opinions vary greatly, and inevitably spark debates concluding with vague boundaries. There’s a reason cinema institutions don’t do it. However, it represents an unavoidable compromise for the industry of gaming, that demonstrate such variety they hardly constitute a single creative category.
To recognize the complete range of gaming accomplishments to gain proper attention, and to ensure all game types to have a chance for representation, specific award classifications remain vital.
Present Award Structure
Prominent interactive entertainment events presently include genre categories for Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, RPG experiences, Fighting, Simulation and strategy titles, plus athletic and racing experiences. Between them, these six categories effectively encompass numerous genres, making space possible for most games within them.
Not so for logic-based experiences. There’s simply nowhere to put them. Examine these examples from outstanding current releases, each quite distinct: the architectural riddles of one title, fast-paced pattern recognition in a different title, engaging interpersonal challenges of a third title. What category would fit them between these six categories? Unfortunately, nowhere.
The Representation Problem
There are dozens excellent brain-teasers published annually without proper recognition at major award shows, except when they manage to fit classification types such as Mobile Game, Virtual reality experiences, and the highly challenging independent game categories.
- An iconic brain-teaser received no recognition for anything that year
- Another imaginative release received no nominations in 2019
- Well-received sorting experience was overlooked recently
- Limited numbers of brain-teasers scraped into niche award types
Value of Brain-Teasers
These are often small games, but the art behind logic titles holds tremendous importance. Famous handheld logic titles rank among most engaged experiences globally and have been for an extended period.
The legendary block-stacking game rivals famous sandbox experiences claiming status as highest-selling title ever; it’s also in the running for best game of all time. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks to the art of video games, and engaging with almost every other genre.
Recommendation and Reasoning
Logic titles wouldn't face this problem. One could readily select a field of five with fascinating, diverse, deserving games each ceremony simply — or rather, with difficulty, given the need to exclude so many good games out.
To emphasize again, these include experiences lacking appropriate categories in important events. Brain-teaser creators operate at the challenging frontier game development, creating some of the purest expressions within interactive entertainment. Similar to cinema stunt performers, they merit acknowledgment. Don't make them wait 35 years.
