Tetris Wouldn't Win at The Game Awards — An Additional Classification Could Fix That
Each time a major honors show approaches, you'll find an outcry for introducing additional classifications to acknowledge underappreciated efforts and fill the hearts of enthusiasts who have specialized interests.
A fellow writer made the case supporting a scary games classification. That would rule. So would board games, which is a dedicated supporter's campaign. Yet I need to apologize in advance for pushing forward because like all blinkered fanatics, I have a cast-iron argument supporting my request stands as crucial and significant. Here's the proposal: We need a category for puzzle games.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Classifying creative works isn't exact; it remains highly personal, and typically start arguments concluding with vague boundaries. There’s a reason film award organizations don’t do it. Yet it remains a necessary evil within the realm of gaming, that demonstrate such variety it's challenging to consider them a single creative category.
To recognize the complete range of gaming accomplishments to gain proper attention, and for games of all stripes to receive proper recognition, classification by type becomes crucial.
Existing Game Classification System
Leading game ceremonies presently include classifications covering Action, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these six categories actually cover many game types, making space possible for numerous titles.
This doesn't apply to brain-teasing titles. No appropriate category exists for their placement. Think about these this year’s best games, showing diverse approaches: structural challenges of one title, the pulse-pounding block-matching from another release, engaging interpersonal challenges of a third title. Where could they possibly go between these six categories? Nowhere, that’s where.
Acknowledgment Issues
Numerous examples exist excellent brain-teasers published annually that have no home at major award shows, except when they manage to fit classification types such as Handheld titles, Virtual reality experiences, or the extremely competitive small studio competitions.
- A renowned logic title received no recognition for anything that year
- A different innovative game received no nominations that year
- A beloved organization game received no acknowledgment that year
- Just some puzzle games scraped into niche award types
Importance of Logic Titles
Frequently they represent modest productions, however the design of the puzzle game carries substantial weight. Famous handheld logic titles count as most engaged experiences in the world continuing this trend for over a decade.
The famous puzzle experience rivals popular creative games competing to become highest-selling title ever; it’s also in the running as greatest title ever. Logic titles represent cornerstones for gaming as medium, and engaging across multiple categories.
Proposal and Rationale
Puzzle games wouldn’t have such difficulty. One could readily select multiple candidates interesting, varied, worthy titles annually without trouble — actually, with challenge, given the need to exclude many worthy titles.
And to reiterate, these are games lacking appropriate categories at major gaming awards. Puzzle game makers operate at the hard edge of video game design, producing among most fundamental forms within interactive entertainment. Comparable to cinema stunt performers, they warrant appreciation. We shouldn't delay generations.