Tetris Couldn't Win at The Game Awards — An Additional Classification Could Fix That
Whenever a prominent honors show approaches, one notices a demand for introducing fresh award types to recognize overlooked contributions and delight the passions of enthusiasts with niche passions.
A fellow writer made the case for a horror game category. That would be fantastic. Equally deserving are tabletop games, representing a dedicated supporter's campaign. But they will have to forgive me for pushing forward because like all single-minded supporters, I possess a compelling case for why my demand is the most urgent above others. This is the request: There should be an award type for logic-based games.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Categorizing art by genre isn't exact; it remains highly personal, and inevitably spark debates resulting in unclear classifications. There’s a reason movie academies steer clear of genre categories. But it is a necessary evil for the industry of video games, showing incredible range it's challenging to consider them as a single art form.
To recognize the complete range of gaming accomplishments to gain proper attention, and for games of all stripes to receive proper recognition, specific award classifications remain vital.
Current Gaming Award Categories
Leading game ceremonies currently feature classifications covering Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Between them, these classifications successfully include many game types, and you can find room for numerous titles.
Different situation exists for puzzle games. No suitable classification appears for their placement. Examine these examples from recent excellent titles, each quite distinct: building puzzles in a particular game, intense tile-matching of another game, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles in another game. What category would fit them between these six categories? Unfortunately, nowhere.
The Representation Problem
Numerous examples exist outstanding logic titles launched regularly that have no home during gaming ceremonies, if they accidentally match for categories like Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, and the highly challenging independent game categories.
- One classic puzzle game wasn’t nominated in any category that year
- Another creative title was excluded during that ceremony
- Well-received sorting experience was overlooked recently
- Limited numbers of brain-teasers managed to sneak into niche award types
Significance of Puzzle Games
These are often small games, but the art behind logic titles is of massive significance. Iconic mobile puzzle games count as the most-played games globally and have been for an extended period.
The iconic tile-matching title rivals well-known building titles claiming status as highest-selling title ever; it additionally competes as greatest title ever. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks for gaming as medium, and engaging with diverse game types.
Proposal and Rationale
Puzzle games wouldn’t have such difficulty. You could fill multiple candidates engaging, different, qualified experiences every year with ease — or rather, with difficulty, since numerous excellent so many good games out.
To emphasize again, these represent titles that otherwise have no home during prominent ceremonies. Puzzle game makers operate at the hard edge of video game design, creating some of most fundamental forms of the video game form. Similar to film action specialists, they deserve recognition. Let’s not keep them waiting decades.