Tetris Wouldn't Succeed at This Gaming Ceremony — A New Category Could Fix That
Each time a prominent honors show nears, one notices a demand for introducing fresh award types to acknowledge overlooked contributions and fill the passions of followers with niche passions.
A fellow writer made the case advocating for terror-themed awards. That would rule. Equally deserving are strategy board titles, this being a dedicated supporter's campaign. However, I must insist if I try to elbow in front since similar to single-minded supporters, I have a cast-iron argument backing this proposal remains most pressing and significant. This is the request: We need a classification for brain-teasing titles.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Categorizing art by genre defies precise measurement; opinions vary greatly, and typically generate discussions and end in fuzzy definitions. This explains why film award organizations don’t do it. But it is an essential concession within the realm of interactive entertainment, which are so diverse they barely qualify as a single art form.
For the full spectrum of interactive entertainment excellence to receive acknowledgment, while allowing diverse titles to compete fairly, classification by type becomes crucial.
Existing Game Classification System
Leading game ceremonies currently feature genre categories for Action, Adventure-action titles, RPG experiences, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these classifications actually cover a lot of ground, making space possible for numerous titles.
Not so for brain-teasing titles. No suitable classification appears to put them. Think about these recent excellent titles, all very different: structural challenges from a specific release, the pulse-pounding block-matching in a different title, thought-provoking social scenarios in another game. What category would fit them within current classifications? Unfortunately, nowhere.
The Representation Problem
Numerous examples exist of brilliant puzzle games released every year lacking appropriate categories in entertainment awards, if they accidentally match award groups including Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, and the highly challenging Indie races.
- An iconic brain-teaser got overlooked in any category that year
- A different innovative game was excluded during that ceremony
- A beloved organization game received no acknowledgment that year
- Limited numbers of puzzle games scraped into independent or mobile categories
Importance of Logic Titles
Frequently they represent small games, however the design of the puzzle game carries substantial weight. Iconic mobile puzzle games stand as most engaged experiences globally and have been for over a decade.
The iconic tile-matching title challenges well-known building titles for the title of best-selling game of all time; it additionally competes as greatest title ever. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks within interactive entertainment, while interacting with diverse game types.
Recommendation and Reasoning
Logic titles wouldn't face that issue. One could readily select a field of five engaging, different, qualified experiences every year with ease — actually, with challenge, given the need to exclude so many good games out.
And to reiterate, these are games lacking appropriate categories at major gaming awards. Puzzle game makers are working at the hard edge interactive creation, creating some of essential manifestations within interactive entertainment. Similar to cinema stunt performers, they warrant appreciation. Let’s not keep them waiting decades.