Each time a significant awards ceremony draws close, there’s always an outcry for introducing fresh award types to acknowledge overlooked contributions and fill the hearts of fans with niche passions.
A fellow writer has already made advocating for terror-themed awards. That would be fantastic. So would tabletop games, representing a passionate advocate's mission. However, I must insist if I try to elbow in front because like all blinkered fanatics, I have a cast-iron argument for why my demand is the most urgent above others. Here's the proposal: There should be an award type for logic-based games.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Organizing artistic expressions defies precise measurement; opinions vary greatly, and it will always start arguments resulting in unclear classifications. There’s a reason film award organizations avoid this approach. However, it represents an unavoidable compromise in the world of video games, that demonstrate such variety they barely qualify as a single art form.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of gaming accomplishments to gain proper attention, while allowing diverse titles to have a chance for representation, specific award classifications remain vital.
Existing Game Classification System
Prominent interactive entertainment events currently feature award types recognizing Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these classifications effectively encompass a lot of ground, allowing placement for most games within them.
This doesn't apply to brain-teasing titles. There’s simply nowhere to put them. Consider three of this year’s best games, each quite distinct: the architectural riddles from a specific release, intense tile-matching in a different title, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles of a third title. Which classification works among existing types? Unfortunately, nowhere.
Acknowledgment Issues
There are dozens outstanding logic titles published annually that have no home in entertainment awards, unless they happen to qualify award groups including Handheld titles, Virtual reality experiences, and the highly challenging small studio competitions.
- A renowned logic title received no recognition for anything in 2014
- Another imaginative release received no nominations that year
- Well-received sorting experience was overlooked recently
- Limited numbers of logic titles managed to sneak into niche award types
Value of Brain-Teasers
Commonly they're small games, yet the craft of the puzzle game holds tremendous importance. Famous handheld logic titles stand as most popular titles in the world maintaining this status for an extended period.
The legendary block-stacking game rivals well-known building titles competing to become highest-selling title ever; it additionally competes for best game of all time. Logic titles represent cornerstones for gaming as medium, and they are in conversation with almost every other genre.
Recommendation and Reasoning
Puzzle games wouldn’t have this problem. You could fill a field of five interesting, varied, worthy titles annually without trouble — or rather, with difficulty, since numerous excellent numerous deserving experiences.
And to reiterate, these include experiences without proper classification during prominent ceremonies. Logic title developers are working at the hard edge of video game design, producing among the purest expressions of gaming itself. Comparable to cinema stunt performers, they warrant appreciation. Let’s not keep them waiting decades.
