As any prominent honors show draws close, one notices an outcry for the addition fresh award types to honor overlooked contributions and fill the spirits of enthusiasts with niche passions.
Another commentator made the case for a horror game category. It would be amazing. The same goes for strategy board titles, which is a passionate advocate's mission. But they will have to forgive me when I prioritize just as with other blinkered fanatics, I possess a compelling case backing this proposal remains most pressing above others. This is the request: There should be a category for puzzle games.
Classifying creative works is not a science; it’s very subjective, and it will always spark debates resulting in unclear classifications. There’s a reason cinema institutions avoid this approach. However, it represents an essential concession in the world of interactive entertainment, which are so diverse it's challenging to consider them a single creative category.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of interactive entertainment excellence to be recognized, and for games of all stripes to have a chance for representation, classification by type becomes crucial.
Prominent interactive entertainment events presently include award types recognizing Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these award types successfully include numerous genres, and you can find room accommodating various experiences.
This doesn't apply to logic-based experiences. No suitable classification appears for their placement. Consider three of recent excellent titles, showing diverse approaches: structural challenges of one title, intense tile-matching of another game, engaging interpersonal challenges from additional release. What category would fit them among existing types? Nowhere, that’s where.
Many instances occur excellent brain-teasers published annually that have no home at major award shows, if they accidentally match award groups including Mobile Game, Virtual reality experiences, or the intensely contested independent game categories.
Commonly they're modest productions, but the art of the puzzle game holds tremendous importance. Well-known matching games count as most engaged experiences in the world continuing this trend for many years.
The famous puzzle experience challenges famous sandbox experiences competing to become highest-selling title ever; it additionally competes for top gaming experience. Puzzle games are foundational for gaming as medium, and engaging with almost every other genre.
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter this problem. You could fill five nominees with fascinating, diverse, deserving games every year with ease — actually, with challenge, given the need to exclude so many good games out.
Restating the point, these represent titles lacking appropriate categories at major gaming awards. Puzzle game makers are working at the demanding boundary game development, developing some of essential manifestations of gaming itself. Just like cinema stunt performers, they deserve recognition. Let’s not keep them waiting 35 years.
Maya Chen is a freelance writer and urban enthusiast with a passion for documenting city life and cultural shifts.
