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The Iconic Puzzle Game Wouldn't Win at The Game Awards — Another Award Type Might Solve This

As any prominent awards ceremony nears, you'll find an outcry to include of new categories to honor overlooked contributions and satisfy the spirits of followers who have specialized interests.

A fellow writer made the case for a horror game category. That would be fantastic. The same goes for tabletop games, which is a dedicated supporter's campaign. However, I must insist when I prioritize since similar to dedicated enthusiasts, I have a cast-iron argument for why my demand remains most pressing above others. This is the request: We need a classification for brain-teasing titles.

Categorizing Game Types

Classifying creative works is not a science; it’s very subjective, and typically start arguments concluding with vague boundaries. This explains why cinema institutions don’t do it. But it is an unavoidable compromise for the industry of interactive entertainment, showing incredible range they hardly constitute as a single art form.

For the full spectrum of achievement in video games to gain proper attention, and to ensure all game types to have a chance for representation, genre categories are essential.

Current Gaming Award Categories

The major gaming awards currently feature classifications covering Action, Adventure-action titles, RPG experiences, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, plus athletic and racing experiences. Collectively, these award types successfully include numerous genres, and you can find room for numerous titles.

This doesn't apply to logic-based experiences. No appropriate category exists to put them. Think about these this year’s best games, all very different: structural challenges in a particular game, fast-paced pattern recognition of another game, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles in another game. Where could they possibly go within current classifications? Unfortunately, nowhere.

Recognition Challenges

Numerous examples exist excellent brain-teasers launched regularly lacking appropriate categories at major award shows, unless they happen to qualify for categories like Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, or the intensely contested small studio competitions.

  • A renowned logic title wasn’t nominated for anything during that awards season
  • Another creative title was excluded in 2019
  • A beloved organization game got ignored recently
  • Only a few puzzle games barely qualified for independent or mobile categories

Significance of Puzzle Games

These are often modest productions, yet the craft in brain-teasers is of massive significance. Famous handheld logic titles rank among most engaged experiences worldwide maintaining this status for an extended period.

The legendary block-stacking game competes with popular creative games for the title of highest-selling title ever; it’s also in the running for top gaming experience. Puzzle games are foundational for gaming as medium, and they are in conversation with diverse game types.

The Solution and Justification

Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter such difficulty. It would be easy to populate multiple candidates interesting, varied, worthy titles each ceremony simply — or rather, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave numerous deserving experiences.

To emphasize again, these include experiences lacking appropriate categories during prominent ceremonies. Puzzle game makers operate at the demanding boundary interactive creation, creating some of essential manifestations of the video game form. Comparable to cinema stunt performers, they merit acknowledgment. We shouldn't delay decades.

By

Russell Robertson

A passionate writer and community builder with expertise in interpersonal dynamics and digital engagement strategies.

EdAlerts UK

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