Tetris Wouldn't Win at This Gaming Ceremony — A New Category Could Fix That

Whenever a major honors show draws close, you'll find a demand for introducing fresh award types to recognize underappreciated efforts and fill the hearts of fans who have specialized interests.

Another commentator made the case for a horror game category. That would rule. So would board games, this being someone's personal cause. Yet I need to apologize in advance when I prioritize since similar to blinkered fanatics, I possess a compelling case supporting my request stands as crucial and significant. This is the request: We need a classification for brain-teasing titles.

The Genre Classification Challenge

Organizing artistic expressions is not a science; it remains highly personal, and typically start arguments concluding with vague boundaries. This explains why movie academies avoid this approach. But it is an essential concession for the industry of video games, which are so diverse they barely qualify one unified medium.

To recognize the complete range of gaming accomplishments to receive acknowledgment, and to ensure all game types to compete fairly, genre categories are essential.

Existing Game Classification System

Leading game ceremonies presently include genre categories for Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Fighting, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Collectively, these six categories effectively encompass a lot of ground, allowing placement for numerous titles.

Different situation exists for brain-teasing titles. There’s simply nowhere to put them. Examine these examples from outstanding current releases, all very different: building puzzles in a particular game, fast-paced pattern recognition in a different title, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles in another game. What category would fit them within current classifications? Unfortunately, nowhere.

The Representation Problem

Numerous examples exist excellent brain-teasers released every year that have no home during gaming ceremonies, if they accidentally match classification types such as Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, and the highly challenging Indie races.

• One classic puzzle game wasn’t nominated for anything in 2014
• A different innovative game missed out in 2019
• A beloved organization game received no acknowledgment recently
• Just some brain-teasers managed to sneak into niche award types

Importance of Logic Titles

Frequently they represent small games, yet the craft behind logic titles carries substantial weight. Famous handheld logic titles rank among the most-played games worldwide and have been for over a decade.

The legendary block-stacking game rivals famous sandbox experiences claiming status as most purchased experience; it’s also in the running for best game of all time. Puzzle games are foundational within interactive entertainment, and they are in conversation with diverse game types.

Recommendation and Reasoning

Logic titles wouldn't face such difficulty. You could fill multiple candidates with fascinating, diverse, deserving games every year with ease — or rather, with difficulty, since numerous excellent many worthy titles.

To emphasize again, these represent titles without proper classification in important events. Puzzle game makers are working at the challenging frontier of video game design, creating some of the purest expressions within interactive entertainment. Similar to film action specialists, they merit acknowledgment. Don't make them wait generations.