As any significant prize-giving event draws close, there’s always a demand for the addition of new categories to honor underappreciated efforts and fill the hearts of fans dedicated to specific genres.
A fellow writer previously argued for a horror game category. That would be fantastic. So would strategy board titles, representing a passionate advocate's mission. However, I must insist when I prioritize because like all dedicated enthusiasts, I have a cast-iron argument for why my demand remains most pressing and important of all. This is the request: It's essential to create an award type for logic-based games.
Categorizing Game Types
Categorizing art by genre defies precise measurement; opinions vary greatly, and it will always start arguments resulting in unclear classifications. This explains why cinema institutions avoid this approach. However, it represents a necessary evil within the realm of gaming, that demonstrate such variety they hardly constitute as a single art form.
For the full spectrum of achievement in video games to receive acknowledgment, and to ensure all game types to compete fairly, classification by type becomes crucial.
Current Gaming Award Categories
The major gaming awards presently include classifications covering Action, Adventure-action titles, RPG experiences, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Between them, these six categories successfully include many game types, allowing placement for most games within them.
This doesn't apply to logic-based experiences. No suitable classification appears to accommodate them. Consider three of this year’s best games, all very different: structural challenges of one title, fast-paced pattern recognition of another game, engaging interpersonal challenges in another game. Where could they possibly go between these six categories? Nowhere, that’s where.
Recognition Challenges
Many instances occur outstanding logic titles released every year that have no home during gaming ceremonies, except when they manage to fit award groups including Handheld titles, Virtual reality experiences, or the intensely contested Indie races.
- One classic puzzle game got overlooked for anything that year
- Another imaginative release missed out in 2019
- A beloved organization game got ignored recently
- Limited numbers of logic titles barely qualified for independent or mobile categories
Importance of Logic Titles
These are often modest productions, yet the craft of the puzzle game holds tremendous importance. Iconic mobile puzzle games rank among most popular titles in the world and have been for an extended period.
The legendary block-stacking game competes with well-known building titles claiming status as best-selling game of all time; it additionally competes for best game of all time. Logic titles represent cornerstones to the art of video games, and engaging with diverse game types.
The Solution and Justification
Logic titles wouldn't face such difficulty. You could fill five nominees interesting, varied, worthy titles every year with ease — actually, with challenge, given the need to exclude numerous deserving experiences.
And to reiterate, these represent titles that otherwise have no home during prominent ceremonies. Puzzle game makers function at the hard edge game development, developing some of most fundamental forms of the video game form. Just like cinema stunt performers, they merit acknowledgment. Let’s not keep them waiting 35 years.
