Each time a major honors show draws close, there’s always an outcry for introducing additional classifications to recognize unsung work and fill the hearts of fans with niche passions.
A fellow writer previously argued for a horror game category. It would be amazing. So would strategy board titles, which is someone's personal cause. But they will have to forgive me when I prioritize because like all blinkered fanatics, I possess a compelling case for why my demand is the most urgent above others. Here's the proposal: It's essential to create a classification for brain-teasing titles.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Organizing artistic expressions defies precise measurement; it’s very subjective, and it will always generate discussions resulting in unclear classifications. It's understandable that movie academies avoid this approach. Yet it remains an unavoidable compromise within the realm of video games, that demonstrate such variety it's challenging to consider them a single creative category.
For the full spectrum of interactive entertainment excellence to gain proper attention, and to ensure all game types to receive proper recognition, genre categories are essential.
Existing Game Classification System
The major gaming awards currently feature genre categories for Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Between them, these award types effectively encompass numerous genres, allowing placement accommodating various experiences.
Not so for logic-based experiences. There’s simply nowhere to accommodate them. Think about these this year’s best games, showing diverse approaches: the architectural riddles from a specific release, fast-paced pattern recognition from another release, engaging interpersonal challenges from additional release. What category would fit them within current classifications? Unfortunately, nowhere.
Recognition Challenges
Numerous examples exist outstanding logic titles released every year lacking appropriate categories during gaming ceremonies, unless they happen to qualify for categories like Handheld titles, Virtual reality experiences, or the intensely contested Indie races.
- One classic puzzle game received no recognition completely during that awards season
- Another creative title was excluded that year
- Well-received sorting experience was overlooked recently
- Just some puzzle games managed to sneak into independent or mobile categories
Value of Brain-Teasers
Frequently they represent compact experiences, yet the craft behind logic titles carries substantial weight. Famous handheld logic titles rank among most popular titles in the world and have been for over a decade.
The iconic tile-matching title competes with famous sandbox experiences competing to become best-selling game of all time; it’s also in the running as greatest title ever. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks to the art of video games, while interacting across multiple categories.
Proposal and Rationale
Logic titles wouldn't face that issue. You could fill a field of five engaging, different, qualified experiences each ceremony simply — actually, with challenge, given the need to exclude so many good games out.
To emphasize again, these are games without proper classification in important events. Brain-teaser creators are working at the challenging frontier game development, producing among the purest expressions within interactive entertainment. Comparable to cinema stunt performers, they warrant appreciation. We shouldn't delay decades.
