🔗 Share this article

Each time a prominent prize-giving event draws close, you'll find a demand for the addition of new categories to acknowledge overlooked contributions and fill the spirits of enthusiasts who have specialized interests.

Another commentator made the case advocating for terror-themed awards. It would be amazing. Equally deserving are strategy board titles, which is someone's personal cause. But they will have to forgive me when I prioritize because like all single-minded supporters, there's a strong justification supporting my request remains most pressing above others. This is the request: It's essential to create an award type for logic-based games.

Organizing Gaming Categories

Categorizing art by genre is not a science; opinions vary greatly, and it will always spark debates and end in fuzzy definitions. This explains why cinema institutions avoid this approach. But it is an essential concession for the industry of video games, which are so diverse they barely qualify a single creative category.

For the full spectrum of gaming accomplishments to receive acknowledgment, and to ensure all game types to receive proper recognition, specific award classifications remain vital.

Current Gaming Award Categories

Leading game ceremonies currently feature award types recognizing Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these six categories actually cover many game types, allowing placement accommodating various experiences.

Different situation exists for puzzle games. No appropriate category exists for their placement. Examine these examples from this year’s best games, showing diverse approaches: the architectural riddles of one title, the pulse-pounding block-matching from another release, engaging interpersonal challenges of a third title. What category would fit them among existing types? Unfortunately, nowhere.

Acknowledgment Issues

Numerous examples exist outstanding logic titles released every year without proper recognition during gaming ceremonies, unless they happen to qualify classification types such as Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, or the extremely competitive Indie races.

• One classic puzzle game received no recognition completely in 2014
• Another imaginative release received no nominations during that ceremony
• Well-received sorting experience got ignored in 2021
• Limited numbers of puzzle games scraped into independent or mobile categories

Value of Brain-Teasers

These are often modest productions, but the art in brain-teasers holds tremendous importance. Well-known matching games count as the most-played games in the world maintaining this status for an extended period.

The legendary block-stacking game competes with well-known building titles for the title of best-selling game of all time; it also contends for best game of all time. Logic titles represent cornerstones within interactive entertainment, and engaging with diverse game types.

The Solution and Justification

Puzzle games wouldn’t have this problem. One could readily select a field of five with fascinating, diverse, deserving games each ceremony simply — actually, with challenge, because you’d have to leave so many good games out.

To emphasize again, these include experiences that otherwise have no home during prominent ceremonies. Logic title developers function at the hard edge interactive creation, creating some of most fundamental forms within interactive entertainment. Just like film action specialists, they merit acknowledgment. Let’s not keep them waiting decades.