Tetris Wouldn't Win at The Game Awards — An Additional Classification Might Solve This
As any major awards ceremony nears, there’s always a clamor for introducing fresh award types to honor overlooked contributions and fill the passions of followers with niche passions.
My colleague made the case supporting a scary games classification. That would be fantastic. So would strategy board titles, representing a dedicated supporter's campaign. Yet I need to apologize in advance for pushing forward because like all dedicated enthusiasts, I have a cast-iron argument supporting my request stands as crucial and significant. The demand is this: We need a classification for brain-teasing titles.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Organizing artistic expressions isn't exact; opinions vary greatly, and typically spark debates concluding with vague boundaries. It's understandable that film award organizations steer clear of genre categories. Yet it remains an essential concession in the world of gaming, that demonstrate such variety it's challenging to consider them a single creative category.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of gaming accomplishments to gain proper attention, while allowing diverse titles to compete fairly, genre categories are essential.
Present Award Structure
Leading game ceremonies presently include award types recognizing Action, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these classifications actually cover a lot of ground, allowing placement accommodating various experiences.
Different situation exists for brain-teasing titles. No appropriate category exists to accommodate them. Examine these examples from outstanding current releases, showing diverse approaches: the architectural riddles in a particular game, fast-paced pattern recognition in a different title, engaging interpersonal challenges from additional release. Where could they possibly go between these six categories? Simply put, no category fits.
Recognition Challenges
There are dozens excellent brain-teasers published annually without proper recognition at major award shows, if they accidentally match for categories like Mobile Game, Virtual reality experiences, or the intensely contested Indie races.
- An iconic brain-teaser got overlooked completely that year
- A different innovative game missed out in 2019
- A beloved organization game was overlooked that year
- Limited numbers of brain-teasers scraped into independent or mobile categories
Importance of Logic Titles
Frequently they represent modest productions, however the design in brain-teasers carries substantial weight. Famous handheld logic titles count as most popular titles in the world maintaining this status for many years.
The iconic tile-matching title rivals well-known building titles claiming status as best-selling game of all time; it also contends for best game of all time. Puzzle games are foundational to the art of video games, and engaging with diverse game types.
The Solution and Justification
Logic titles wouldn't face that issue. You could fill a field of five engaging, different, qualified experiences annually without trouble — perhaps, with difficulty, given the need to exclude so many good games out.
Restating the point, these are games lacking appropriate categories in important events. Brain-teaser creators are working at the demanding boundary interactive creation, developing some of essential manifestations of the video game form. Similar to cinema stunt performers, they warrant appreciation. We shouldn't delay 35 years.