🔗 Share this article The Iconic Puzzle Game Wouldn't Succeed at This Gaming Ceremony — A New Category May Address This Issue Each time a significant awards ceremony approaches, one notices a clamor for the addition additional classifications to recognize unsung work and fill the passions of followers who have specialized interests. A fellow writer previously argued for a horror game category. It would be amazing. So would tabletop games, which is a passionate advocate's mission. However, I must insist when I prioritize since similar to blinkered fanatics, I have a cast-iron argument for why my demand is the most urgent and important of all. This is the request: There should be a classification for brain-teasing titles. The Genre Classification Challenge Categorizing art by genre is not a science; it remains highly personal, and inevitably start arguments and end in fuzzy definitions. There’s a reason cinema institutions steer clear of genre categories. Yet it remains an essential concession for the industry of video games, which are so diverse they hardly constitute a single creative category. For the full spectrum of gaming accomplishments to receive acknowledgment, and to ensure all game types to have a chance for representation, classification by type becomes crucial. Existing Game Classification System Leading game ceremonies presently include classifications covering Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Between them, these classifications effectively encompass a lot of ground, making space possible for numerous titles. Not so for logic-based experiences. No appropriate category exists for their placement. Think about these recent excellent titles, all very different: structural challenges in a particular game, fast-paced pattern recognition in a different title, engaging interpersonal challenges from additional release. Which classification works within current classifications? Nowhere, that’s where. Recognition Challenges Numerous examples exist excellent brain-teasers released every year without proper recognition at major award shows, unless they happen to qualify for categories like Mobile Game, Virtual reality experiences, and the highly challenging Indie races. One classic puzzle game received no recognition for anything that year Another imaginative release was excluded in 2019 Well-received sorting experience was overlooked in 2021 Limited numbers of logic titles managed to sneak into niche award types Significance of Puzzle Games Frequently they represent small games, but the art of the puzzle game carries substantial weight. Iconic mobile puzzle games count as most engaged experiences in the world and have been for an extended period. The iconic tile-matching title competes with popular creative games for the title of best-selling game of all time; it’s also in the running for best game of all time. Logic titles represent cornerstones to the art of video games, while interacting with almost every other genre. Proposal and Rationale Logic titles wouldn't face this problem. One could readily select a field of five interesting, varied, worthy titles each ceremony simply — perhaps, with difficulty, since numerous excellent numerous deserving experiences. To emphasize again, these include experiences lacking appropriate categories at major gaming awards. Puzzle game makers function at the challenging frontier game development, producing among most fundamental forms of the video game form. Just like cinema stunt performers, they warrant appreciation. Don't make them wait generations.