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The Iconic Puzzle Game Didn't Triumph at The Game Awards — Another Award Type Might Solve This

As any major prize-giving event nears, there’s always an outcry for the addition additional classifications to honor underappreciated efforts and fill the spirits of enthusiasts with niche passions.

A fellow writer previously argued advocating for terror-themed awards. It would be amazing. Equally deserving are tabletop games, this being a dedicated supporter's campaign. However, I must insist for pushing forward just as with other single-minded supporters, I have a cast-iron argument backing this proposal stands as crucial above others. The demand is this: It's essential to create an award type for logic-based games.

Organizing Gaming Categories

Classifying creative works defies precise measurement; opinions vary greatly, and typically spark debates and end in fuzzy definitions. This explains why movie academies don’t do it. Yet it remains an essential concession within the realm of gaming, which are so diverse they barely qualify as a single art form.

For the full spectrum of achievement in video games to receive acknowledgment, and to ensure all game types to receive proper recognition, specific award classifications remain vital.

Current Gaming Award Categories

Prominent interactive entertainment events currently feature genre categories for Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Fighting, Simulation and strategy titles, plus athletic and racing experiences. Together, these award types effectively encompass many game types, making space possible for numerous titles.

Not so for brain-teasing titles. There’s simply nowhere to accommodate them. Think about these this year’s best games, each quite distinct: structural challenges of one title, fast-paced pattern recognition of another game, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles from additional release. Which classification works between these six categories? Simply put, no category fits.

Recognition Challenges

There are dozens outstanding logic titles released every year without proper recognition at major award shows, if they accidentally match classification types such as Handheld titles, Virtual reality experiences, and the highly challenging independent game categories.

  • One classic puzzle game wasn’t nominated completely in 2014
  • A different innovative game received no nominations in 2019
  • A beloved organization game received no acknowledgment recently
  • Just some puzzle games managed to sneak into independent or mobile categories

Value of Brain-Teasers

Commonly they're modest productions, however the design in brain-teasers holds tremendous importance. Iconic mobile puzzle games count as most engaged experiences in the world maintaining this status for an extended period.

The legendary block-stacking game challenges popular creative games for the title of highest-selling title ever; it additionally competes as greatest title ever. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks to the art of video games, and they are in conversation with diverse game types.

The Solution and Justification

Puzzle games wouldn’t have that issue. You could fill a field of five engaging, different, qualified experiences annually without trouble — or rather, with difficulty, since numerous excellent so many good games out.

To emphasize again, these include experiences without proper classification at major gaming awards. Puzzle game makers operate at the demanding boundary game development, developing some of essential manifestations of the video game form. Similar to film action specialists, they deserve recognition. Don't make them wait generations.

About the author

Heidi Williamson

A professional poker player and analyst with over a decade of experience in high-stakes tournaments and cash games.

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