Tetris Couldn't Succeed at This Gaming Ceremony — An Additional Classification Could Fix That

Each time a prominent awards ceremony nears, you'll find a clamor to include additional classifications to recognize underappreciated efforts and satisfy the passions of fans dedicated to specific genres.

My colleague made the case supporting a scary games classification. That would rule. The same goes for board games, representing a passionate advocate's mission. But they will have to forgive me for pushing forward just as with other dedicated enthusiasts, there's a strong justification backing this proposal is the most urgent above others. Here's the proposal: There should be an award type for logic-based games.

Organizing Gaming Categories

Organizing artistic expressions defies precise measurement; it’s very subjective, and inevitably spark debates concluding with vague boundaries. It's understandable that cinema institutions don’t do it. But it is an essential concession within the realm of video games, which are so diverse it's challenging to consider them a single creative category.

For the full spectrum of interactive entertainment excellence to receive acknowledgment, and to ensure all game types to compete fairly, genre categories are essential.

Existing Game Classification System

Leading game ceremonies offer these award types recognizing Action, Adventure-action titles, RPG experiences, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Collectively, these classifications successfully include numerous genres, allowing placement accommodating various experiences.

Not so for brain-teasing titles. There’s simply nowhere to accommodate them. Think about these recent excellent titles, showing diverse approaches: building puzzles in a particular game, the pulse-pounding block-matching in a different title, thought-provoking social scenarios in another game. Where could they possibly go among existing types? Unfortunately, nowhere.

Recognition Challenges

Many instances occur excellent brain-teasers released every year lacking appropriate categories at major award shows, if they accidentally match classification types such as Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, or the intensely contested independent game categories.

• A renowned logic title received no recognition completely in 2014
• Another imaginative release missed out that year
• A beloved organization game was overlooked in 2021
• Only a few brain-teasers barely qualified for niche award types

Importance of Logic Titles

These are often compact experiences, yet the craft in brain-teasers is of massive significance. Iconic mobile puzzle games stand as most engaged experiences worldwide continuing this trend for an extended period.

The iconic tile-matching title rivals well-known building titles competing to become highest-selling title ever; it’s also in the running for best game of all time. Puzzle games are foundational for gaming as medium, while interacting with diverse game types.

Proposal and Rationale

Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter such difficulty. You could fill multiple candidates interesting, varied, worthy titles annually without trouble — or rather, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave numerous deserving experiences.

Restating the point, these are games lacking appropriate categories during prominent ceremonies. Puzzle game makers function at the hard edge of video game design, producing among essential manifestations of the video game form. Just like film action specialists, they warrant appreciation. We shouldn't delay 35 years.