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Each time a prominent honors show draws close, you'll find a demand for introducing fresh award types to acknowledge unsung work and fill the hearts of fans who have specialized interests.

A fellow writer made the case advocating for terror-themed awards. That would rule. Equally deserving are strategy board titles, which is a dedicated supporter's campaign. But they will have to forgive me for pushing forward because like all single-minded supporters, there's a strong justification backing this proposal is the most urgent above others. The demand is this: There should be a classification for brain-teasing titles.

Organizing Gaming Categories

Organizing artistic expressions defies precise measurement; it remains highly personal, and it will always spark debates resulting in unclear classifications. It's understandable that cinema institutions avoid this approach. But it is a necessary evil within the realm of interactive entertainment, showing incredible range it's challenging to consider them a single creative category.

For the full spectrum of interactive entertainment excellence to receive acknowledgment, and for games of all stripes to compete fairly, classification by type becomes crucial.

Current Gaming Award Categories

Leading game ceremonies currently feature award types recognizing Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, RPG experiences, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Collectively, these six categories actually cover many game types, allowing placement accommodating various experiences.

Not so for logic-based experiences. No appropriate category exists for their placement. Think about these outstanding current releases, all very different: structural challenges in a particular game, the pulse-pounding block-matching of another game, thought-provoking social scenarios of a third title. Which classification works within current classifications? Unfortunately, nowhere.

Recognition Challenges

Numerous examples exist outstanding logic titles published annually without proper recognition in entertainment awards, except when they manage to fit award groups including Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, or the extremely competitive independent game categories.

• One classic puzzle game wasn’t nominated completely in 2014
• A different innovative game was excluded during that ceremony
• A beloved organization game received no acknowledgment recently
• Limited numbers of puzzle games managed to sneak into niche award types

Value of Brain-Teasers

Frequently they represent compact experiences, however the design of the puzzle game carries substantial weight. Famous handheld logic titles rank among most engaged experiences worldwide and have been for many years.

The legendary block-stacking game challenges popular creative games competing to become highest-selling title ever; it additionally competes as greatest title ever. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks for gaming as medium, and they are in conversation with almost every other genre.

Proposal and Rationale

Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter this problem. One could readily select five nominees with fascinating, diverse, deserving games annually without trouble — or rather, with difficulty, given the need to exclude so many good games out.

Restating the point, these represent titles lacking appropriate categories in important events. Puzzle game makers are working at the hard edge game development, developing some of essential manifestations of the video game form. Similar to movie stunt professionals, they merit acknowledgment. Don't make them wait 35 years.