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

Each time a prominent awards ceremony approaches, you'll find a clamor for introducing additional classifications to recognize overlooked contributions and satisfy the spirits of fans who have specialized interests.

Another commentator has already made supporting a scary games classification. That would rule. So would board games, representing a dedicated supporter's campaign. But they will have to forgive me for pushing forward because like all blinkered fanatics, there's a strong justification supporting my request stands as crucial and important of all. This is the request: There should be an award type for logic-based games.

The Genre Classification Challenge

Organizing artistic expressions defies precise measurement; it’s very subjective, and typically start arguments resulting in unclear classifications. This explains why movie academies don’t do it. But it is an essential concession in the world of gaming, which are so diverse they barely qualify one unified medium.

For the full spectrum of achievement in video games to receive acknowledgment, and for games of all stripes to compete fairly, genre categories are essential.

Present Award Structure

Leading game ceremonies presently include award types recognizing Action, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Collectively, these award types effectively encompass a lot of ground, allowing placement for most games within them.

Not so for brain-teasing titles. There’s simply nowhere to accommodate them. Consider three of this year’s best games, showing diverse approaches: building puzzles from a specific release, the pulse-pounding block-matching from another release, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles from additional release. Where could they possibly go between these six categories? Simply put, no category fits.

Recognition Challenges

Numerous examples exist of brilliant puzzle games released every year lacking appropriate categories during gaming ceremonies, except when they manage to fit award groups including Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, or the extremely competitive Indie races.

  • One classic puzzle game received no recognition in any category in 2014
  • Another creative title missed out in 2019
  • A beloved organization game was overlooked recently
  • Limited numbers of logic titles scraped into independent or mobile categories

Value of Brain-Teasers

These are often compact experiences, however the design in brain-teasers holds tremendous importance. Famous handheld logic titles stand as most popular titles worldwide maintaining this status for over a decade.

The famous puzzle experience rivals well-known building titles claiming status as most purchased experience; it’s also in the running for top gaming experience. Puzzle games are foundational for gaming as medium, while interacting with almost every other genre.

Proposal and Rationale

Logic titles wouldn't face this problem. You could fill multiple candidates engaging, different, qualified experiences each ceremony simply — or rather, with difficulty, since numerous excellent numerous deserving experiences.

To emphasize again, these represent titles lacking appropriate categories in important events. Brain-teaser creators function at the demanding boundary game development, developing some of the purest expressions of the video game form. Similar to movie stunt professionals, they deserve recognition. Don't make them wait generations.

Duane Williams
Duane Williams

A seasoned gaming journalist with over a decade of experience covering UK casinos and slot trends.