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Tetris Didn't Win at This Gaming Ceremony — Another Award Type Could Fix That

Each time a prominent awards ceremony nears, one notices a demand for introducing fresh award types to acknowledge underappreciated efforts and satisfy the spirits of fans who have specialized interests.

Another commentator has already made for a horror game category. That would rule. The same goes for tabletop games, which is a passionate advocate's mission. But they will have to forgive me for pushing forward because like all dedicated enthusiasts, I have a cast-iron argument backing this proposal stands as crucial and important of all. Here's the proposal: It's essential to create a classification for brain-teasing titles.

Organizing Gaming Categories

Classifying creative works defies precise measurement; opinions vary greatly, and typically start arguments concluding with vague boundaries. This explains why movie academies steer clear of genre categories. Yet it remains an unavoidable compromise in the world of interactive entertainment, which are so diverse they hardly constitute one unified medium.

For the full spectrum of achievement in video games to be recognized, and to ensure all game types to have a chance for representation, genre categories are essential.

Existing Game Classification System

Leading game ceremonies currently feature genre categories for Action, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these award types effectively encompass numerous genres, and you can find room accommodating various experiences.

Not so for brain-teasing titles. No appropriate category exists for their placement. Consider three of recent excellent titles, all very different: building puzzles from a specific release, fast-paced pattern recognition of another game, engaging interpersonal challenges in another game. Where could they possibly go within current classifications? Simply put, no category fits.

The Representation Problem

There are dozens of brilliant puzzle games published annually without proper recognition in entertainment awards, except when they manage to fit classification types such as Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, or the intensely contested Indie races.

  • A renowned logic title got overlooked for anything in 2014
  • Another creative title was excluded in 2019
  • Popular arranging title was overlooked that year
  • Only a few brain-teasers barely qualified for niche award types

Significance of Puzzle Games

Frequently they represent compact experiences, yet the craft behind logic titles is of massive significance. Iconic mobile puzzle games stand as most engaged experiences in the world maintaining this status for an extended period.

The legendary block-stacking game challenges famous sandbox experiences for the title of best-selling game of all time; it additionally competes for best game of all time. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks for gaming as medium, while interacting across multiple categories.

The Solution and Justification

Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter this problem. You could fill multiple candidates with fascinating, diverse, deserving games each ceremony simply — actually, with challenge, given the need to exclude numerous deserving experiences.

Restating the point, these represent titles without proper classification in important events. Logic title developers operate at the hard edge interactive creation, creating some of essential manifestations within interactive entertainment. Similar to cinema stunt performers, they deserve recognition. We shouldn't delay 35 years.

HK
By

Holly Kelley

A tech journalist with over a decade of experience covering digital transformation and startup ecosystems across Europe.

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