Whenever a major honors show nears, one notices a demand for introducing additional classifications to acknowledge overlooked contributions and fill the spirits of followers dedicated to specific genres.
A fellow writer made the case for a horror game category. That would be fantastic. The same goes for tabletop games, which is someone's personal cause. But they will have to forgive me if I try to elbow in front because like all blinkered fanatics, I possess a compelling case for why my demand remains most pressing and important of all. The demand is this: It's essential to create an award type for logic-based games.
Categorizing Game Types
Categorizing art by genre defies precise measurement; it remains highly personal, and it will always generate discussions concluding with vague boundaries. There’s a reason movie academies steer clear of genre categories. But it is an essential concession within the realm of gaming, showing incredible range they hardly constitute one unified medium.
For the full spectrum of interactive entertainment excellence to be recognized, while allowing diverse titles to compete fairly, specific award classifications remain vital.
Present Award Structure
Leading game ceremonies currently feature classifications covering Action, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Together, these award types successfully include many game types, and you can find room accommodating various experiences.
This doesn't apply to logic-based experiences. There’s simply nowhere for their placement. Consider three of this year’s best games, each quite distinct: structural challenges in a particular game, intense tile-matching of another game, engaging interpersonal challenges of a third title. What category would fit them within current classifications? Nowhere, that’s where.
Acknowledgment Issues
There are dozens outstanding logic titles launched regularly without proper recognition in entertainment awards, except when they manage to fit award groups including Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, or the intensely contested Indie races.
- A renowned logic title received no recognition for anything that year
- Another creative title missed out in 2019
- Well-received sorting experience received no acknowledgment in 2021
- Limited numbers of logic titles scraped into small studio or handheld classifications
Importance of Logic Titles
Commonly they're small games, however the design behind logic titles is of massive significance. Well-known matching games stand as the most-played games worldwide maintaining this status for an extended period.
The legendary block-stacking game competes with well-known building titles claiming status as best-selling game of all time; it additionally competes for best game of all time. Logic titles represent cornerstones within interactive entertainment, and they are in conversation with diverse game types.
Recommendation and Reasoning
Logic titles wouldn't face this problem. One could readily select five nominees engaging, different, qualified experiences each ceremony simply — actually, with challenge, given the need to exclude many worthy titles.
To emphasize again, these represent titles that otherwise have no home at major gaming awards. Brain-teaser creators operate at the demanding boundary interactive creation, producing among the purest expressions within interactive entertainment. Similar to film action specialists, they deserve recognition. Let’s not keep them waiting decades.
