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Tetris Wouldn't Succeed at This Gaming Ceremony — Another Award Type Could Fix That

As any significant prize-giving event draws close, you'll find a demand for the addition fresh award types to recognize overlooked contributions and satisfy the spirits of followers dedicated to specific genres.

My colleague previously argued supporting a scary games classification. That would be fantastic. The same goes for tabletop games, which is a dedicated supporter's campaign. However, I must insist when I prioritize because like all dedicated enthusiasts, there's a strong justification supporting my request stands as crucial above others. This is the request: It's essential to create an award type for logic-based games.

The Genre Classification Challenge

Organizing artistic expressions defies precise measurement; it remains highly personal, and it will always spark debates concluding with vague boundaries. It's understandable that film award organizations avoid this approach. Yet it remains an unavoidable compromise for the industry of video games, which are so diverse they barely qualify as a single art form.

For comprehensive acknowledgment of gaming accomplishments to be recognized, while allowing diverse titles to compete fairly, specific award classifications remain vital.

Existing Game Classification System

Leading game ceremonies offer these genre categories for Action, Adventure-action titles, RPG experiences, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Collectively, these classifications effectively encompass numerous genres, allowing placement accommodating various experiences.

Different situation exists for puzzle games. 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 in a different title, thought-provoking social scenarios of a third title. What category would fit them between these six categories? Unfortunately, nowhere.

Recognition Challenges

Numerous examples exist outstanding logic titles published annually without proper recognition at major award shows, if they accidentally match classification types such as Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, or the extremely competitive small studio competitions.

  • An iconic brain-teaser wasn’t nominated in any category in 2014
  • A different innovative game missed out during that ceremony
  • Well-received sorting experience received no acknowledgment that year
  • Only a few logic titles managed to sneak into niche award types

Significance of Puzzle Games

Commonly they're modest productions, yet the craft of the puzzle game holds tremendous importance. Famous handheld logic titles count as most engaged experiences globally continuing this trend for an extended period.

The famous puzzle experience rivals well-known building titles for the title of best-selling game of all time; it’s also in the running as greatest title ever. Logic titles represent cornerstones within interactive entertainment, and engaging across multiple categories.

Recommendation and Reasoning

Logic titles wouldn't face this problem. It would be easy to populate multiple candidates with fascinating, diverse, deserving games annually without trouble — or rather, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave numerous deserving experiences.

Restating the point, these include experiences that otherwise have no home in important events. Logic title developers function at the challenging frontier of video game design, developing some of most fundamental forms within interactive entertainment. Comparable to film action specialists, they merit acknowledgment. Let’s not keep them waiting 35 years.

About the author

Casey Goodman

Elena Vance is a senior product designer at Aerolab, focusing on user-centered design and digital innovation for global clients.

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