Tetris Couldn't Triumph at The Game Awards — An Additional Classification Might Solve This

Whenever a major honors show approaches, you'll find a clamor for the addition fresh award types to honor unsung work and delight the passions of fans who have specialized interests.

Another commentator has already made advocating for terror-themed awards. That would be fantastic. The same goes for strategy board titles, this being a passionate advocate's mission. But they will have to forgive me if I try to elbow in front because like all dedicated enthusiasts, I possess a compelling case for why my demand remains most pressing and important of all. This is the request: It's essential to create an award type for logic-based games.

Organizing Gaming Categories

Classifying creative works is not a science; opinions vary greatly, and it will always start arguments concluding with vague boundaries. It's understandable that movie academies steer clear of genre categories. However, it represents a necessary evil within the realm of video games, showing incredible range it's challenging to consider them as a single art form.

For comprehensive acknowledgment of achievement in video games to be recognized, and to ensure all game types to compete fairly, specific award classifications remain vital.

Existing Game Classification System

The major gaming awards currently feature award types recognizing Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Fighting, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Between them, these award types successfully include many game types, allowing placement for numerous titles.

Different situation exists for logic-based experiences. No suitable classification appears to accommodate them. Think about these recent excellent titles, all very different: the architectural riddles of one title, intense tile-matching of another game, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles of a third title. What category would fit them between these six categories? Nowhere, that’s where.

Recognition Challenges

Many instances occur excellent brain-teasers published annually without proper recognition during gaming ceremonies, except when they manage to fit classification types such as Handheld titles, Virtual reality experiences, and the highly challenging independent game categories.

  • A renowned logic title wasn’t nominated for anything in 2014
  • Another imaginative release missed out that year
  • Well-received sorting experience received no acknowledgment recently
  • Limited numbers of logic titles barely qualified for independent or mobile categories

Value of Brain-Teasers

These are often small games, yet the craft in brain-teasers carries substantial weight. Iconic mobile puzzle games stand as most engaged experiences worldwide and have been for over a decade.

The iconic tile-matching title challenges well-known building titles competing to become most purchased experience; it’s also in the running as greatest title ever. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks to the art of video games, and engaging with almost every other genre.

The Solution and Justification

Logic titles wouldn't face this problem. You could fill multiple candidates with fascinating, diverse, deserving games annually without trouble — perhaps, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave many worthy titles.

Restating the point, these include experiences without proper classification at major gaming awards. Logic title developers are working at the challenging frontier of video game design, developing some of most fundamental forms of gaming itself. Just like cinema stunt performers, they warrant appreciation. Let’s not keep them waiting decades.

William Adkins
William Adkins

Maya is an urban planner and writer passionate about sustainable city living, sharing her expertise on community development and eco-friendly practices.

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