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

Whenever a prominent awards ceremony draws close, there’s always an outcry for the addition of new categories to acknowledge unsung work and fill the hearts of followers dedicated to specific genres.

My colleague made the case for a horror game category. It would be amazing. So would board games, representing someone's personal cause. Yet I need to apologize in advance for pushing forward because like all single-minded supporters, I have a cast-iron argument supporting my request remains most pressing and important of all. Here's the proposal: It's essential to create an award type for logic-based games.

Organizing Gaming Categories

Classifying creative works isn't exact; opinions vary greatly, and it will always generate discussions and end in fuzzy definitions. There’s a reason cinema institutions don’t do it. Yet it remains a necessary evil within the realm of video games, which are so diverse it's challenging to consider them a single creative category.

To recognize the complete range of gaming accomplishments to be recognized, and for games of all stripes to have a chance for representation, specific award classifications remain vital.

Current Gaming Award Categories

The major gaming awards currently feature genre categories for Action, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Fighting, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these award types actually cover numerous genres, making space possible for most games within them.

This doesn't apply to brain-teasing titles. No appropriate category exists to put them. Consider three of this year’s best games, each quite distinct: structural challenges of one title, intense tile-matching from another release, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles from additional release. Which classification works within current classifications? Simply put, no category fits.

Recognition Challenges

Numerous examples exist of brilliant puzzle games released every year lacking appropriate categories in entertainment awards, if they accidentally match classification types such as Handheld titles, Virtual reality experiences, and the highly challenging Indie races.

  • A renowned logic title wasn’t nominated completely during that awards season
  • Another creative title missed out during that ceremony
  • A beloved organization game was overlooked recently
  • Only a few brain-teasers scraped into niche award types

Importance of Logic Titles

These are often modest productions, but the art of the puzzle game holds tremendous importance. Famous handheld logic titles count as most popular titles in the world and have been for an extended period.

The legendary block-stacking game challenges well-known building titles claiming status as best-selling game of all time; it also contends for top gaming experience. Puzzle games are foundational to the art of video games, and engaging with almost every other genre.

Proposal and Rationale

Logic titles wouldn't face such difficulty. You could fill five nominees with fascinating, diverse, deserving games every year with ease — actually, with challenge, since numerous excellent numerous deserving experiences.

And to reiterate, these are games that otherwise have no home during prominent ceremonies. Puzzle game makers operate at the hard edge of video game design, developing some of essential manifestations of gaming itself. Just like cinema stunt performers, they merit acknowledgment. Don't make them wait 35 years.

Jason Peters
Jason Peters

Elena is a seasoned sports journalist and digital content creator with over a decade of experience covering major UK sporting events.