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Each time a major prize-giving event nears, one notices an outcry to include of new categories to honor overlooked contributions and fill the passions of enthusiasts dedicated to specific genres.

A fellow writer previously argued for a horror game category. That would be fantastic. The same goes for strategy board titles, which is a passionate advocate's mission. However, I must insist for pushing forward because like all single-minded supporters, I possess a compelling case for why my demand is the most urgent and significant. The demand is this: We need a category for puzzle games.

Organizing Gaming Categories

Classifying creative works is not a science; it’s very subjective, and it will always generate discussions resulting in unclear classifications. It's understandable that movie academies steer clear of genre categories. Yet it remains an essential concession for the industry of gaming, showing incredible range they hardly constitute one unified medium.

For comprehensive acknowledgment of interactive entertainment excellence to receive acknowledgment, and for games of all stripes to have a chance for representation, genre categories are essential.

Existing Game Classification System

Prominent interactive entertainment events offer these genre categories for Action, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Collectively, these six categories successfully include many game types, making space possible for most games within them.

This doesn't apply to logic-based experiences. There’s simply nowhere for their placement. Think about these outstanding current releases, all very different: building puzzles in a particular game, the pulse-pounding block-matching in a different title, thought-provoking social scenarios of a third title. Which classification works among existing types? Unfortunately, nowhere.

Recognition Challenges

Many instances occur of brilliant puzzle games released every year without proper recognition in entertainment awards, unless they happen to qualify for categories like Handheld titles, Virtual reality experiences, or the extremely competitive independent game categories.

• An iconic brain-teaser got overlooked completely in 2014
• Another creative title was excluded that year
• A beloved organization game received no acknowledgment recently
• Just some puzzle games scraped into small studio or handheld classifications

Value of Brain-Teasers

Frequently they represent compact experiences, however the design of the puzzle game carries substantial weight. Iconic mobile puzzle games stand as most engaged experiences globally maintaining this status for over a decade.

The iconic tile-matching title rivals famous sandbox experiences competing to become most purchased experience; it additionally competes for top gaming experience. Puzzle games are foundational for gaming as medium, and they are in conversation with diverse game types.

The Solution and Justification

Puzzle games wouldn’t have this problem. You could fill five nominees engaging, different, qualified experiences each ceremony simply — or rather, with difficulty, since numerous excellent so many good games out.

And to reiterate, these include experiences that otherwise have no home at major gaming awards. Brain-teaser creators function at the demanding boundary of video game design, creating some of most fundamental forms of the video game form. Similar to film action specialists, they warrant appreciation. Don't make them wait 35 years.