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As any prominent prize-giving event draws close, one notices an outcry for the addition of new categories to recognize underappreciated efforts and fill the passions of enthusiasts dedicated to specific genres.

My colleague previously argued for a horror game category. That would be fantastic. The same goes for strategy board titles, representing a dedicated supporter's campaign. However, I must insist if I try to elbow in front just as with other dedicated enthusiasts, there's a strong justification for why my demand stands as crucial and important of all. The demand is this: There should be an award type for logic-based games.

Organizing Gaming Categories

Organizing artistic expressions defies precise measurement; it’s very subjective, and typically start arguments resulting in unclear classifications. This explains why movie academies steer clear of genre categories. But it is an unavoidable compromise within the realm of interactive entertainment, which are so diverse they hardly constitute as a single art form.

For comprehensive acknowledgment of interactive entertainment excellence to receive acknowledgment, and for games of all stripes to receive proper recognition, specific award classifications remain vital.

Existing Game Classification System

Leading game ceremonies offer these genre categories for Action, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, plus athletic and racing experiences. Together, these award types successfully include a lot of ground, making space possible for most games within them.

Not so for brain-teasing titles. No suitable classification appears to put them. Examine these examples from this year’s best games, each quite distinct: 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 within current classifications? Unfortunately, nowhere.

Acknowledgment Issues

Numerous examples exist of brilliant puzzle games released every year that have no home at major award shows, unless they happen to qualify classification types such as Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, or the intensely contested independent game categories.

• One classic puzzle game wasn’t nominated for anything in 2014
• Another imaginative release received no nominations that year
• Well-received sorting experience got ignored in 2021
• Limited numbers of puzzle games barely qualified for small studio or handheld classifications

Significance of Puzzle Games

These are often compact experiences, but the art in brain-teasers holds tremendous importance. Well-known matching games stand as most engaged experiences globally and have been for over a decade.

The legendary block-stacking game challenges popular creative games for the title of highest-selling title ever; it’s also in the running for top gaming experience. Logic titles represent cornerstones to the art of video games, and engaging with diverse game types.

The Solution and Justification

Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter such difficulty. One could readily select five nominees engaging, different, qualified experiences each ceremony simply — or rather, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave numerous deserving experiences.

Restating the point, these represent titles lacking appropriate categories during prominent ceremonies. Logic title developers function at the demanding boundary of video game design, developing some of most fundamental forms of the video game form. Comparable to movie stunt professionals, they deserve recognition. Let’s not keep them waiting 35 years.