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Each time a prominent prize-giving event draws close, there’s always a demand for the addition fresh award types to recognize underappreciated efforts and fill the hearts of enthusiasts dedicated to specific genres.

Another commentator previously argued supporting a scary games classification. That would be fantastic. The same goes for board games, this being a passionate advocate's mission. But they will have to forgive me when I prioritize because like all dedicated enthusiasts, I possess a compelling case backing this proposal is the most urgent and important of all. Here's the proposal: There should be a classification for brain-teasing titles.

Organizing Gaming Categories

Organizing artistic expressions defies precise measurement; it’s very subjective, and typically start arguments concluding with vague boundaries. There’s a reason movie academies steer clear of genre categories. However, it represents an essential concession within the realm of interactive entertainment, which are so diverse they hardly constitute one unified medium.

To recognize the complete range of achievement in video games to gain proper attention, and for games of all stripes to have a chance for representation, classification by type becomes crucial.

Current Gaming Award Categories

Leading game ceremonies presently include award types recognizing Action, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Collectively, these six categories successfully include a lot of ground, and you can find room for numerous titles.

Different situation exists for brain-teasing titles. There’s simply nowhere to put them. Examine these examples from this year’s best games, all very different: building puzzles from a specific release, fast-paced pattern recognition from another release, thought-provoking social scenarios in another game. Which classification works between these six categories? Unfortunately, nowhere.

Acknowledgment Issues

There are dozens of brilliant puzzle games released every year lacking appropriate categories during gaming ceremonies, except when they manage to fit classification types such as Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, and the highly challenging small studio competitions.

• A renowned logic title received no recognition for anything in 2014
• Another creative title missed out in 2019
• A beloved organization game was overlooked that year
• Only a few logic titles barely qualified for small studio or handheld classifications

Importance of Logic Titles

These are often small games, but the art of the puzzle game carries substantial weight. Famous handheld logic titles rank among most engaged experiences worldwide continuing this trend for an extended period.

The legendary block-stacking game rivals well-known building titles claiming status as best-selling game of all time; it’s also in the running for top gaming experience. Logic titles represent cornerstones within interactive entertainment, and engaging across multiple categories.

Recommendation and Reasoning

Logic titles wouldn't face this problem. You could fill a field of five with fascinating, diverse, deserving games every year with ease — or rather, with difficulty, given the need to exclude numerous deserving experiences.

To emphasize again, these include experiences that otherwise have no home at major gaming awards. Puzzle game makers are working at the hard edge game development, developing some of the purest expressions within interactive entertainment. Similar to cinema stunt performers, they warrant appreciation. Let’s not keep them waiting generations.