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Tetris Didn't Win at The Game Awards — Another Award Type May Address This Issue

Each time a significant awards ceremony nears, one notices a clamor for introducing additional classifications to honor unsung work and delight the passions of enthusiasts dedicated to specific genres.

A fellow writer has already made advocating for terror-themed awards. That would be fantastic. So would tabletop games, representing someone's personal cause. But they will have to forgive me if I try to elbow in front just as with other dedicated enthusiasts, I possess a compelling case backing this proposal stands as crucial and important of all. This is the request: There should be a classification for brain-teasing titles.

The Genre Classification Challenge

Classifying creative works isn't exact; opinions vary greatly, and it will always generate discussions resulting in unclear classifications. There’s a reason cinema institutions steer clear of genre categories. But it is an unavoidable compromise within the realm of video games, which are so diverse they barely qualify one unified medium.

For the full spectrum of interactive entertainment excellence to gain proper attention, and to ensure all game types to compete fairly, specific award classifications remain vital.

Existing Game Classification System

Leading game ceremonies offer these genre categories for Action, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Fighting, Simulation and strategy titles, plus athletic and racing experiences. Collectively, these award types actually cover numerous genres, and you can find room accommodating various experiences.

This doesn't apply to brain-teasing titles. No suitable classification appears to put them. Think about these outstanding current releases, showing diverse approaches: the architectural riddles in a particular game, intense tile-matching of another game, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles in another game. Which classification works among existing types? Nowhere, that’s where.

Recognition Challenges

There are dozens excellent brain-teasers published annually without proper recognition in entertainment awards, except when they manage to fit classification types such as Mobile Game, Virtual reality experiences, or the intensely contested Indie races.

  • A renowned logic title received no recognition completely in 2014
  • A different innovative game missed out during that ceremony
  • Well-received sorting experience was overlooked in 2021
  • Only a few logic titles barely qualified for small studio or handheld classifications

Value of Brain-Teasers

Frequently they represent small games, yet the craft in brain-teasers carries substantial weight. Well-known matching games rank among the most-played games globally maintaining this status for many years.

The legendary block-stacking game rivals popular creative games claiming status as best-selling game of all time; it’s also in the running for best game of all time. Logic titles represent cornerstones for gaming as medium, and engaging across multiple categories.

The Solution and Justification

Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter such difficulty. One could readily select a field of five engaging, different, qualified experiences every year with ease — perhaps, with difficulty, since numerous excellent numerous deserving experiences.

To emphasize again, these represent titles lacking appropriate categories in important events. Logic title developers are working at the challenging frontier interactive creation, producing among essential manifestations within interactive entertainment. Comparable to film action specialists, they merit acknowledgment. We shouldn't delay 35 years.

WW
The writer

Wendy Webb

Elara is a creative director with over a decade of experience in film production and digital storytelling.

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