The Iconic Puzzle Game Didn't Triumph at The Game Awards — A New Category Could Fix That

As any significant awards ceremony nears, there’s always a demand to include fresh award types to acknowledge underappreciated efforts and delight the passions of enthusiasts dedicated to specific genres.

Another commentator made the case supporting a scary games classification. That would rule. The same goes for tabletop games, which is a dedicated supporter's campaign. But they will have to forgive me when I prioritize because like all single-minded supporters, I have a cast-iron argument backing this proposal remains most pressing and important of all. Here's the proposal: It's essential to create an award type for logic-based games.

Categorizing Game Types

Classifying creative works defies precise measurement; it’s very subjective, and typically spark debates resulting in unclear classifications. There’s a reason movie academies avoid this approach. However, it represents an unavoidable compromise in the world of interactive entertainment, that demonstrate such variety they barely qualify as a single art form.

For comprehensive acknowledgment of interactive entertainment excellence to gain proper attention, and to ensure all game types to receive proper recognition, specific award classifications remain vital.

Present Award Structure

Leading game ceremonies offer these genre categories for Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Collectively, these six categories actually cover many game types, allowing placement for numerous titles.

Different situation exists for puzzle games. No suitable classification appears to put them. Consider three of this year’s best games, showing diverse approaches: building puzzles from a specific release, fast-paced pattern recognition in a different title, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles from additional release. What category would fit them among existing types? Nowhere, that’s where.

Acknowledgment Issues

Many instances occur excellent brain-teasers published annually without proper recognition in entertainment awards, except when they manage to fit award groups including Mobile Game, Virtual reality experiences, and the highly challenging independent game categories.

  • A renowned logic title wasn’t nominated completely in 2014
  • Another creative title missed out in 2019
  • Popular arranging title was overlooked recently
  • Just some puzzle games managed to sneak into independent or mobile categories

Significance of Puzzle Games

These are often compact experiences, however the design behind logic titles is of massive significance. Well-known matching games count as most engaged experiences worldwide continuing this trend for over a decade.

The legendary block-stacking game competes with famous sandbox experiences for the title of best-selling game of all time; it also contends for best game of all time. Puzzle games are foundational within interactive entertainment, and engaging across multiple categories.

Proposal and Rationale

Puzzle games wouldn’t have such difficulty. You could fill multiple candidates with fascinating, diverse, deserving games every year with ease — or rather, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave numerous deserving experiences.

And to reiterate, these are games that otherwise have no home in important events. Logic title developers are working at the challenging frontier interactive creation, developing some of essential manifestations within interactive entertainment. Comparable to cinema stunt performers, they warrant appreciation. Don't make them wait decades.

Jon Avila
Jon Avila

A seasoned sports analyst with over a decade of experience in betting strategies and market trends.