Tetris Couldn't Triumph at The Game Awards — A New Category Might Solve This

Whenever a prominent honors show draws close, one notices a demand for the addition additional classifications to acknowledge overlooked contributions and satisfy the spirits of enthusiasts with niche passions.

A fellow writer previously argued for a horror game category. It would be amazing. Equally deserving are strategy board titles, this being 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 supporting my request stands as crucial above others. This is the request: There should be a classification for brain-teasing titles.

The Genre Classification Challenge

Organizing artistic expressions is not a science; opinions vary greatly, and typically generate discussions concluding with vague boundaries. This explains why film award organizations don’t do it. Yet it remains an essential concession in the world of gaming, showing incredible range it's challenging to consider them as a single art form.

For the full spectrum of interactive entertainment excellence to receive acknowledgment, and for games of all stripes to compete fairly, genre categories are essential.

Current Gaming Award Categories

The major gaming awards presently include award types recognizing Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these classifications successfully include numerous genres, making space possible accommodating various experiences.

This doesn't apply to puzzle games. No suitable classification appears for their placement. Consider three of this year’s best games, all very different: structural challenges from a specific release, fast-paced pattern recognition in a different title, thought-provoking social scenarios from additional release. Which classification works between these six categories? Nowhere, that’s where.

Acknowledgment Issues

There are dozens excellent brain-teasers released every year that have no home during gaming ceremonies, except when they manage to fit award groups including Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, and the highly challenging independent game categories.

  • One classic puzzle game wasn’t nominated in any category in 2014
  • Another creative title received no nominations in 2019
  • Well-received sorting experience was overlooked in 2021
  • Limited numbers of puzzle games scraped into niche award types

Importance of Logic Titles

Frequently they represent modest productions, yet the craft of the puzzle game is of massive significance. Iconic mobile puzzle games stand as most engaged experiences worldwide maintaining this status for an extended period.

The famous puzzle experience challenges well-known building titles competing to become most purchased experience; it additionally competes for best game of all time. Puzzle games are foundational for gaming as medium, and engaging with almost every other genre.

Proposal and Rationale

Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter such difficulty. You could fill multiple candidates interesting, varied, worthy titles each ceremony simply — perhaps, with difficulty, given the need to exclude so many good games out.

And to reiterate, these include experiences without proper classification in important events. Brain-teaser creators are working at the demanding boundary game development, producing among the purest expressions of gaming itself. Comparable to movie stunt professionals, they warrant appreciation. Don't make them wait decades.

Charles Marshall
Charles Marshall

Eleanor Vance is a passionate tabletop gamer and writer, sharing insights on dice games for over a decade.