Skip to content
Sunday, October 11, 2026
SwayDrive UK

Tetris Wouldn't Win at The Game Awards — An Additional Classification May Address This Issue

Each time a major prize-giving event nears, you'll find an outcry for the addition fresh award types to honor unsung work and satisfy the hearts of followers dedicated to specific genres.

Another commentator made the case for a horror game category. That would rule. The same goes for strategy board titles, which is someone's personal cause. But they will have to forgive me when I prioritize since similar to single-minded supporters, I have a cast-iron argument backing this proposal is the most urgent and important of all. This is the request: It's essential to create a category for puzzle games.

Organizing Gaming Categories

Categorizing art by genre isn't exact; it remains highly personal, and inevitably generate discussions concluding with vague boundaries. There’s a reason cinema institutions steer clear of genre categories. However, it represents a necessary evil for the industry of interactive entertainment, that demonstrate such variety they hardly constitute as a single art form.

For the full spectrum of interactive entertainment excellence to gain proper attention, while allowing diverse titles to have a chance for representation, classification by type becomes crucial.

Present Award Structure

Prominent interactive entertainment events currently feature genre categories for Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, plus athletic and racing experiences. Collectively, these award types successfully include numerous genres, allowing placement for most games within them.

Different situation exists for brain-teasing titles. No suitable classification appears to accommodate them. Consider three of recent excellent titles, all very different: the architectural riddles in a particular game, the pulse-pounding block-matching from another release, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles from additional release. Where could they possibly go among existing types? Nowhere, that’s where.

The Representation Problem

There are dozens outstanding logic titles launched regularly without proper recognition during gaming ceremonies, unless they happen to qualify for categories like Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, or the intensely contested small studio competitions.

  • A renowned logic title received no recognition in any category in 2014
  • A different innovative game was excluded in 2019
  • A beloved organization game got ignored recently
  • Just some puzzle games managed to sneak into independent or mobile categories

Value of Brain-Teasers

Commonly they're compact experiences, however the design in brain-teasers is of massive significance. Iconic mobile puzzle games rank among most engaged experiences worldwide and have been for many years.

The famous puzzle experience competes with popular creative games for the title of highest-selling title ever; it’s also in the running for top gaming experience. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks within interactive entertainment, and they are in conversation with diverse game types.

The Solution and Justification

Logic titles wouldn't face that issue. 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 so many good games out.

And to reiterate, these include experiences without proper classification in important events. Brain-teaser creators function at the challenging frontier of video game design, creating some of the purest expressions within interactive entertainment. Just like cinema stunt performers, they deserve recognition. Don't make them wait 35 years.

The writer

Kevin Watson

Interior design enthusiast and DIY expert sharing practical tips for stylish home transformations.

SwayDrive UK

Type to search articles.