We've documented 22 accessibility features for PowerWash Simulator, including Guaranteed Progress, Low Pressure, No Quick Reactions, No Repeated Pressing and No Holds. Its accessibility is strongest in Controls and Getting Started but it also has features in Visual, Reading and Audio to reduce unintended barriers.
This report is created with input from accessibility experts and the player community to help people find games that have the accessibility features they require. Once you have found potential games on the database, there are excellent specialist accessibility sites that offer in-depth reviews to guide your purchasing decisions.
External examiner, Jesse Anderson, first checked PowerWash Simulator accessibility 2 years ago. It was re-examined by Andy Robertson and updated 18 months ago.
Accessibility Notes
There is no controller remapping at this time, but it is coming in a future update, and is a popular request.
Primary menu text is large, but the descriptions of each are rather small.
The player can pause the game, and click on any piece of the environment on their tablet. When back in-game, the selected item will glow and shimmer. This is especially helpful for finding that last couple of percent of uncleaned areas.
The player can also press a key at any time to have any uncleaned surfaces glow a bright orange color for a short period of time.
When a surface is fully cleaned, it brightly shimmers for a second, and plays an audible chime.
There is no audible dialog in the game at this time. It's all through text messages on the in-game tablet.
Game Details
Release Date: 19/05/2021, updated in 2023
Out Now: PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One and Xbox X|S
Skill Rating: 10+ year-olds
Players: 1
Genres: Shooting, Simulation (Collecting and Puzzle)
Accessibility: 22 features
Components: 3D First-Person
Developer: Futur Lab (@FuturLab)
Costs: Purchase cost
Controls
We've documented 8 accessibility features for Controls in PowerWash Simulator which deal with how you control the game, different options for alternative inputs and whether you can remap these settings to suit your needs.
Gamepad
Can play with the following:
Multiple Buttons & Two Sticks: Can play with multiple buttons and two sticks.
Mouse And Keyboard
Can play with the following:
Mouse and Keys: Can play with mouse and multiple keys.
Mouse and Controller: Can play with mouse and controller simultaneously.
Remap Controls
Can customise the controls for the game as follows:
Invert X/Y Axis: Can invert the direction required to control looking and aiming. This enables you to match your instinctive orientation when looking.
Button Combinations
Specific button operation required to play
Holding Down Buttons Optional: Holding down buttons for prolonged periods (a second or more) is not required or can be switched to toggling the action on and off. This is in addition to the movement stick/button which is not considered a hold for this purpose.
Rapid Repeated Pressing Optional: Quick, repeated button pressing (more than 2 times a second) is not required, can be skipped or switched to holding a button to trigger a repeated action.
Controller Vibration
Vibration Optional: Controller vibration not used in the game or you can disable it.
Sensitivity
You can adjust
Adjust Mouse/Stick/Touch Sensitivity: Adjust how sensitive touch/mouse/stick controls are.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Controls
If you want to play PowerWash Simulator, but it doesn't offer the Controls accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Controls accessibility:
- A Little To The Left (13 Controls Features)
- Chicory: A Colorful Tale (12 Controls Features)
- Lawn Mowing Simulator (11 Controls Features)
- Plants Vs. Zombies (10 Controls Features)
Difficulty
We haven’t documented any accessibility features for Difficulty in PowerWash Simulator which deal with how you can adjust the challenge of play, and whether this is locked once chosen or can be adjusted as you play. The following games are similar to PowerWash Simulator, and offer accessibility features for Difficulty:
- Chicory: A Colorful Tale (2 Difficulty Features)
- Moving Out (2 Difficulty Features)
- Slime Rancher 2 (1 Difficulty Feature)
- Plants Vs. Zombies (1 Difficulty Feature)
Getting Started
We've documented 6 accessibility features for Getting Started in PowerWash Simulator which deal with what support is offered to get started with the game. This includes customising the experience when you first open the game via any onboarding processes it provides as well as tutorials and other assistance when you first start playing.
Assistance Getting Starting
These features aid your play of the game in terms of cognitive load on learning controls, dealing with pressure and coping with the environment and challenges.
Practice Area: You can practice freely without opponents or time pressures. This can be a specific practice option, or the ability to play levels with the easiest opponents to improve understanding and skill.
View Control Mapping: You can view a map of controls during play. This clearly displays the mappings of actions to buttons/keys/mouse/keyboard without having to leave the game. This includes games that always display buttons to press during play.
Reaction-Time Not Critical: Individual game actions don’t need quick reactions, or there are settings to lower the requirement for quick reactions. This means you don't need to quickly press a button in response to an on-screen prompt, target a fast-moving target or skillfully complete a scenario against the clock.
Low Pressure: Game tasks aren't time-limited or there's a low-pressure mode. This avoids the pressure of being put on the clock for overarching missions, or failing tasks because you didn't reach a destination in time.
Assistance For Progressing
These features aid your progress through the game offering different ways of maintaining your progression.
Guaranteed Progress With God Mode: There is no fail state for any game level, where you lose progress or have to start again. Or there are options to make failing impossible: infinite health or lives, unlimited time. Sometimes called God Mode or Unfailable.
Save Progress Anytime: The game automatically saves progress or you can save any time. This doesn’t mean you never lose progress, but it does mean you can stop whenever you want (without having to get to a save point) without losing progress.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Getting Started
If you want to play PowerWash Simulator, but it doesn't offer the Getting Started accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Getting Started accessibility:
- A Little To The Left (7 Getting Started Features)
- Chicory: A Colorful Tale (7 Getting Started Features)
- Island Saver (7 Getting Started Features)
Reading
We've documented 2 accessibility features for Reading in PowerWash Simulator which deal with how much reading or listening comprehension is required, how well the game provides visual and audible access to the text and whether subtitles and captions are a good fit for purpose.
Reading Level
How much reading is required to play the game's main path or story and how complex the language is. The presence of voiced characters doesn't reduce this requirement, as it's recorded as a separate datapoint.
Simple Minimal Reading: Minimal reading is required. The quantity and complexity of reading are at a level that a primary/elementary student (9-year-old) could understand.
Text Visibility
High Contrast Text: Text colour contrasts to the background or can be adjusted to be. The text in menus, instructions and other information is presented in high contrast with a solid background.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Reading
If you want to play PowerWash Simulator, but it doesn't offer the Reading accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Reading accessibility:
- Chicory: A Colorful Tale (5 Reading Features)
- Moving Out (5 Reading Features)
- Splatoon 3 (5 Reading Features)
- Slime Rancher 2 (4 Reading Features)
Navigation
We haven’t documented any accessibility features for Navigation in PowerWash Simulator which deal with how the game provides guidance and assistance to navigate its worlds. These are only for games that have traversal and exploration in 2D and 3D spaces. The following games are similar to PowerWash Simulator, and offer accessibility features for Navigation:
- Lawn Mowing Simulator (5 Navigation Features)
- Chicory: A Colorful Tale (5 Navigation Features)
- Slime Rancher 2 (3 Navigation Features)
- Plants Vs. Zombies (3 Navigation Features)
Visual
We've documented 5 accessibility features for Visual in PowerWash Simulator which deal with how you can adjust the visuals to suit your needs, and offer additional information if you can't hear the game.
Contrast
Medium Contrast: Game uses generally well contrasting and bright visuals, or has a slider to make this the case.
Interactive Elements
Outline Interactive Elements: Characters, platforms and enemies can be outlined or highlighted for visibility. This can be with a large border around the character or a special visual mode that adjust the colour to make characters more visible.
Visual Distractions
No Flashes: No flashing strobe effects or you can disable them. This includes the absence of flashing from dramatic visual effects, explosions or weather effects like lightning.
No Screen Shake: No screen shake effect or it is included but it can be disabled. This includes the absence of screen shake for dramatic effect as well as to indicate hits on a target.
Audio Cues for Visual Events
Audio Cues for Visual Events: Audio is provided to indicate visual events. Game events or progress highlighted by visual icons, effects or animations are also accompanied by audio to signify that progress. This is useful for blind players.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Visual
If you want to play PowerWash Simulator, but it doesn't offer the Visual accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Visual accessibility:
- Lawn Mowing Simulator (7 Visual Features)
- Chicory: A Colorful Tale (7 Visual Features)
Audio
We've documented 1 accessibility feature for Audio in PowerWash Simulator which deals with how you can adjust the audio of the game and whether audio cues compensate for aspects of the game that are hard to see.
Adjustable Audio
Balance Audio Levels: Set music and game sound effects separately. This enables you to select your preference as well as ensure critical game sounds aren't obscured by other audio.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Audio
If you want to play PowerWash Simulator, but it doesn't offer the Audio accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Audio accessibility:
- Island Saver (4 Audio Features)
- Lawn Mowing Simulator (3 Audio Features)
- A Little To The Left (3 Audio Features)
- Splatoon 3 (3 Audio Features)
System Accessibility Settings
In addition to the accessibility features provided in the game, you can also use system-wide accessibility settings:
Nintendo Switch
Nintendo Switch has some built-in features, including a lockable zoom, that can be used on all games.
PC
Windows has extensive accessibility features. Some, like colour correction, work with games. Lots of accessibility software can be used with PC games, from voice recognition to input device emulators.
PlayStation 4
PlayStation 4 has a range of accessibility settings. Some are system only, some work in games (invert colours and button mapping).
PlayStation 5
PlayStation 5 has a range of system-wide accessibility settings.
Xbox One
Xbox One has a system features, the excellent co-pilot share controls mode and adaptive controller support for all games.
Xbox Series X|S
Xbox One has a system features, the excellent co-pilot share controls mode and adaptive controller support for all games.
Read more about system accessibility settings.
Accessibility Report supported by VSC Rating Board, PlayabilityInitiative and accessibility contributors @BGFH79 and Andy Robertson