We've documented 21 accessibility features for 12 Orbits, including Large Text, Custom Difficulty, 1 Button, One Tap Targeted and Play Without Hearing. Its accessibility is strongest in Visual and Controls but it also has features in Reading, Getting Started, Difficulty, Navigation 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, Rich Adams, first checked 12 Orbits accessibility 4 years ago. It was re-examined by Rich Adams and updated 4 years ago.
Accessibility Notes
There is reading to navigate menus and understand the game. Gameplay is suitable for one-button play. Menu buttons to get started are quite scattered, however. Supports One Switch inputs. To play with multiple people on the touch screen you need to tap your portion of the screen to control your balls.
Game Details
Release Date: 27/04/2018
Price: 49% Off
Out Now: Android, Mac, PC, Switch and iOS
Skill Rating: 6+ year-olds
Players: 1-12
Genres: Action, Traversal (Simulation and Sports)
Accessibility: 21 features
Components: 2D Side-On
Costs: Free. In-Game Purchases and In-Game Pass
Controls
We've documented 4 accessibility features for Controls in 12 Orbits 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:
1 Button: Can play with a single button.
Mouse And Keyboard
Can play with the following:
Keyboard Alone: Can play with just the keyboard.
Mouse Alone: Can play with just the mouse/mouse-button/mouse wheel.
Touchscreen
Can play with the following. Additional gestures may be required for games played with a screenreader like VoiceOver.
One Tap Targeted: Can play with touchscreen, tap in specific locations.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Controls
If you want to play 12 Orbits, but it doesn't offer the Controls accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Controls accessibility:
- Rocket League (12 Controls Features)
- Soccer Physics (6 Controls Features)
- HyperDot (6 Controls Features)
- Collapsus (5 Controls Features)
Difficulty
We've documented 1 accessibility feature for Difficulty in 12 Orbits which deals with how you can adjust the challenge of play, and whether this is locked once chosen or can be adjusted as you play.
Difficulty Options
Customise Difficulty: Customise different aspects of the game to create a challenge of an appropriate level. Adjusting elements individually enables you to tailor gameplay to suit your needs and style of play.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Difficulty
If you want to play 12 Orbits, but it doesn't offer the Difficulty accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Difficulty accessibility:
- Mario Tennis Aces (2 Difficulty Features)
- Rocket League (2 Difficulty Features)
Getting Started
We've documented 2 accessibility features for Getting Started in 12 Orbits 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.
Tutorials: There are helpful tutorials and instructions on how to play. Information is provided in a timely manner, with appropriate level of detail.
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.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Getting Started
If you want to play 12 Orbits, but it doesn't offer the Getting Started accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Getting Started accessibility:
- Mario Tennis Aces (5 Getting Started Features)
- Spinfrog: All aboard the Frogcopter (4 Getting Started Features)
- Runbow (4 Getting Started Features)
- Rocket League (3 Getting Started Features)
Reading
We've documented 3 accessibility features for Reading in 12 Orbits 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
Large Clear Text: All essential text is large and clear or can be adjusted to be. The general text used throughout the game in menus, instructions and other key information (excluding subtitles that are assessed separately) is at least 1/20 (46 pixels on 1080 screen) the height on landscape screens and at least 1/40 height on portrait screens. We base this on the full line-height, including the space above and below the letters.
Subtitles
All Speech Subtitled (Or No Speech In Game): All spoken content has subtitles, or there is no speech in the game. This means there is no requirement to hear spoken dialogue or narrative to play the game.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Reading
If you want to play 12 Orbits, but it doesn't offer the Reading accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Reading accessibility:
- Mario Tennis Aces (5 Reading Features)
- Collapsus (5 Reading Features)
- Runbow (4 Reading Features)
- Spaceteam (4 Reading Features)
Navigation
We've documented 1 accessibility feature for Navigation in 12 Orbits which deals 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.
Clarity
Large Clear Navigation: The in-game navigation and maps are clear to read. They offer large text and offer markers that are large and of high contrast. Where text or information is small, there are settings to zoom-in and increase visibility.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Navigation
If you want to play 12 Orbits, but it doesn't offer the Navigation accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Navigation accessibility:
- Spinfrog: All aboard the Frogcopter (5 Navigation Features)
- Rocket League (3 Navigation Features)
- Collapsus (2 Navigation Features)
Visual
We've documented 9 accessibility features for Visual in 12 Orbits 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
Large Game Elements: Game characters and other elements are large and distinguishable. Enemies and player characters are at least 1/6 of the height of the screen. Or there is a zoom feature to make them larger.
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.
No Busy Backgrounds: No distracting backgrounds or you can make them static or blank. This includes the absence of other movement elements in the background that might distract or confuse the action. Where foreground contrast is high, this includes games with some movement in the background that doesn't make it overly difficult to distinguish what is happening.
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.
Motion Sickness Friendly
Motion Sickness Friendly: Doesn't have 3D movement elements that may trigger motion sickness, like motion blur, depth of field and field-of-vision. Or includes the ability to disable motion blur, depth of field and field-of-vision effects.
Colour Options
Colour Blind Friendly: Game doesn’t rely on colour or can switch to colour blind friendly mode with double coding or similar way to avoid colour dependance.
Audio
We've documented 1 accessibility feature for Audio in 12 Orbits 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.
Play Without Hearing
Play Without Hearing: No audio cues are necessary to play the game well.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Audio
If you want to play 12 Orbits, but it doesn't offer the Audio accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Audio accessibility:
- Yoku's Island Express (3 Audio Features)
- HyperDot (3 Audio Features)
- Spinfrog: All aboard the Frogcopter (2 Audio Features)
- Cow Runner (2 Audio Features)
System Accessibility Settings
In addition to the accessibility features provided in the game, you can also use system-wide accessibility settings:
Android
Android has accessibility settings including ways to navigate and interact, although not all games support this.
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.
iOS
iOS has a very extensive suite of accessibility settings including ways to navigate with voice and comprehensive screen reading, though most of the features don't work with games.
Read more about system accessibility settings.
Accessibility Report supported by VSC Rating Board, PlayabilityInitiative and accessibility contributors Andy Robertson