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Xbox X|SCheckmate in the Wild West is a fast-paced deduction game where you search for moves that capitalise on undefended pieces on chessboards. Rather than playing them, however, the goal is to find all of them in the limited time to progress a wacky, wild west story. It stands out for this unusual twist on chess, where rather than play full matches, you're encouraged to improve your move-spotting skills.
We've documented 23 accessibility features for Checkmate In The Wild West, including Guaranteed Progress, Adjust Speed, Low Pressure, No Quick Reactions and Select Difficulty. Its accessibility is strongest in Getting Started and Visual but it also has features in Controls, Reading, Difficulty, Navigation and Audio to reduce unintended barriers.
This report is created from our extensive research, input from other accessibility experts and the player community, and information provided by the developer on the game's store pages.
As the game is not released, the developer is still working on accessibility features. The report represents those features that they have a plan to implement and are confident of including but is subject to change.
Our accessibility examiner, Ben Kendall, first checked Checkmate In The Wild West accessibility 4 weeks ago.
Accessibility Notes
Speech bubble text (there is no voice-acting) is high in contrast, but less than 1/20th of screen height. Text in menus is sometimes both low in contrast and less than 1/20th of screen height.
There is no navigation in the game.
Game Details
Release Date: Coming soon
Coming Soon: Mac and PC
Skill Rating: 9+ year-olds
Players: 1
Genres: Deduction (Adventure, Narrative, Puzzle and Sequencing)
Accessibility: 23 features
Components: 2D Overhead, Cartoon and Grid
Costs: Purchase cost
Controls
We've documented 4 accessibility features for Controls in Checkmate In The Wild West which deal with how you control the game, different options for alternative inputs and whether you can remap these settings to suit your needs.
Mouse And Keyboard
Can play with the following:
Mouse Alone: Can play with just the mouse/mouse-button/mouse wheel.
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.
No Simultaneous Buttons: Only one button or key required at a time, in addition to direction stick(s).
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Controls
If you want to play Checkmate In The Wild West, but it doesn't offer the Controls accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Controls accessibility:
- Windosill (8 Controls Features)
- Pawnbarian (8 Controls Features)
- Chessplosion (8 Controls Features)
- Not Chess (6 Controls Features)
Difficulty
We've documented 2 accessibility features for Difficulty in Checkmate In The Wild West 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.
Difficulty Options
Select Difficulty: Select the level of difficulty from a range of presets. This not only offers a way to adjust the challenge of a game but enables you to do so without dealing with individual criteria.
Adjust After Setting
Adjustable Anytime: You can adjust the difficulty while playing, without having to restart the level you are on. This enables you to quickly adjust the game to suit your needs and see the difference immediately.
Getting Started
We've documented 5 accessibility features for Getting Started in Checkmate In The Wild West 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.
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.
Adjust Speed: Adjust the speed of the game at critical moments or throughout, or rewind play for a second attempt, to ease reaction times. By slowing the game, you have more time to interpret what is happening and then execute your actions. It also reduces the pressure on getting things right quickly or the first time you attempt them.
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.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Getting Started
If you want to play Checkmate In The Wild West, but it doesn't offer the Getting Started accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Getting Started accessibility:
- Windosill (7 Getting Started Features)
- Chessplosion (6 Getting Started Features)
Reading
We've documented 3 accessibility features for Reading in Checkmate In The Wild West 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.
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.
Captions
Speaker Indicator: Textual captions indicate who is speaking (or there is only ever one person speaking). This can also be indicated visually in the game with character icons or placing text in speech bubbles next to the person speaking.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Reading
If you want to play Checkmate In The Wild West, but it doesn't offer the Reading accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Reading accessibility:
- Windosill (5 Reading Features)
- Chessformer (5 Reading Features)
- Not Chess (5 Reading Features)
- Chessplosion (5 Reading Features)
Navigation
We've documented 2 accessibility features for Navigation in Checkmate In The Wild West 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.
Clarity
Clear Mission Objectives: The game provides clear, structured missions with directional guidance and advice on which can be attempted next. This also indicates (ideally on maps where they are provided) which missions can't be attempted because you do not have the appropriate items yet.
Menu Navigation
Menus Don't Wrap: Menus don't wrap and stop the cursor at the bottom of the list if you press down. Or menus do wrap but make it clear that you are back at the top of the list with sound or narration.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Navigation
If you want to play Checkmate In The Wild West, but it doesn't offer the Navigation accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Navigation accessibility:
- King Of The Bridge (3 Navigation Features)
- Super Chesslike Adventure (3 Navigation Features)
Visual
We've documented 5 accessibility features for Visual in Checkmate In The Wild West 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.
Visual Distractions
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.
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.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Visual
If you want to play Checkmate In The Wild West, but it doesn't offer the Visual accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Visual accessibility:
- Chessplosion (8 Visual Features)
- Not Chess (7 Visual Features)
- King Of The Bridge (6 Visual Features)
- Windosill (6 Visual Features)
Audio
We've documented 2 accessibility features for Audio in Checkmate In The Wild West which deal 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.
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 Checkmate In The Wild West, but it doesn't offer the Audio accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Audio accessibility:
- Pawnbarian (3 Audio Features)
- Chessplosion (3 Audio Features)
System Accessibility Settings
In addition to the accessibility features provided in the game, you can also use system-wide accessibility settings:
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.
Read more about system accessibility settings.
Accessibility Report supported by VSC Rating Board, PlayabilityInitiative and accessibility contributors Ben Kendall
