HarmoKnight Accessibility Report - 3DS and 2DS

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HarmoKnight

Accessibility Report

18 Accessibility Features

We've documented 18 accessibility features for HarmoKnight, including Large Subtitles, Large Text, No Button Combos, Play Without Hearing and Visual Cues. Its accessibility is strongest in Reading and Visual but it also has features in Controls, Audio and Getting Started 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.

HarmoKnight (Rhythm Hunter: HarmoKnight in Japan) is a rhythm based running, jumping and whacking game. You play a boy named Tempo who is fighting enemies with a musical note staff. You are joined by an archer named Lyra, a buff warrior named Tyko, and his monkey companion, Cymbi on a mission to save the princess.

Our accessibility examiner, Andy Robertson, first checked HarmoKnight accessibility 2 years ago.

Accessibility Notes

There are two difficulties for each level, a standard speed and a fast speed. However, to do well at the game you need to complete levels at both speeds.

You can play most levels with just two buttons. Some boss levels need you to also use left and right on the Direction Pad as well.

Although the game is based on button pressing in time with music, the notes and enemies that travel towards you are placed to be in line with the music beat. Also, the hearts at the bottom of the screen pulsate in time with the beat meaning you can play the game without hearing (the tutorial mode hides these hearts with the instructions so these initial levels may be harder to play without hearing).

Game Details

Release Date: 28/03/2013

Out Now: 3DS and 2DS

Skill Rating: 5+ year-olds

Players: 1

Genres: Rhythm, Traversal (Platform and Sequencing)

Accessibility: 18 features

Components: 2D Side-On

Developer: Game Freak Info (@GameFreak_Info)

Costs: Purchase cost

Controls

We've documented 3 accessibility features for Controls in HarmoKnight 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 & Single Stick: Can play with multiple buttons and a stick.

Button Combinations

Specific button operation required to play

No Simultaneous Buttons: Only one button or key required at a time, in addition to direction stick(s).

Controller Vibration

Vibration Optional: Controller vibration not used in the game or you can disable it.

Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Controls

If you want to play HarmoKnight, but it doesn't offer the Controls accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Controls accessibility:

A Dance of Fire and Ice (7 Controls Features)
Trombone Champ (6 Controls Features)
Rainbow Billy (6 Controls Features)
One Hand Clapping (6 Controls Features)

Difficulty

We haven’t documented any accessibility features for Difficulty in HarmoKnight 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 HarmoKnight, and offer accessibility features for Difficulty:

Rainbow Billy (3 Difficulty Features)
Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory (3 Difficulty Features)
Rhythm Doctor (2 Difficulty Features)
No Straight Roads (2 Difficulty Features)

Getting Started

We've documented 2 accessibility features for Getting Started in HarmoKnight 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.

Assistance For Progressing

These features aid your progress through the game offering different ways of maintaining your progression.

Bank Progress With Frequent Checkpoints: If you fail you can retry that level or aspect of the game without losing a lot of progress (less than 5 minutes). This is often provided via Frequent Checkpoints combined with restarting without losing time, equipment or score.

Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Getting Started

If you want to play HarmoKnight, but it doesn't offer the Getting Started accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Getting Started accessibility:

One Hand Clapping (7 Getting Started Features)
Rainbow Billy (6 Getting Started Features)
Trombone Champ (5 Getting Started Features)
Night Skate (5 Getting Started Features)

Reading

We've documented 6 accessibility features for Reading in HarmoKnight 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.

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.

Subtitles

Large Clear Subtitles: Subtitles are large, clear and of good contrast. They are at least 1/20 (46 pixels on 1080 screen) the height of a landscape screen and at least 1/40 height on portrait screens, or can be adjusted to be. We base this on the full line-height, including the space above and below the letters. Considered separately from the general text of the game, the subtitles are large, clear and of good contrast.

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 HarmoKnight, but it doesn't offer the Reading accessibility features you require, this similar game extends the Reading accessibility:

The Artful Escape (7 Reading Features)

Navigation

We haven’t documented any accessibility features for Navigation in HarmoKnight 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 HarmoKnight, and offer accessibility features for Navigation:

Night Skate (4 Navigation Features)
Rainbow Billy (4 Navigation Features)
The Artful Escape (2 Navigation Features)
Trombone Champ (1 Navigation Feature)

Visual

We've documented 4 accessibility features for Visual in HarmoKnight 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.

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.

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 HarmoKnight, but it doesn't offer the Visual accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Visual accessibility:

A Dance of Fire and Ice (8 Visual Features)
One Hand Clapping (7 Visual Features)
Trombone Champ (6 Visual Features)
Night Skate (6 Visual Features)

Audio

We've documented 3 accessibility features for Audio in HarmoKnight 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.

Audio Events

Visual Cues for Audio Events: Text or other visual indicators of audio events. This mirrors audio indicators of progress in the game with a corresponding visual indication.