We've worked with SpecialEffect on this list of games which aims to highlight games that are good for people with reduced fine motor control.
Special Effect is a charity that aims to put fun and inclusion back into the lives of people with physical disabilities by helping them to play video games. They use technology ranging from modified joypads to eye control to find a way for people to play to the very best of their abilities.
“We discussed several conditions which can impact fine motor control such as cerebral palsy, brain injury, digital amputation, Nerve conditions, chronic pain, arthritis/RSI or high spinal injury. People with these and similar conditions might identify with some of the following phrases:
- “I can hold on to things well, but I find it difficult to let go”
- “I have one hand stronger than the other”
- “My fingers don’t move much, but I can move my arms in big movements”
- “Doing things with one hand or one hand at a time is easier than using both hands”
- “Holding and using a standard controller at the same time can be tricky”
- “I would find larger joysticks and buttons potentially helpful”
Along with physical input considerations like mounting your controller to access to more buttons or using peripherals with larger buttons and joysticks, this list focuses on games that meet some of the following criteria:
- Require one input at a time either joystick or button: like Mario Kart, Bubbles the Cat or Sonic the Hedgehog.
- Offer button remapping: Such as Marvel's Spider-Man or Stardew Valley.
- fewer buttons: like Oco, Mario Kart 8, Alto's Odyssey.
- Offer motion control: Such as Splatoon, Wii Sports, Arms, Just Dance, Kinect Sports.
- Support gamepads rather than requiring keyboards: Such as Luigi's Mansion, New Pokemon Snap, Kirby's Epic Yarn.
- Low time pressure and give more time for larger movements: Such as Flower, A Short Hike, Alba, Firewatch, Rocket League.
- Turn off the need for rapidly repeated button presses: Such as Sea of Thieves, Biomutant, Assassin's Creed Valhalla.
As well as the games we have picked out below that meet these criteria, there are some common searches on the database that are good for people with reduced fine motor control:
1 Stick + 1 button,
1 Stick,
1 Button,
Motion Controls,
Reamp Buttons or
Remap Keys,
Low Pressure,
Rapid Pressing Optional and
Co-PilotingWe hope this list helps you discover games that work for you. If you are struggling to game due to access issues caused by a physical disability do contact SpecialEffect who will offer support free of charge, as capacity allows.
This list includes 22 games from the last 32 years, with 2,263 likes. They come from a range of different genres and play-styles and are all good games if you want to play games not needing fine motor control.
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