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Balan Wonderworld
Accessibility Report

16 Accessibility Features

Accessibility
Report

We've documented 16 accessibility features for Balan Wonderworld, including Large Subtitles, No Button Combos, No Repeated Pressing, Play Without Hearing and Visual Cues. Its accessibility is strongest in Controls and Audio but it also has features in Getting Started, Visual, Reading and Navigation 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.

Balan Wonderworld is a running, jumping and exploration game. It draws on classic 3D platform games but with simpler controls and a more laid-back challenge. Like Mario Odyssey, much of the gameplay revolves around getting temporary abilities (here it is with outfits) to progress. This offers unique puzzles while reducing the number of buttons you need to press. It's a platform game not generally loved by gaming experts, but a really good fit for younger or new-to-gaming people.

Our accessibility examiner, Andy Robertson, first checked Balan Wonderworld accessibility 22 months ago. It was re-examined by Andy Robertson and updated 22 months ago.

Accessibility Notes

Although there is no difficulty setting the game automatically adjusts to your skill level. The types and number of enemies change to make the game easier or more challenging as required. You can see the difficulty you are on via the stamp you get at the end of a stage (Red is more challenging).

The game's controls revolve around switching costumes to change the action you can perform. This enables the game to be played with a single action button. Any of the face buttons perform the action, while the upper Trigger buttons switch between costumes. You can also play with one Stick, the automatic camera is good, although a little harder to find hidden areas. As is discussed in this video, this offers an unusual platform game experience with unusually simple controls.

If you let the game do the camera automatically you can play with a single stick, one action button and one button to change outfit. There was strobe-like flashing in the game due to an error when it launched, but if you apply the free downloadable patch this is resolved.

Subtitles are large and clear but other game text is often smaller and doesn't have a solid background so can be hard to read. This is true for the instructions for the outfits, which is key information but hard to read. Some singing is in Japanese and isn't subtitled.

Game Details

Release Date: 26/03/2021

Price: 85% off

Out Now: PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One and Xbox X|S

Content Rating: PEGI 7

Skill Rating: 6+ year-olds

Players: 1-2

Genres: Action, Platform (Adventure, Collecting and Traversal)

Accessibility: 16 features

Components: 3D Third-Person and Hand-Made

Developer: Square Enix (@SquareEnix)

Costs: Purchase cost

Controls

We've documented 7 accessibility features for Controls in Balan Wonderworld 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.

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.

Remap Controls

Can customise the controls for the game as follows:

Remap Mouse and Keyboard: Can remap mouse and keyboard key bindings, on systems that support these controls.

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

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 Balan Wonderworld, but it doesn't offer the Controls accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Controls accessibility:

Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga

It Takes Two

New Super Lucky's Tale

Glitch Busters: Stuck On You

Difficulty

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

Getting Started

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

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.

Assistance For Progressing

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

Assisted Progress With Boosts: If you fail frequently the game automatically gets easier to ease the likelihood of failure. Or there’s an option to start this happening, like giving more health, lives or power each time you fail. Sometimes called Rubber Banding.

Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Getting Started

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

Reading

We've documented 1 accessibility feature for Reading in Balan Wonderworld which deals 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.

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.

Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Reading

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

Navigation

We've documented 1 accessibility feature for Navigation in Balan Wonderworld 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

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.

Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Navigation

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

Visual

We've documented 2 accessibility features for Visual in Balan Wonderworld which deal with how you can adjust the visuals to suit your needs, and offer additional information if you can't hear the game.

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.

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

Audio

We've documented 3 accessibility features for Audio in Balan Wonderworld 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.

Play Without Hearing

Play Without Hearing: No audio cues are necessary to play the game well.

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 Andy Robertson

Written by parents for parents, the database complements the in-depth discussion about video game addiction, violence, spending and online safety in the Taming Gaming book. We are an editorially independent, free resource without adverts that is supported by partnerships.