Sonic the Hedgehog Series Accessibility Report - Android, Mac, Megadrive, PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One and iOS

Android

iOS

Mac

Switch

Wii

Wii U

PS4

PS5

Xbox One

Xbox X|S

Sonic
the Hedgehog

Accessibility Report

3 Accessibility Features

We've documented 3 accessibility features for Sonic the Hedgehog, including No Reading, 1 Button & Single Stick and Two Taps Targeted. It has features in Controls and Reading 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.

Sonic the Hedgehog is a series of games starring an athletic blue hedgehog who runs, jumps and bounces his way around platform levels. Created as Sega's answer to Mario, Sonic is now on all modern video game platforms.

External examiner, Adam Kosakowski, first checked Sonic the Hedgehog (Series) accessibility 2 years ago. It was re-examined by Adam Kosakowski and updated 2 years ago.

Accessibility Notes

On consoles, this series is played with one stick for movement and one button. The one button performs different actions depending on which direction the stick is in when pressing the button. On mobile, the same applies, just instead with the touch screen. On mobile, the size of the on-screen joystick and button can be changed in the options.

Game Details

Release Date: 23/06/1991, updated in 2017

Out Now: 3DS and 2DS, Android, DS, GameCube, Mac, Megadrive, PC, PS Vita, PS2, PS3, PS4, Switch, Wii, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One and iOS

Skill Rating: 7+ year-olds

Players: 1

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

Accessibility: 3 features

Components: 2D Side-On and Pixels

Developer: Sonic hedgehog (@Sonic_hedgehog)

Costs: Purchase cost

Controls

We've documented 2 accessibility features for Controls in Sonic the Hedgehog 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 & Single Stick: Can play with button and stick.

Touchscreen

Can play with the following. Additional gestures may be required for games played with a screenreader like VoiceOver.

Two Taps Targeted: Can play with touchscreen, two simultaneous taps in specific locations.

Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Controls

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

You Suck at Parking (10 Controls Features)
New Super Lucky's Tale (9 Controls Features)
Ori and the Will of the Wisps (9 Controls Features)
Zool Redimensioned (8 Controls Features)

Difficulty

We haven’t documented any accessibility features for Difficulty in Sonic the Hedgehog 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 Sonic the Hedgehog, and offer accessibility features for Difficulty:

Zool Redimensioned (3 Difficulty Features)
The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog (2 Difficulty Features)
Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe (2 Difficulty Features)
Advent Neon (2 Difficulty Features)

Getting Started

We haven’t documented any accessibility features for Getting Started in Sonic the Hedgehog 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. The following games are similar to Sonic the Hedgehog, and offer accessibility features for Getting Started:

Advent Neon (8 Getting Started Features)
The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog (5 Getting Started Features)
Toki Tori (5 Getting Started Features)
MouseCraft (5 Getting Started Features)

Reading

We've documented 1 accessibility feature for Reading in Sonic the Hedgehog 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.

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.

No Reading: No reading is required, other than simple menus. The game either has no text or can communicate textual content with visuals and interactions. If reading isn't required because the text is voiced the All Dialogue is Voiced feature indicates this.

Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Reading

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

New Super Lucky's Tale (7 Reading Features)
PJ Masks: Heroes of the Night (6 Reading Features)
Rog & Roll (6 Reading Features)
Cyber Shadow (6 Reading Features)

Navigation

We haven’t documented any accessibility features for Navigation in Sonic the Hedgehog 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 Sonic the Hedgehog, and offer accessibility features for Navigation:

PJ Masks: Heroes of the Night (5 Navigation Features)
You Suck at Parking (5 Navigation Features)
Cyber Shadow (4 Navigation Features)
New Super Lucky's Tale (4 Navigation Features)

Visual

We haven’t documented any accessibility features for Visual in Sonic the Hedgehog which deal with how you can adjust the visuals to suit your needs, and offer additional information if you can't hear the game. The following games are similar to Sonic the Hedgehog, and offer accessibility features for Visual:

Cyber Shadow (7 Visual Features)
PJ Masks: Heroes of the Night (6 Visual Features)
You Suck at Parking (6 Visual Features)
Wibble Wobble (5 Visual Features)

Audio

We haven’t documented any accessibility features for Audio in Sonic the Hedgehog 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. The following games are similar to Sonic the Hedgehog, and offer accessibility features for Audio:

Zool Redimensioned (3 Audio Features)
Donkey Kong Country Returns (3 Audio Features)
Yoku's Island Express (3 Audio Features)
Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair (3 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.

Nintendo Wii
The Wii has a few helpful settings, like disable rumble, but you have to use gesture controls for most games and the system menu.

Nintendo Wii U
The Wii U has some limited settings, such as disabling rumble and selecting mono audio.

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).

Xbox One
Xbox One has a system features, the excellent co-pilot share controls mode and adaptive controller support for all games.

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.