World of Goo Accessibility Report - Android, Mac, PC, Switch and iOS

Android

iOS

Mac

Switch

Wii

Wii U

PS4

PS5

Xbox One

Xbox X|S

World
of Goo

Accessibility Report

14 Accessibility Features

We've documented 14 accessibility features for World of Goo, including Large Text, One Motion Targeted, Audio Cues, High Contrast Text and Minimal Reading. Its accessibility is strongest in Visual and Controls but it also has features in Reading, Getting Started, Navigation and Audio 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.

World of Goo is a puzzle game where you use balls of goo to create bridges that span increasingly large chasms and obstacles. The game simulates real-world physics to determine if structures are strong enough and when they collapse. This means that solutions often stretch the materials to breaking point and invite ambitious strategies.

Our accessibility examiner, Andy Robertson, first checked World of Goo accessibility 2 years ago.

Accessibility Notes

There aren't difficulty settings but the game does start easier and steadily get more difficult. You can restart any level at any time without penalty (apart from losing progress in that level to date).

Text is generally large and outlined for visibility. Tips that pop up don't stay on the screen for long and are moving. Also the level objectives are in a handwriting style font that is less clear.

The Wii and Switch versions let you point with the controller (motion pointing).

Game Details

Release Date: 13/10/2008, updated in 2017

Out Now: Android, Mac, PC, Switch, Wii, Wii U and iOS

Skill Rating: 7+ year-olds

Players: 1-4

Genres: Brain Game, Simulation (Puzzle and Traversal)

Accessibility: 14 features

Components: 2D Side-On and Cartoon

Developer: Tomorrow Corp (@TomorrowCorp)

Costs: Purchase cost

Controls

We've documented 3 accessibility features for Controls in World of Goo 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.

Touchscreen

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

One Motion Targeted: Can play with touchscreen, tap and swipe or hold gesture.

Motion

Games that can be played with different sorts of motion controllers.

Motion Pointing: Can use the orientation of the gamepad to move a cursor-target around the screen like a mouse.

Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Controls

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

Paquerette Down the Bunburrows (15 Controls Features)
Astroneer (10 Controls Features)
Lego Bricktales (7 Controls Features)
Potion Craft (7 Controls Features)

Difficulty

We haven’t documented any accessibility features for Difficulty in World of Goo 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 World of Goo, and offer accessibility features for Difficulty:

Puyo Puyo (2 Difficulty Features)
Inner Tao (1 Difficulty Feature)
Stormworks: Build and Rescue (1 Difficulty Feature)

Getting Started

We've documented 2 accessibility features for Getting Started in World of Goo 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.

No Jump Scares: No sudden loud noises or popping-up scary visuals that unexpectedly appear without warning, or the option to disable them.

Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Getting Started

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

Paquerette Down the Bunburrows (8 Getting Started Features)
Henry Halfhead (8 Getting Started Features)
Lego Bricktales (8 Getting Started Features)
Learning Factory (8 Getting Started Features)

Reading

We've documented 3 accessibility features for Reading in World of Goo 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.

Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Reading

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

Bridge Constructor (6 Reading Features)
Paquerette Down the Bunburrows (5 Reading Features)
The Professional (5 Reading Features)
Trailmakers (5 Reading Features)

Navigation

We've documented 1 accessibility feature for Navigation in World of Goo 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 World of Goo, but it doesn't offer the Navigation accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Navigation accessibility:

Learning Factory (8 Navigation Features)
Trailmakers (5 Navigation Features)
Paquerette Down the Bunburrows (4 Navigation Features)
Lego Bricktales (4 Navigation Features)

Visual

We've documented 4 accessibility features for Visual in World of Goo 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

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.

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.

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

Paquerette Down the Bunburrows (8 Visual Features)
The Professional (7 Visual Features)
Learning Factory (7 Visual Features)
Inner Tao (7 Visual Features)

Audio

We've documented 1 accessibility feature for Audio in World of Goo which deals 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.

Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Audio

If you want to play World of Goo, but it doesn't offer the Audio accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Audio accessibility:

Trailmakers (4 Audio Features)
Paquerette Down the Bunburrows (3 Audio Features)
Inner Tao (3 Audio Features)
Puyo Puyo (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.

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.