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Xbox X|SWe've documented 26 accessibility features for Azul, including Playable Without Hearing, No Pressured Communication, No Pressured Reveals, Audio Cues Mirrored Visually (Or no critical audio signals) and Playable Without Sight. Its accessibility is strongest in Physical and Visual but it also has features in Difficulty, Audio, Getting Started 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.
Our accessibility examiner, Andy Robertson, first checked Azul accessibility 24 months ago. It was re-examined by Andy Robertson and updated 24 months ago.
Accessibility Notes
For blind players, the red and blue tiles are also a challenge as they are not distinguishable by touch. While it's possible to play with minimal or no sight, because of the complex states of play and shared tiles, the game then presents a considerable memorisation challenge. Meeple Like Us review states that "with a supportive table and perhaps some assistive aids and compensations we believe Azul is likely to be broadly playable in this category regardless of the extent of visual impairment. We’ll recommend, just, Azul in this category."
The main tiles are of a good size but the scoring cubes are small. Placement is fiddly as you need to position the tiles on the right grid next to each other. Players can verbalise actions, although a system for identifying which of the circular card tiles should be drawn from will be needed.
Report informed by Meeple Like Us assessment which offers an extended review.
Game Details
Release Date: 01/01/2017
Skill Rating: 8+ year-olds
Players: 2-4
Genres: Sequencing, Strategy (Brain Game and Collecting)
Accessibility: 26 features
Costs: Purchase cost
Difficulty
We've documented 4 accessibility features for Difficulty in Azul which deal with how you can adjust the challenge of play.
Difficulty Options
Simple and Full Version: Game provides layered rules to enable the removal of elements for a simpler version of the game. Ideally, these are given non-stigmatising descriptors for example, "simple/complex" rather than "novice/expert".
No Memorisation Advantage: You don’t need to memorise and recall the state of the game, cards played, sequences and resources to play the game well. Players who are able to do this more easily are not at an advantage.
No Deceit Advantage: No game mechanic where players need to deceive each other to progress. This includes bluffing and lying.
No Colour Advantage: Game can be played without colour-blindness being a barrier to performance.
Getting Started
We've documented 3 accessibility features for Getting Started in Azul which deal with what support is offered to get started with the game.
Assistance Progressing
These features aid your progress through the game offering different ways of managing your pieces and progression.
Play Order Tokens (Or play order doesn’t change): Where player order impacts the game or there are multiple play phases the game provides a means of keeping track of this. Includes provision of play order tokens or use of piece/board orientation.
Reaction-Time Not Critical: Individual game actions don’t need quick reactions. This means you don't need to quickly respond to events in the game or other players.
Low Pressure: Decisions aren’t time-limited so you can take your time with each action.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Getting Started
If you want to play Azul, but it doesn't offer the Getting Started accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Getting Started accessibility:
- ShipShape (8 Getting Started Features)
- Roll For It! (8 Getting Started Features)
- Diatoms (5 Getting Started Features)
Reading
We've documented 2 accessibility features for Reading in Azul which deal with how much reading or listening comprehension is required, how well the game provides accessible text.
Reading Level
How much reading is required to play the game and how complex the language is.
No Text: No text or numbers in the game at all. This means the game is language independent.
Necessary Text Visibility
How clear are the required text or numbers to play the game.
Clear Icons: Icons are used to simply communicate and highlight important graphical elements related to gameplay. This assumes good contrast and generally familiar symbols.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Reading
If you want to play Azul, but it doesn't offer the Reading accessibility features you require, this similar game extends the Reading accessibility:
- Roll For It! (4 Reading Features)
Physical
We've documented 7 accessibility features for Physical in Azul which deal with how you interact with the game components and how accommodating these are of different requirements.
Pieces
How the game components accommodate interactions through touch, shape, texture and colour.
Components are Distinguishable by Touch: Game dice and tokens are different shapes and different colours or designs.
Components are Replaceable: Game components can be replaced with alternatives that meet an accessibility requirement, that don’t conflict with game mechanics (needing to pick randomly from a bag) or another physical aspect of the game (board indentations).
No Non-Standard Dice (Or No Dice): The game uses standard numerical dice, doesn’t need dice to play or ensures dice are readable by touch.
No Tiny Pieces: Game pieces are not very small. This doesn't cover cards. The target size for this is not less than 20mm wide and not less than 2mm thick.
No Paper Money: The game doesn’t use paper money.
Placement
How the game assists interaction, manipulation, management and placement of game pieces.
Player Components Not Shared: Key components are not shared so you can organise them as best suits your needs. Keeping them close to you. Organising them in useful groupings.
Easily Verbalised Actions: The game is clearly labelled (landmarks, coordinates and so on) to make it possible to unambiguously describe game actions and relate those to the board or other pieces. This is useful for players who need others to move their pieces.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Physical
If you want to play Azul, but it doesn't offer the Physical accessibility features you require, this similar game extends the Physical accessibility:
- Roll For It! (12 Physical Features)
Visual
We've documented 6 accessibility features for Visual in Azul which deal with how well the game offers visual clarity and adjustments to accommodate visual needs.
Printed Visibility
How well the art on (and design of) components support a range of visual needs.
Colour Blind Friendly Design: Game prioritises the use of colour blind friendly palettes. This eases distinguishing elements of the game where colour is used. Ensure colour blind supporting graphics can be easily described or verbalised.
Double-Coding Colour: Colour is not the only way to distinguish elements. This includes games that make use of texture, shapes, symbols or other visual differentiation, to supplement colour information.
High Contrast Colours: Key information uses high contrasting colours between background and visual elements. This is a ratio of at least 4:1.
Component Identifiability
How easy it is to see and identify the components you need to work with to play the game.
No Busy Backgrounds: Game board or cards have a simple or monochrome design to aid in identifying game elements when observed in play on top of the board.
No Close Inspection Disadvantage: If necessary, players can inspect similar pieces to distinguish them without time limit or risk of leaking gameplay intention.
Playable Without Sight: Standard version of the game is playable without sight. This includes playing with the usual assistive aids/approach for blind players (and where teammates can perform this function) but doesn’t include games you have to recreate wholesale.
Audio
We've documented 4 accessibility features for Audio in Azul which deal with how the game supports player communication to meet a range of requirements.
Communication
How the game accommodates different styles of communication, particularly non-verbal.
Audio Cues Mirrored Visually (Or no critical audio signals): Where audio cues (soundtrack, player utterances and shouts) are critical for play, there are visual equivalents to ensure players with hearing impairments aren’t disadvantaged as a result of the loss of incidental sound.
No Pressured Reveals: No reliance on revealing actions or choices simultaneously. This ensures players who can’t perform the revealing action in real-time aren’t excluded.
No Pressured Communication: Game doesn’t require you to speak over (or louder or faster than) other players. The game includes gaps where only a single player is permitted to communicate and make their point.
Playable Without Hearing: You can play the game without the need to hear other players or sound made by game elements. Where other communication channels can be used if you have a supportive set of players, this is only included if communication can be low pressure.
Accessibility Report supported by VSC Rating Board, PlayabilityInitiative and accessibility contributors Andy Robertson
