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Xbox X|SWe've documented 21 accessibility features for Inks, including Fully Voiced (Or No Speech), Adjust Speed, Low Pressure, No Quick Reactions and No Repeated Pressing. Its accessibility is strongest in Visual and Getting Started but it also has features in Controls, Reading 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.
Our accessibility examiner, Andy Robertson, first checked Inks accessibility 2 years ago.
Accessibility Notes
- Stopper: Stops the ball draining in the middle of the flippers.
- Precision: Slows down the ball as it approaches the flipper and a line show you the direction it will go after hitting it.
Although these need to be purchased in the non Apple Arcade version of the game, on Apple Arcade they are provided for free and are soon unlocked after starting to play. Either way, once enabled they offer a Low Pressure, Low Reaction Time experience.
The locations to press on the screen are indicated when you start or pause the game. There is no text to read in the game and the menus are large and clear symbols (if a little cryptic).
Game Details
Release Date: 04/05/2016, updated in 2021
Out Now: Mac, iOS and iPhone, iPad
Skill Rating: 6+ year-olds
Players: 1
Genres: Action, Traversal (Brain Game, Platform and Puzzle)
Accessibility: 21 features
Components: 2D Side-On
Developer: State Of Play (@State_Of_Play)
Costs: Purchase cost
Controls
We've documented 3 accessibility features for Controls in Inks which deal with how you control the game, different options for alternative inputs and whether you can remap these settings to suit your needs.
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.
Button Combinations
Specific button operation required to play
Holding Down Buttons Optional: Holding down buttons for prolonged periods (a second or more) is not required or can be switched to toggling the action on and off. This is in addition to the movement stick/button which is not considered a hold for this purpose.
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.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Controls
If you want to play Inks, but it doesn't offer the Controls accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Controls accessibility:
- Stuffo the Puzzle Bot (18 Controls Features)
- Ynglet (9 Controls Features)
- The Unfinished Swan (8 Controls Features)
- Roundguard (7 Controls Features)
Difficulty
We haven’t documented any accessibility features for Difficulty in Inks 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 Inks, and offer accessibility features for Difficulty:
Getting Started
We've documented 5 accessibility features for Getting Started in Inks 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.
Reaction-Time Not Critical: Individual game actions don’t need quick reactions, or there are settings to lower the requirement for quick reactions. This means you don't need to quickly press a button in response to an on-screen prompt, target a fast-moving target or skillfully complete a scenario against the clock.
Low Pressure: Game tasks aren't time-limited or there's a low-pressure mode. This avoids the pressure of being put on the clock for overarching missions, or failing tasks because you didn't reach a destination in time.
Adjust Speed: Adjust the speed of the game at critical moments or throughout, or rewind play for a second attempt, to ease reaction times. By slowing the game, you have more time to interpret what is happening and then execute your actions. It also reduces the pressure on getting things right quickly or the first time you attempt them.
Assistance For Progressing
These features aid your progress through the game offering different ways of maintaining your progression.
Bank Progress With Frequent Checkpoints: If you fail you can retry that level or aspect of the game without losing a lot of progress (less than 5 minutes). This is often provided via Frequent Checkpoints combined with restarting without losing time, equipment or score.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Getting Started
If you want to play Inks, but it doesn't offer the Getting Started accessibility features you require, this similar game extends the Getting Started accessibility:
- Stuffo the Puzzle Bot (7 Getting Started Features)
Reading
We've documented 3 accessibility features for Reading in Inks 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.
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.
Subtitles
All Speech Subtitled (Or No Speech In Game): All spoken content has subtitles, or there is no speech in the game. This means there is no requirement to hear spoken dialogue or narrative to play the game.
Voice Acted
All Dialogue is Voice Acted (Or No Speech In Game): All of the game dialogue and narrative can be voiced, or there is no speech in the game. This means there is no requirement to read the dialogue and narrative text to play the game.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Reading
If you want to play Inks, but it doesn't offer the Reading accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Reading accessibility:
- Suika Game (4 Reading Features)
- Swordship (4 Reading Features)
- Roundguard (4 Reading Features)
- Inner Tao (4 Reading Features)
Navigation
We haven’t documented any accessibility features for Navigation in Inks 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 Inks, and offer accessibility features for Navigation:
- Stuffo the Puzzle Bot (5 Navigation Features)
- Roundguard (4 Navigation Features)
- Suika Game (2 Navigation Features)
- Summer Trip Cruise (2 Navigation Features)
Visual
We've documented 7 accessibility features for Visual in Inks which deal with how you can adjust the visuals to suit your needs, and offer additional information if you can't hear the game.
Contrast
High Contrast: There is high contrast between elements that need to be distinguished from each other, such as characters, interactive objects and game environment, either by default or a high contrast mode. This is different to a slider that increases contrast or brightness between light and dark.
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.
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.
Visual Distractions
No Flashes: No flashing strobe effects or you can disable them. This includes the absence of flashing from dramatic visual effects, explosions or weather effects like lightning.
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.
Colour Options
Colour Blind Friendly: Game doesn’t rely on colour or can switch to colour blind friendly mode with double coding or similar way to avoid colour dependance.
Audio
We've documented 3 accessibility features for Audio in Inks 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.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Audio
If you want to play Inks, but it doesn't offer the Audio accessibility features you require, this similar game extends the Audio accessibility:
- PixelJunk Eden (4 Audio Features)
System Accessibility Settings
In addition to the accessibility features provided in the game, you can also use system-wide accessibility settings:
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.
iOS Apple Arcade
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.
Accessibility Report supported by VSC Rating Board, PlayabilityInitiative and accessibility contributors Andy Robertson
