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Xbox X|SWe've documented 19 accessibility features for Metroid Dread, including Large Subtitles, Play Without Hearing, Colour Blind Friendly, Partially Voiced and Speaker Indicator. Its accessibility is strongest in Reading and Navigation but it also has features in Visual, Controls, Getting Started 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, Ben Kendall, first checked Metroid Dread accessibility 2 years ago. It was re-examined by Andy Robertson and updated 2 years ago.
Accessibility Notes
You can only change the difficulty at the beginning of each save file, of which you can have 3 simultaneously. There are only two difficulty settings, and even on the easier of the two, there are still some challenging moments.
There is a map provided in the game. This marks ares that are blocking your progress with question marks until you have the required ability, whereupon it will mark that area with the tool or weapon you now have and need to use there. You can also click on a door to highlight every door of the same type on the map, it is extremely helpful in knowing where you should go next. There is also a mini-map and markers that direct you to where you need to go.
You need to carefully time counters to attacks from enemies, and some windows for blocking and countering are incredibly small.
In the settings, you can view controls, go to your last checkpoint (if you get stuck), turn off vibration, and adjust brightness.
While the game is played on a 2D plane, it can still be difficult to figure out the path you're meant to take, especially when backtracking for items or secrets.
Game Details
Release Date: 08/10/2021
Out Now: Switch
Skill Rating: 9+ year-olds
Players: 1
Genres: Action, Platform (Puzzle, Shooting, Stealth and Traversal)
Accessibility: 19 features
Components: 2D Side-On
Developer: Mercury Steam (@MercurySteam)
Costs: Purchase cost
Controls
We've documented 3 accessibility features for Controls in Metroid Dread 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.
Controller Vibration
Vibration Optional: Controller vibration not used in the game or you can disable it.
Informative Vibration: Controller vibration indicates events or interactions in the game, echoing visual and audio cues. This can provide additional information about progress, approaching enemies or hitting a target.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Controls
If you want to play Metroid Dread, but it doesn't offer the Controls accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Controls accessibility:
- Dark Souls (10 Controls Features)
- Bleak Sword DX (10 Controls Features)
- Rubato (9 Controls Features)
- Celeste (9 Controls Features)
Difficulty
We haven’t documented any accessibility features for Difficulty in Metroid Dread 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 Metroid Dread, and offer accessibility features for Difficulty:
- Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown (3 Difficulty Features)
- Tiny Thor (2 Difficulty Features)
- Minishoot Adventures (2 Difficulty Features)
- My Friend Pedro (2 Difficulty Features)
Getting Started
We've documented 1 accessibility feature for Getting Started in Metroid Dread which deals 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.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Getting Started
If you want to play Metroid Dread, but it doesn't offer the Getting Started accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Getting Started accessibility:
- Celeste (7 Getting Started Features)
- Minishoot Adventures (5 Getting Started Features)
- Rubato (5 Getting Started Features)
- My Friend Pedro (4 Getting Started Features)
Reading
We've documented 6 accessibility features for Reading in Metroid Dread 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
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.
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.
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.
Captions
Speaker Indicator: Textual captions indicate who is speaking (or there is only ever one person speaking). This can also be indicated visually in the game with character icons or placing text in speech bubbles next to the person speaking.
Voice Acted
Some Dialogue is Voice Acted: Some of the game dialogue and narrative is voice acted. This reduces the pressure on reading all the dialogue text, although not everything is provided audibly.
Navigation
We've documented 4 accessibility features for Navigation in Metroid Dread 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.
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.
Head-Up Display
Head-Up Display Navigation: Indication of where to go next with overlaid arrows, minimaps and waypoint markers. This supplements in-game visual and audible cues with additional guidance about where you are and where you need to go.
Game Map: View a map of the game world during play, with the landscape, points of interest and missions highlighted throughout the entire game. This enables the orientation of the player and the world, confirming a direction of movement and the location of destinations or points of exploration.
Menu Navigation
Menus Don't Wrap: Menus don't wrap and stop the cursor at the bottom of the list if you press down. Or menus do wrap but make it clear that you are back at the top of the list with sound or narration.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Navigation
If you want to play Metroid Dread, but it doesn't offer the Navigation accessibility features you require, this similar game extends the Navigation accessibility:
- Laika: Aged Through Blood (5 Navigation Features)
Visual
We've documented 4 accessibility features for Visual in Metroid Dread 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
Medium Contrast: Game uses generally well contrasting and bright visuals, or has a slider to make this the case.
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.
Motion Sickness Friendly
Motion Sickness Friendly: Doesn't have 3D movement elements that may trigger motion sickness, like motion blur, depth of field and field-of-vision. Or includes the ability to disable motion blur, depth of field and field-of-vision effects.
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.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Visual
If you want to play Metroid Dread, but it doesn't offer the Visual accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Visual accessibility:
- Cyber Shadow (7 Visual Features)
- Minishoot Adventures (6 Visual Features)
- Bleak Sword DX (6 Visual Features)
- My Friend Pedro (5 Visual Features)
Audio
We've documented 1 accessibility feature for Audio in Metroid Dread 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.
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 Metroid Dread, but it doesn't offer the Audio accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Audio accessibility:
- Kaze and the Wild Masks (3 Audio Features)
- Dead Cells (3 Audio Features)
- Carrion (3 Audio Features)
- Garlic (2 Audio Features)
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.
Read more about system accessibility settings.
Accessibility Report supported by VSC Rating Board, PlayabilityInitiative and accessibility contributors Ben Kendall and Andy Robertson
