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Android
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PC
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Xbox One
Xbox X|SWe've documented 23 accessibility features for Pikuniku, including No Button Combos, Play Without Hearing, Audio Cues, Fully Subtitled (Or No Speech) and Multiple Buttons & Single Stick. Its accessibility is strongest in Visual and Controls but it also has features in Navigation, Getting Started, 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.
External examiner, Tyler Brinkman, first checked Pikuniku accessibility 16 months ago. It was re-examined by Tyler Brinkman and updated 16 months ago.
Accessibility Notes
There is a game map that can be accessed through the pause menu. It is a 2D representation of the world that provides the player with an approximate location as to where they are in the overworld. However, when transported to the mini platforming puzzles, it does not indicate your location there. No other information is indicated on the map.
Vibration indicates when the player dies and when interacting with various elements such as buttons and hooks
Audio cues accompany when interacting with various objects such as when pressing a button, turning a crank and picking up coins.
Game Details
Release Date: 24/01/2019
Out Now: Mac, PC, Switch and Xbox One
Skill Rating: 5+ year-olds
Players: 1-2
Genres: Adventure, Platform (Action, Puzzle, Simulation and Traversal)
Accessibility: 23 features
Components: 2D Side-On and Cartoon
Developer: Sectordub (@Sectordub)
Costs: Purchase cost
Controls
We've documented 5 accessibility features for Controls in Pikuniku 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.
Mouse And Keyboard
Can play with the following:
Keyboard Alone: Can play with just the keyboard.
Button Combinations
Specific button operation required to play
No Simultaneous Buttons: Only one button or key required at a time, in addition to direction stick(s).
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 Pikuniku, but it doesn't offer the Controls accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Controls accessibility:
- Bionic Bay (9 Controls Features)
- Harlow (7 Controls Features)
- Goop Loop (7 Controls Features)
- Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy (7 Controls Features)
Difficulty
We haven’t documented any accessibility features for Difficulty in Pikuniku 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 Pikuniku, and offer accessibility features for Difficulty:
- Qomp (1 Difficulty Feature)
Getting Started
We've documented 3 accessibility features for Getting Started in Pikuniku 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.
No Jump Scares: No sudden loud noises or popping-up scary visuals that unexpectedly appear without warning, or the option to disable them.
Assistance For Progressing
These features aid your progress through the game offering different ways of maintaining your progression.
Save Progress Anytime: The game automatically saves progress or you can save any time. This doesn’t mean you never lose progress, but it does mean you can stop whenever you want (without having to get to a save point) without losing progress.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Getting Started
If you want to play Pikuniku, but it doesn't offer the Getting Started accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Getting Started accessibility:
- Bluey: The Videogame (7 Getting Started Features)
- Bionic Bay (6 Getting Started Features)
- Smushi Come Home (5 Getting Started Features)
- Harlow (5 Getting Started Features)
Reading
We've documented 3 accessibility features for Reading in Pikuniku 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
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.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Reading
If you want to play Pikuniku, but it doesn't offer the Reading accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Reading accessibility:
- Bluey: The Videogame (6 Reading Features)
- Goop Loop (6 Reading Features)
- Bugsnax (6 Reading Features)
- Katamari Damacy Reroll (5 Reading Features)
Navigation
We've documented 4 accessibility features for Navigation in Pikuniku 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.
Head-Up Display
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
Menu Audio Cues: Navigating menus provide an audio cue for each selection.
Digital Menu Navigation: Menu choices with Gamepad can be made without using an analogue stick to guide a cursor to a selection. For example, using D-Pad, buttons or the Stick to change menu selection in a single action.
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 Pikuniku, but it doesn't offer the Navigation accessibility features you require, this similar game extends the Navigation accessibility:
- Bluey: The Videogame (7 Navigation Features)
Visual
We've documented 7 accessibility features for Visual in Pikuniku 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.
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 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.
Menu Audio Cues: Navigating menus provide an audio cue for each selection.
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.
Audio
We've documented 2 accessibility features for Audio in Pikuniku 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.
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 Pikuniku, but it doesn't offer the Audio accessibility features you require, this similar game extends the Audio accessibility:
- Bugsnax (3 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.
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.
Xbox One
Xbox One has a system features, the excellent co-pilot share controls mode and adaptive controller support for all games.
Read more about system accessibility settings.
Accessibility Report supported by VSC Rating Board, PlayabilityInitiative and accessibility contributors @TylerBrinkman23
