We've documented 20 accessibility features for Swordship, including Fully Voiced (Or No Speech), Low Pressure, No Repeated Pressing, No Holds and Play Without Hearing. 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.
Our accessibility examiner, Ben Kendall, first checked Swordship accessibility 19 months ago.
Accessibility Notes
You can't fail for being too slow, as you always move forward at the same speed (you can still move up or down the screen but the screen is always itself moving forward). To dodge incoming attacks, you regularly need quick reactions.
There is minimal text in the game, and while what there is is high contrast, it is on occasion fairly small.
You can disable screen shake and camera effects (dynamic camera) in the settings menu.
Game Details
Release Date: 05/12/2022
Price: 60% off
Out Now: PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One and Xbox X|S
Skill Rating: 10+ year-olds
Players: 1
Genres: Rhythm, Traversal (Action, Adventure, Fighting, Sequencing, Shooting and Strategy)
Accessibility: 20 features
Components: 2D Overhead, Cartoon and Weather
Developer: D Kingdom CH (@DKingdomCH)
Costs: Purchase cost
Controls
We've documented 4 accessibility features for Controls in Swordship 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
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 Swordship, but it doesn't offer the Controls accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Controls accessibility:
- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (9 Controls Features)
- Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout (8 Controls Features)
- Olliefrog Toad Skater (5 Controls Features)
- The Knight Witch (5 Controls Features)
Difficulty
We haven’t documented any accessibility features for Difficulty in Swordship 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 Swordship, and offer accessibility features for Difficulty:
- Space Wave Race (2 Difficulty Features)
- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (2 Difficulty Features)
- The Knight Witch (1 Difficulty Feature)
- Sheepo (1 Difficulty Feature)
Getting Started
We've documented 3 accessibility features for Getting Started in Swordship 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.
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.
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 Swordship, but it doesn't offer the Getting Started accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Getting Started accessibility:
- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (6 Getting Started Features)
- Inks (5 Getting Started Features)
- The Knight Witch (4 Getting Started Features)
Reading
We've documented 4 accessibility features for Reading in Swordship 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.
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 Swordship, but it doesn't offer the Reading accessibility features you require, this similar game extends the Reading accessibility:
- Space Wave Race (6 Reading Features)
Navigation
We've documented 2 accessibility features for Navigation in Swordship 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.
Menu Navigation
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 Swordship, but it doesn't offer the Navigation accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Navigation accessibility:
- The Knight Witch (4 Navigation Features)
- Sky Force Reloaded (3 Navigation Features)
- Data Wing (3 Navigation Features)
Visual
We've documented 5 accessibility features for Visual in Swordship 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 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.
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 Swordship, but it doesn't offer the Visual accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Visual accessibility:
- Space Wave Race (9 Visual Features)
- Inks (7 Visual Features)
Audio
We've documented 2 accessibility features for Audio in Swordship 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 Swordship, but it doesn't offer the Audio accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Audio accessibility:
- Inks (3 Audio Features)
- Yoku's Island Express (3 Audio Features)
- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (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.
PlayStation 4
PlayStation 4 has a range of accessibility settings. Some are system only, some work in games (invert colours and button mapping).
PlayStation 5
PlayStation 5 has a range of system-wide accessibility settings.
Xbox One
Xbox One has a system features, the excellent co-pilot share controls mode and adaptive controller support for all games.
Xbox Series X|S
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 Ben Kendall