Children's Software Award 2023
Inclusion at TOMMI
Tests in TOMMI libraries show how accessible nominated 2022 Games are
Children with and without disabilities have a right to play and participate. In November, three TOMMI libraries from Freiburg, Kiel and Pforzheim tested games regularly available on the market for the first time with inclusive groups. Twenty TOMMI-nominated PC and console games were tested for their accessibility in the areas of seeing, hearing, understanding and controlling. However, they were only able to convince in two areas in 2022. The test phase was led by the inclusive project Gaming without Borders in five game test groups in and around Cologne. The goal is to provide parents and professionals with reliable orientation and game recommendations.
Do not exclude anyone even when gaming
Children with and without disabilities have a right to play and participate. In November, three TOMMI libraries from Freiburg, Kiel and Pforzheim tested games regularly available on the market for the first time with inclusive groups. Twenty TOMMI-nominated PC and console games were tested for their accessibility in the areas of seeing, hearing, understanding and controlling. However, they were only able to convince in two areas in 2022. The test phase was led by the inclusive project Gaming without Borders in five game test groups in and around Cologne. The goal is to provide parents and professionals with reliable orientation and game recommendations.
Children's software award TOMMI becomes inclusive
Children with and without disabilities have a right to play and participate. In November, three TOMMI libraries from Freiburg, Kiel and Pforzheim tested games regularly available on the market for the first time with inclusive groups. Twenty TOMMI-nominated PC and console games were tested for their accessibility in the areas of seeing, hearing, understanding and controlling. However, they were only able to convince in two areas in 2022. The test phase was led by the inclusive project Gaming without Borders in five game test groups in and around Cologne. The goal is to provide parents and professionals with reliable orientation and game recommendations.
Children's software award TOMMI becomes inclusive
is the award-winning project of the Fachstelle für Jugendmedienkultur NRW (North Rhine-Westphalia Office for Youth Media Culture), which works to increase the participation of players with disabilities in digital games. In five inclusive groups in and around Cologne, young people aged 12 to 27 with and without disabilities play together and test games for their accessibility www.gaming-ohne-grenzen.de.
The console games tested
MARIO STRIKERS: BATTLE LEAGUE FOOTBALL (NINTENDO)
Listen
Accessible because:
Music and sounds are not essential for game success
Understand
We wish:
Tutorial with less text and more pictures and videos
View
We wish:
More helps to distinguish game characters
Stronger contrast for game elements
Taxes
We wish:
Free key assignment
Less fast keyboard shortcuts or automations
MARIO PARTY SUPERSTARS (NINTENDO)
Listen
Accessible because:
Music and sounds are not essential for game success
Understand
Accessible because:
Interactive, very detailed tutorials for mini-games
Reading speed can be determined independently
Many explanations supplemented by pictures and videos
Difficulty levels of individual opponents adjustable
View
We wish:
Text with contrasting background
Differentiation not only by color but also by shapes or patterns
More settings
Taxes
We wish:
Free key assignment
NINTENDO SWITCH SPORTS (NINTENDO)
Listen
Accessible because:
Music and sounds are not essential for game success
Understand
Accessible because:
Interactive, very detailed tutorials
Symbols help during the game
Simple gameplay
Clear menu, icons help understanding
View
We wish:
More auditory cues
More settings
Taxes
We wish:
An additional, alternative input method for motion control
GRAN TURISMO 7 (SONY)
Listen
Accessible because:
Music and sounds are not essential for game success
Different volume controls for sounds and music
Understand
This already makes the game good:
Different levels of difficulty
Repeatable, interactive tutorial
But we still wish:
Shorter explanations that are supplemented by videos and images
View
We wish:
Larger text and game elements
Better contrast with subtitles
Taxes
Accessible because:
Free key assignment
Various control options
Driving assistants (steering and braking aids)
ONE HAND CLAPPING: SING YOUR SONG (HANDY GAMES)
Listen
We wish:
An additional, alternative input method to singing
Understand
This already makes the game good:
Possibility to skip puzzles
But we still wish:
Tips with puzzles
Difficulty levels
View
We wish:
Stronger contrast for game elements
Taxes
Accessible because:
Free key assignment
Quiet gameplay
No time critical elements
FARMING SIMULATOR 22 (GIANTS SOFTWARE)
Listen
Accessible because:
Music and sounds are not essential for game success
Different volume controls for sounds and music
Understand
This already makes the game good:
Difficulty levels
Control hints in the game
But we still wish:
Interactive tutorial
View
This already makes the game good:
Enlargeable text elements
Color vision mode
But we still wish:
Larger & high contrast textsTaxes
This already makes the game good:
Free key assignment
But we still wish:
No keys to hold down for a long time
BIG BRAIN ACADEMY: HEAD TO HEAD (NINTENDO)
Listen
Accessible because:
Music and sounds are not essential for game success
Understand
Accessible because:
Interactive tutorials
Extra light mode
Reading speed can be determined independently
Many explanations supplemented by pictures and videos
View
We wish:
Differentiation not only by color but also by shapes or patterns
More settings
Taxes
We wish:
No time pressure
No keys to hold down for a long time
KIRBY AND THE FORGOTTEN LAND (NINTENDO)
Listen
Accessible because:
Music and sounds are not essential for game success
Understand
Accessible because:
Two levels of difficulty
Interactive tutorial with videos
Simple gameplay with clear goals
View
We wish:
Texts with more contrast
Voice dubbing
More settings
Taxes
We wish:
Free key assignment
No keys to press in quick succession
Abandonment of quick-time event towards the end of the game
More time with bonus levels
RABBIDS: PARTY OF LEGENDS (UBISOFT)
Listen
Accessible because:
Music and sounds are not essential for game success
Good subtitles for the movie sequences
Subtitle background is adjustable
Understand
This already makes the game good:
Different levels of difficulty
Simple gameplay
But we still wish:
Interactive tutorials like Mario Party
View
We wish:
Differentiation not only by color but also by shapes or patterns
More settings
Taxes
We wish:
An additional, alternative input method for motion control
No keys to hold down for a long time or to press in quick succession
The tested PC games
ONE HAND CLAPPING: SING YOUR SONG (HANDY GAMES)
Listen
We wish:
An additional, alternative input method to singing
Understand
This already makes the game good:
Possibility to skip puzzles
But we still wish:
Tips with puzzles
Difficulty levels
View
We wish:
Stronger contrast for game elements
Taxes
Accessible because:
Free key assignment
Quiet gameplay
No time critical elements
INSURMOUNTABLE (DAEDALIC ENTERTAINMENT)
Listen
Accessible because:
Music and sounds are not essential for game success
Understand
This already makes the game good:
Possibility to skip puzzles
But we still wish:
Tips with puzzles
Difficulty levels
View
We wish:
Stronger contrast for game elements
Taxes
Accessible because:
Free key assignment
Quiet gameplay
No time critical elements
THE SIMS 4 HIGH SCHOOL YEARS (EA)
Listen
Accessible because:
Music and sounds are not essential for game success
Different volume controls for sounds and music
Understand
This already makes the game good:
Interactive, detailed tutorial
But we still wish:
An assistance mode
Aids for the satisfaction of needs
Shorter explanations that are supplemented by videos and images
View
This already makes the game good:
Possibility to zoom in
But we still wish:
Stronger contrasts for the texts
Enlargeable game elements
A better zoom mode
Taxes
We wish:
No keys to hold down for a long time
GROWBOT (APPLICATION SYSTEMS HEIDELBERG)
Listen
Accessible because:
There are sound puzzles, but the game offers an alternative mode here
Different volume controls for sounds and music
Understand
We wish:
Better tips for the puzzles
View
We wish:
Differentiation not only by color, but also by shapes or patterns
Enlargeable text
Enlargeable game elements
Taxes
Accessible because:
Can be controlled with the mouse alone (one button control)
No time critical elements
ZOMBIE ROLLERZ: PINBALL HEROES (DAEDALIC ENTERTAINMENT)
Listen
We wish:
Music and sounds are not essential for game success
Different sound settings for sounds and music
Understand
We wish:
Shorter explanations that are supplemented by videos and images
View
We wish:
More settings
Stronger contrasts
Taxes
This already makes the game good:
Customizable control
But we still wish:
Less time pressure
No keys to press in quick succession
FARMING SIMULATOR 22 (GIANTS SOFTWARE)
Listen
Accessible because:
Music and sounds are not essential for game success
Different volume controls for sounds and music
Understand
This already makes the game good:
Difficulty levels
Control hints in the game
But we still wish:
Interactive tutorial
View
This already makes the game good:
Enlargeable text elements
Color vision mode
But we still wish:
Larger & high contrast textsTaxes
This already makes the game good:
Free key assignment
But we still wish:
No keys to hold down for a long time
ITORAH (ASSEMBLE ENTERTAINMENT)
Listen
Accessible because:
Music and sounds are not essential for game success
Different sound settings for sounds and music
Understand
We wish:
More guidance
Different levels of difficulty
View
We wish:
Stronger contrasts
Highlight edges better
More settings
Taxes
This already makes the game good:
Free key assignment
But we still wish:
No keys to hold down for a long time or to press in quick succession
JARS (DAEDALIC ENTERTAINMENT)
Listen
Accessible because:
Music and sounds are not essential for game success
Different sound settings for sounds and music
Understand
This already makes the game good:
Repeatable, interactive tutorial
But we still wish:
Assistance mode
Different levels of difficulty
Repeatable, interactive tutorial
View
This already makes the game good:
The colors of the enemies and allies can be individualized
But we still wish:
Stronger contrasts for the game elements
Clear font
Taxes
Accessible because:
Free key assignment
Can be controlled with the mouse alone (one button control)
Games that are not accessible in any area
GROW: SONG OF THE EVERTREE (505 GAMES)
Listen
Not accessible because:
Music is the main theme of the game
Understand
This already makes the game good:
Many hints
Interactive tutorial
But we still wish:
Information not only via text
View
We wish:
Better recognizable game details More settings
Taxes
We wish:
Free key assignment
No keys to hold down for a long time or to press in quick succession
SONORITY (APPLICATION SYSTEMS HEIDELBERG)
Listen
Not accessible because:
Music is the main theme of the game
Understand
We wish:
Tips for the puzzles
View
We wish:
Strength contrasts
Better recognizable puzzle clues
Taxes
We wish:
Customizable control
ONDE (MIXTVISION)
Listen
Not accessible because:
Music is an important part of the game atmosphere
Understand
We wish:
Explanations supplemented by videos and pictures
View
We wish:
No zooming out of the game character
Taxes
We wish:
Customizable control
