View Full Version : Audio Games, Games Which are for the Blind or Hard-of-Seeing
Audio games (http://audiogames.net/list-games/) are the kinds of games which anyone can enjoy, but are particularly good for those who are hard-of-seeing or blind as this type of game can be played without being able to see anything. Some of them have graphics, some of them don't, but all of them can be played by ear. They range from adventure games to "sound novels" to action games. Do you have any favorites or recommendations?
Tanooki
01-28-2016, 02:19 PM
Don't a lot of music games still though have some visual queue for tempo or a direction/color to match up to the audio? I'm thinking anything from like Gitaroo Man through like Rhythm Heaven. I suppose being partly blind you could see a blob or fuzz and learn to time it, but otherwise you'd need a buddy to coach you what to hit for what audio queue, then you could rock it out (same thing even with a Guitar Hero type thing.)
Right, but I'm not referring to music games, I'm referring to audio games, a distinctly different category of games. "Audio games" absolutely do not require the ability to see to play. These games are often only available on PC platforms due to their niche nature. They are frequently developed by people who either are visually challenged or who are friends or relatives of those who are.
Imagine a shooting game where you can't see the enemies but you can hear them. You need to navigate closer and closer to them until you are close enough to be in range. Once you are, you fire and hope you were right because you have limited ammunition. That is actually what one of the audio games which I have played is like.
Wraith Storm
02-02-2016, 11:19 PM
A few games come to mind that are not necessarily modern gaming, but fit your description somewhat.
The late Kenji Eno experimented with audio gaming quite a bit. He released Real Sound: Kaze No Regret on the Saturn specifically for the blind. I believe he also released a sequel for the Dreamcast. Then he released Enemy Zero on the Saturn in which the enemies were invisible and could only be tracked by sound.
There is also the Atari Lynx port of Klax that many people have said could be played blind due to its sound design.
Either way, I'm glad you made this thread. Audio gaming is something i have always been interested in but have limited exposure to. I'll certainly check out that link.
Thanks for the props, Wraith Storm. I'm glad I could help!