The Disabled Gamer

My boyfriend is a HUGE gamer. We have many systems, all hooked up and ready to be played with.  I like playing games too, but am not a hardcore gamer like he is, but I play the original Mario games and the little Wii games, like Wii resort, Wii Play and Wii Sports. We don’t have an Xbox, so I am not familiar with those games.

Now imagine yourself like me:  a one-handed disabled lady who tries to adapt a two handed world into a one handed reality.

I can only play certain games on the Playstation 2 because most of their games use all the buttons, while games like the Kingdom Hearts series (I LOVE THIS SERIES) I can finagle my fingers around the controller to kill the Heartless.

I can’t play most DS games because most of the games require the player to use the A and B buttons, thus blocking the screen, thus making me unable to really see my game.

I can’t play most of the Wii games because most of them use the nunchuk to which am unable to hold with my right hand. It also is hard to play multiplayer games like Wii Mario, because I will end up killing my character all the time.

Oh… and the Kinnect?  It looks awesome, but I am unable to play.

Kay… this sucks.

For most games there is no way that you can change the control settings so you can use it one handed, to disable the nunchuk so I can play Epic Mickey or Resident Evil. Well… I can… with the help of my boyfriend holding the other controller.  But what fun is that??  Anyone who knows a disabled person knows just how stubborn we are. 

The second Wii console (called Wii U) is coming out soon and I just found out the way they are making the controllers.  Not cool for disabled folk.  The new controller is supposed to be like a small DS that has a large screen on it.  Well gee, thanks that means I can’t use that because my left hand will be covering the screen meant for a right handed person.  I can’t even use the nunchuk, how I am I going to play on this controller?

What about those who are more disabled than I?  There are plenty of other disabled folk who enjoy video games as well. There is a website, named http://www.ablegamers.com/ that is just awesome.  I haven’t bought anything from there yet, but I love how THEY have noticed the lacking in adaptations for the disabled. Not to mention they don’t have adaptations for all systems, but they are the ones who are making a difference for the disabled gamers.

But they shouldn’t be the only ones who make these adaptations. Shouldn’t Sony and Nintendo? Xbox?

Even the online games like World of Warcraft and League of Legends… do they have adaptations?

I just seriously think that it is unfair for the disabled to be basically turned away from playing certain types of games.  Will we get a Wii U when it comes out? Most defiantly. But I will be the one in my family who will be left out when others decide to play games I cannot and I would NEVER ask them not to because of that fact. 

I believe there should be a change; the game makers need to wake up and realize that no matter what disability one might have they still want to play, and want to feel normal doing so.