Access to Gaming

By Jamie Pauls, AccessWorld Author

After a long day of studying, students might want to unwind and simply have a little fun at their computers. Playing a game is one way to accomplish this, and free games can be the best option of all. Sometimes, it can be hard to find a variety of different game options to choose from. If you aren't into shooting aliens out of the sky, or playing text adventure titles, what other options are available? Some people play word games, while others enjoy a variety of card games. Many games are available for mobile devices, but what about desktops and laptops?

In the March 2015 issue of AccessWorld, I reviewed Choice of Robots, a title in the Choice of Games series. Choice of Games is a style of interactive fiction where the player reads through a story, and makes selections along the way that change the narrative in various, and sometimes unpredictable ways. Each game in the Choice of Games series must be downloaded separately, if one decides to play on a mobile device.

There is nothing that many gamers who are blind enjoy more than an audio game that offers a totally immersive experience. In 2015, the blind community was introduced to just such a game. A Blind Legend is an audio game that was coproduced by the French company DOWiNO and France Culture, a Radio France station. A crowdfunding campaign on ULULE, along with several sponsorships, helped pay for the cost of the game's production. While the game was not produced specifically for the blind, DOWiNO hopes that it will raise awareness of blindness within the sighted community.