An under appreciated feature in Nintendo games: accessibility modes

[RoboitoAM]

I know that most of us on Reset are fine without these modes. However, I just want to take a moment to appreciate how much these modes help those who otherwise don't play games.

My girlfriend plays Mario Kart now on the Switch where she didn't before. I'm trying to show her that Mario Odyssey also has a new assist mode that would let her feel more comfortable trying games she wouldn't otherwise touch.

Have you managed to get anybody to play one of Nintendo's games with assists when they wouldn't touch them or give up before? I wouldn't mind if every one of their games had some sort of assist.

 

[bionic77]

Assist mode on Mario was brilliant.

It is perfect for kids.

 

[Bumrush]

I kind of wish there was an easier mode in Zelda where your weapons don't break and you start with 2-3x more life, stamina or both.

 

[Deleted member 2145]

yeah I never use these but I always hear about them on player one podcast because they all have children. it's really cool how Nintendo has experimented and fine tuned these kinds of things and found ways to hone in on the type of experience each game is and implement a solution that's relevant on a per game basis.

 

[CanUKlehead]

Played Galaxy with my nephew, letting him grab the star bits. Cool stuff.

 

[Renna Hazel]

I kind of wish there was an easier mode in Zelda where your weapons don't break and you start with 2-3x more life, stamina or both.

Click to shrink...

I'd definitely be playing in this mode lol. Lack of stamina and weapon breaking are both annoying.

 

[NintendoMariah]

Assist mode on Mario was brilliant.

It is perfect for kids.

Click to shrink...

This, my niece and nephew love it!

 

[RoboitoAM]

It's interesting though. Early attempts were too automated iirc (Donkey Kong, NSMB). Their current implementation is much better.

 

[PogiJones]

My five-year-old son is obsessed with Mario Odyssey because this mode allows him to play. He's cleaning his room spic and span as we speak so he can jump back in and go for his second moon.

 

[Deleted member 3815]

I will always encourage accessibility in games, just as long it's optional, as it can be a great way to encourage new comers or younger players to continue playing the game.

Heck I used it in Mario and Luigi Super Star Saga + Bowser's minion when I kept failing on the barrel mini game and the game just asked me if I wanted to skip it, I also used it when I couldn't get a clear reading on enemies attacks and I used easy mode on the final boss as it was taking forever on regular mode.

I kind of wish there was an easier mode in Zelda where your weapons don't break and you start with 2-3x more life, stamina or both.

Click to shrink...

I would have loved for a mode where weapons didn't break, breakable weapons was such a stupid mechanic and added no value to the game.

It's interesting though. Early attempts were too automated iirc (Donkey Kong, NSMB). Their current implementation is much better.

Click to shrink...

Well in those game, they just pretty much acted to let the player know what they needed to do to beat the levels and they could jump back in at any moment.

 

[collige]

Having the difficulty options is definitely nice for some games, but overall I think Nintendo games are particularly bad for accessibility since they generally offer little customization. Stuff like color blind modes, remappable controls, FoV options, etc.

 

[Nav]

My two-year old nephew is able to have fun with Mario Kart thanks to its assist features. It's a great addition. He also enjoys Excitebike.

Personally, I really enjoy when games allow me to slide difficulty. For instance, it was a neat mechanic in The World Ends with You. Most recently, I slid down the difficulty in TMS#FE at the final boss just to avoid spending a bunch of time grinding more. Accessibily options like this are helpful for those who have limited gaming time.

 

[Reven Wolf]

I feel they do well with controller accessibility but they lack difficulty select sometimes.

However I do think all single player games should have these types of assists, as it would help countless people that otherwise couldn't play.

 

[SpartyCrunch]

Having the difficulty options is definitely nice for some games, but overall I think Nintendo games are particularly bad for accessibility since they generally offer little customization. Stuff like color blind modes, remappable controls, FoV options, etc.

Click to shrink...

Yeah this is what I was thinking. Remappable controls and color blind options address a huge audience of people who otherwise can't play games at all.

 

[Bjoern]

I think we all know that options to make the game easier for people are exactly what gamers doesn't want, need or appreciate because it makes the game easier if I use that option and in conclusion makes the game crap.

Spoiler: The actual post

I love it that Nintendo and some other developers actually care about making games now accessible to people who don't have as much gaming experience as most of us do. Gaming should not be an exclusive circle, it should be welcoming all new-comers without them having to prove themselves beforehand.

 

[Zebei]

I'm a huge proponent for options and customization in gaming. Nintendo can be really obtuse in some things and really good at others in this regard.

Difficulty/accessibility seems to be something they're embracing and I love it. And it makes sense for a company known for always being geared towards new gamers and kids.

 

[Deleted member 27469]

It's a great feature. I would prefer an option to outright disable the 'helper' feature so it doesn't pop up when I'm trying a particularly challenging stretch for the 10th time, but otherwise, I appreciate the accessibility it provides to those who don't play like I do.

 

[Flabber]

The only thing I'll say against it is that it's very easy to accidentally turn on steering assist in Mario Kart in the pause menu. It doesn't happen all to time, but sometimes I'll wonder why my steering seems off in tight corners and when I take a second I see that antennae flashing away. Other than that I'm all for options to make it easier for people to play who otherwise might not.

 

[maneauleau]

Assisted mode on Super Mario Odyssey has been great for my 5 years old. Now he was able to beat the game without much help and not too much frustration. Good job Nintendo.