7-128 Software - Top 25 Web Sites for Gamers who are Blind - 2008
| Rank | Site | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | PCSGameswww.pcsgames.net |
The largest list of blind accessible computer games and game sites anywhere. Descriptions of and links to over 270 games and game sites, including games under development. The only independent consolidated price list for commercial games. Links that download free or commercial games, including: Sarah and the Castle of Witchcraft and Wizardry, PacMan Talks, SuperDog’s Bone Hunt, and Ten Pin Alley Home of a weekly game chat: Games People Play, as well as a D&D chat site: audiotips.com. Founded in 2000 and is updated constantly. Categories: Community, Games, Information, In their own words: “My list is primarily designed to search for a type of game or the name of a game and to easily go to the web site where you can download it.” |
| 2 | The Game Accessibility Projectwww.game-accessibility.com/ |
Probably everything one would want to know about the design and development of accessible games. A comprehensive and active forum with separate areas for games addressing Visual, Auditory, Motion, and Learning disabilities. This forum also includes areas for the IGDA’s Accessibility SIG, audio games, gaming in general. Has separate pages discussing games for the Visually Impaired, Audio Impaired, Motion Impaired, and Cognitively Impaired. These pages include discussion of relevant games and annotated links to sites where you can get those games. The source of the free Audio Game Maker. Accessible gaming news announcements. Founded in 2006. Is updated frequently. Categories: Information, Community In their own words: “This website aims to inform disabled gamers about the availability of accessible games, and functions at the same time as an academic resource for developers, publishers and researchers in order to stimulate accessibility in games.” |
| 3 | Audysseywww.audyssey.org/ |
The most active forum for the most active accessible game developers and players. Publishes Audyssey Magazine online quarterly. Founded in 2006. Constant posts. Categories: Community, Information. In their own words: “The main purpose for us is to provide a place where anyone can learn about games which are specifically for blind people, or just happen to be usable by blind people.” |
| 4 | AudioGameswww.audiogames.net |
A wide variety of accessible gaming information and free accessible games. Offers 168 free downloadable accessible games and descriptions of each game. Offers audio reviews of 17 accessible games. Offers back issues of Audyssey Magazine. Has annotated links to many game sites Active forum of game developers and players. Founded in 2003. Frequent posts. Catagories: Community, Games, Information In their own words: “AudioGames.net is a site dedicated to audio games (games based on sound) and blind-accessible games.” |
| 5 | Kitchens Inc.www.kitchensinc.net/ |
The developer of more accessible games than anyone else. Offers 25 free games, including the Trivia game, as well as racing, arcade, golf, word, and puzzle games. Founded in 2001. Regular game updates. Categories: Games In their own words:” Where you can find Jim Kitchen’s free blind accessible speech friendly pc dos and windows games” |
| 6 | The Zone BBS www.zonebbs.com/ |
The most populated forum for gamers, and others, who are blind. Has several thousand registered participants, with up to a hundred logged in at any time. Offers; Users’ blogs, BBS by Phone, Voice Chat, Private eMail, Graffiti chat, Person Watch, Quicknotes, and Boards (forums.) This Web site was founded in 2003. Very active. Categories: Community In their own words: “The Zone BBS is an online community where you can meet new people, play games, and get away from the more stressful parts of life.” |
| 7 | BSC Gameswww.bscgames.com/ |
Commercial and free game developer. Offers a total of 14 accessible games: Of those, 9 are commercial games, including 6 arcade games and 3 educational games. The remaining 5 games are free. Founded in 2002. Categories: Games In their own words: “We specialize in creating accessible computer games for the blind or visually impaired.” |
| 8 | Spoonbill Softwarewww.omninet.net.au/ ~irhumph/blindgamers.htm |
Free accessible game developer. Offers 13 free accessible puzzle and card games. The Web site was founded in 2005. Continually adding new games. Categories: Games In their own words: “I thought it would be a good idea to share (my games) with other people too. That’s when I created my website, Spoonbill Software.” |
| 9 | Azabat Gameswww.azabat.co.uk/ |
Commercial accessible game developer. Offers 18 commercial accessible card and puzzle games. The Web site itself was founded in 2006. Categories: Games In their own words: “Azabat was formed in 2005 by Steve Crawford, a programmer with no visual impairment who wanted to create computer games that could be played by blind and partially sighted computer novices.” |
| 10 | Gaming Galaxy!www.gaminggalaxy.biz.vi/ |
An extremely well organized games list that includes descriptions and links. Descriptions of and links to over 35 games and game sites, organized like a book index. Web site founded in 2007. Expanding rapidly as we speak. Categories: Information In their own words: “if you don't want to take the time to search, then stay right here!” |
| 11 | VIP Gameszonewww.vipgameszone.com |
Commercial and free accessible game developer. Offers 15 accessible games: 7 commercial games: arcade adventure, sport multiplayer games, strategy multiplayer games. 5 free games: Puzzle, maze, strategy, shooter. 3 free special educational applications for kids who are blind or visually impaired. Site has been up since 2003. Categories: Games In their own words: “We specialize on the developing of accessible games and accessible software for blinds and visually impaired people.” |
| 12 | GMA Gameswww.gmagames.com/ |
Commercial and free accessible game developer. Offers 9 accessible games, including 5 commercial games such as Tank Commander, Lone Wolf, Star Trek, and Pac Man, and 4 free games. This site was founded in 2001. Categories: Games In their own words: “Games designed to be fully accessible to blind and visually impaired individuals. GMA concentrates its efforts on developing sophisticated Windows-based games, while keeping its prices affordable.” |
| 13 | L-Workswww.l-works.net/ |
Commercial and free accessible games developer. Offers 11 accessible games, including the 7 commercial games: Judgement Day, Super Liam, a pack of 5 arcade games, and 4 free games. Site was founded in 2002. Categories: Games In their own words: “LWorks produces affordable computer games for those with visual impairments.” |
| 14 | USA Gameswww.usagames.us/ |
Commercial and free accessible game developer. Offers 3 games: The commercial Montezuma’s Revenge, and USA Raceway, and the free game: Star Trek: Final Conflict. Founded in 2004. Frequent game updates. Categories: Games In their own words: “USA Games Interactive is dedicated to delivering the most advanced, top of the line, high quality accessible games for blind and low vision gamers.” |
| 15 |
Draconis Entertainmentwww.draconisentertainment.com/ |
Commercial accessible game developer. Offers 10 commercial accessible games including Pinball, Alien Outback, and Sarah and the Castle of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Site was founded in 2005. Categories: Games In their own words: “The array of accessible computer games offered by Draconis Entertainment ranges widely, from sports, to puzzle-oriented, to arcade-style, to exciting first-person adventure games.” |
| 16 | The Accessible Friends Networkhttp://www.tafn.org.uk/games.htm | Reviews and demos of blind-accessible games. Offers Top 10 Accessible Games list, reviews of games, their own audio demos and walkthroughs of games, live support via chat over the computer. Site was founded in 2004. Categories: Information, Community In their own words: “The Accessible Friends Network is a user-led U K voluntary group who use email, the internet, voice conferencing & other resources to improve the quality of life for people who are registered blind (who may also have other disabilities) & their partners, by networking.” |
| 17 | 7-128 Softwarewww.7128.com |
Commercial and free accessible games developer Offers 14 accessible games, including 9 commercial games, such as the Inspector Cyndi in Newport mysteries, puzzle games and word games. Also 5 free accessible word games. The current incarnation of this Web site went live 1 Jan, 2007. Blind-accessible games are released frequently. Categories: Games In their own words: ”Our games entertain you with stories, puzzles, and word challenges that are fun for and accessible to every casual gamer.” |
| 18 | Bavisoftwww.bavisoft.com |
Commercial accessible games developer. Offers 2 commercial games: Grizzley Gulch and Chillingham. Web site founded in 2000. Categories: Games In their own words: “In place of graphics, our audio games are powered purely with sound imagery, opening a new world of entertainment for the blind and visually impaired.” |
| 19 | GamesForTheBlind.com www.gamesfortheblind.com/ |
Commercial accessible game developer. Offers 8 commercial self-voicing games, including puzzles, word and memory games. Site founded in 2000. Categories: Games In their own words: “Accessible Games SV are designed specifically for visually impaired and blind computer users” |
| 20 | DanZ Gameswww.danzgames.com |
Commercial and free accessible game developer. Offers 5 accessible games, including the commercial Super Deekout, Chain Link, and Search Party, and 2 free games. Site founded in 2004. Categories: Games In their own words: “If you're looking for entertaining Windows computer games for the visually impaired, without breaking the bank, you've come to the right place.” |
| 21 | BlindCoolTechwww.blindcooltech.com/ |
Multiple podcasts every week that include game reviews, developer interviews, articles on accessible gaming. Podcasts archived back to 2005. Several added each week. Categories: Information In their own words: “The show provides interviews, brings you along on sound seeing tours, and discusses life and cool technology, especially technology that blind people can use” |
| 22 |
DreamtechInteractivewww.geocities.com/kenwdowney/ |
Free accessible game developer. Offers 3 free games: World of Darkness, Enemy Attack, Wrecking ball. Has been building games since 2001. Categories: Games In their own words: “…games, jokes, and other fun stuff to do.” |
| 23 | Klango Gameswww.klangogames.com |
Commercial accessible game developer. Offers 2 commercial games: Haunted Factory, Pirate Memory Game. Web site founded in 2006. Categories: Games In their own words: “a website devoted to audio games, applications and interactive software for the blind, visually impaired and all audiophile people” |
| 24 | Blind Adrenaline Simulationswww.blindadrenaline.com/ |
Free accessible game developer. Offers 1 free game, Rail Racer. This Web site was founded in 2006. Frequent game updates are found at this site. Categories: Games In their own words: “…the coolest racing game ever made for the blind…” |
| 25 | SoundRTShttp://jlpo.free.fr/soundrts/ |
Free accessible game developer. Offers 1 free accessible strategy game, SoundRTS. This Web site went live in 2007. Frequent game updates are found at this site. Categories: Games In their own words: “SoundRTS is a real-time strategy audio game. I tried to put in an audio game the fun from Warcraft.” |
Survey Methodology
Data is from 7-128 Software market research of over 100 Web sites that contain information relevant to the blind gaming community. These include Web sites for developers, distributors, and gaming industry media, as well as organizations and institutions serving the blind community.
Ranking is based on, in no order:
Ranking is based on, in no order:
Games
Games you can get: free or commercial, via download or on CD.
This means games developed at this Web site, not links to Web sites that develop games.
This means games developed at this Web site, not links to Web sites that develop games.
Information
Lists of games or other gaming sites, technical help, tips.
This means information about games, including annotated links, reviews, descriptions, not just unannotated links to games.
This means information about games, including annotated links, reviews, descriptions, not just unannotated links to games.
Community
Interaction with other gamers and game developers.
This means forums, chat lines, and other interactive means of sharing.
This means forums, chat lines, and other interactive means of sharing.
Longevity
How long has the site been around.
This means when the Web site was founded.
This means when the Web site was founded.
Currentness
How frequently is the site updated.
This means how often does it get new games, game updates, new information, or posts by gamers or developers.
This means how often does it get new games, game updates, new information, or posts by gamers or developers.
Reach
How well known is the site in the blind gaming community.
This means how often is the Web site mentioned in forum posts, in media articles, how does it Google.
This means how often is the Web site mentioned in forum posts, in media articles, how does it Google.
Accessibility
Web site's 508 compliance.
This means checked with Watchfire WebXACT (Bobby).
Limits
Includes only English language games that are playable on your Windows computer.
Excludes Web-based, browser-based, or online games.
Excludes games that are still under major development.
Excludes Interactive Fiction.
Data is current as of January, 2008
Excludes Web-based, browser-based, or online games.
Excludes games that are still under major development.
Excludes Interactive Fiction.
Data is current as of January, 2008