Color-blind-friendly puzzle games: what to look for

Color is at the heart of many puzzle games, yet a significant share of people, especially men, have some form of color vision deficiency. A well-designed color puzzle should be playable by everyone.

What color vision deficiency means

People with color vision deficiency see colors, but certain pairs can look very similar. The most common types make reds and greens hard to tell apart. Other types affect blues and yellows. Complete color blindness is rare.

In a puzzle that depends on matching colors, two similar-looking colors can make the game frustrating or impossible.

Features that help

Symbols or shapes

The most reliable fix is a second cue besides color. Adding a distinct symbol or shape to each color means you can match by symbol even when hues look alike.

Strong contrast

Colors that differ in brightness, not just hue, are easier to distinguish for most people.

Clear indicators

Labels or announcements for important state, like which color is active, help everyone, including people using screen readers.

Reduced motion

Fast animation can make colors harder to read. A reduced-motion option helps.

Field Shift's accessibility features

• Color symbols: turn them on in Settings to add a distinct symbol to every ball color.
• Clear active-color cues: the color card pulses, the board rings change, and a distinct two-note sound plays for each new color.
• VoiceOver announcements, for example when a blocked color is skipped.
• Reduced motion and adjustable sound and haptics.

Setting up Field Shift

1. Open Settings.
2. Turn on Color symbols.
3. Adjust motion, sound and haptics to taste.

For designers

If you make games, test your palette with a color-blindness simulator, use brightness differences between colors, and always offer a non-color cue for anything that matters.

Ready to play? Read how to play Field Shift.