How to make games easier to play
Most games let you change how hard they are, and many let you change how they look and sound. You find these in the Settings or Options menu, often under Accessibility. Using them is normal. Many experienced players use them too.
Make the game itself easier
- Difficulty level. Many games ask you to choose Easy, Normal or Hard when you start. Choose the easiest one. You can often change it later.
- Assist modes. Some games let you turn on helpers. Examples include a steering assist in racing games or a mode where enemies cannot hurt you. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has steering and acceleration assists.
- Rewind. Some games, such as Forza Horizon 5, let you undo a mistake.
- Peaceful modes. Minecraft has a Peaceful setting that removes danger.
Make the text easier to read
Look in Settings for:
- Text size. Make the words bigger.
- Subtitles. Show spoken words as text. Some games also let you change the colour and background of the text.
- High contrast. Makes the picture clearer.
- Console settings. The console also has its own Settings > Accessibility area. Look for options such as a larger text size or a zoom feature.
Make the screen less tiring
- Reduce motion. Some games let you turn off screen shake, motion blur and head bobbing. This can help if fast movement makes you queasy.
- Camera speed. Slow it down. See Camera control explained.
- Brightness. Raise it in a dim room or lower it if the glare tires your eyes.
Make the controls easier
- Remap buttons. Change which button does what.
- Vibration. You can turn it off if it bothers your hands.
- Hold instead of press. Some games let you hold a button instead of pressing it repeatedly.
- Easier tasks. Some games let you skip a hard section.
Pause any time
Most single-player games let you pause. Press the menu button, which is usually a small button in the middle of the controller. The game stops until you come back. You can also put a console into sleep mode and return to the same spot later. Not every online game can be paused, so check before you start one.
Check before you buy
Our ratings score each game for controls, camera, reflexes, forgiveness and reading. They also note when a game has an easy mode or is hard to pause. A score of 1 or 2 means the game is gentle. Check the store page for an Accessibility section. Many stores list the available features.
Play at your own pace
- Short sessions are fine. Fifteen minutes counts.
- You can replay a part as many times as you like.
- You can stop at any point.
Is it cheating?
No. Single-player games are for your enjoyment. Choose the settings that make it enjoyable for you.
Next steps
- Open your console’s Settings and look for Accessibility.
- Try the Game finder to see easy, gentle games.
- Check how ready you are for a bigger game: Am I ready?