Games with Reduced Controls Pt.2 | Video

When helping people to play games, we find that games that use a single joystick and between one or four buttons are a good starting point, when trying a new controller set-up. At SpecialEffect, we are always on the lookout for games that use fewer controls. For some players, it can be a useful characteristic to look out for in its own right, when looking for an accessible game to play.

In today’s video, we will take a look at a selection of games on console that can be played using only a single joystick and one to four buttons. The controls mentioned in this video will only cover those that are used in gameplay, and not buttons such as a pause button or a home button.

The following games in this video can all be played on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series, and Nintendo Switch.

Sonic Mania

Sonic Mania is a retro-platformer game where you play as the characters from the Sonic the Hedgehog game series, including Sonic, Tails and Knuckles. The game requires a single joystick or D-pad and a single button to Spin Jump. Either Cross, Circle or Square can be used interchangeably on PlayStation. This is A, B or X on Xbox and B, A or Y on Nintendo Switch.

These control inputs are combined in different ways for certain actions. For instance, when playing as Sonic, to Spin Dash, you hold Down on the Left Stick or D-pad and press Spin Jump whilst stationary. When you release Down, you will launch at speed. To Drop Dash, you hold down Jump button whilst in the air and you will perform a Spin Dash when you land.

When playing as Tails, to fly, you press the Spin Jump button repeatedly. You do the same to swim.

When in Mania Mode as Sonic or Tails, you can press the Spin Jump button whilst holding Up on the Left Stick or D-pad and Tails will fly. You can drop Tails by pressing the Spin Jump button whilst holding Down on the Left Stick or D-pad.

When playing as Knuckles, to Glide, you hold Spin Jump whilst jumping to Glide. And to Wall Climb, you Glide into a wall and you will cling onto it until you press the Spin Jump button. Using Up or Down on the Left Stick or D-pad will climb up or down it.

Triangle can be used to restart a Time Attack. On Xbox this is Y and Nintendo Switch it is X.

Balatro

Balatro is a roguelite card game where you have to play poker hands to win enough points to beat a set score, called a Blind. As you’re playing, you can acquire special Joker cards that have different abilities aimed at building up your score. While you can use the entire controller to play the game, you can also play it using a single joystick, and four buttons. You can use the joystick to navigate to all selectable options rather than using the assigned button for each action, such as when playing a hand or discarding. You could also use a joystick to control a cursor to navigate to selectable options instead.

You can use Cross on PlayStation, A on Xbox, and B on Nintendo Switch to select, and Circle on PlayStation, B on Xbox, and A on Nintendo to cancel. L1 and R1 on PlayStation, LB and RB on Xbox, and L and R on Nintendo Switch are needed for this game to purchase, use, and sell cards.

Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series

Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series is a 2.5D platformer which features both Klonoa and Klonoa 2 originally released on PlayStation 1 and PlayStation 2 respectively. You need a single joystick to move Klonoa, Cross and Triangle on PlayStation, A and Y on Xbox, and B and X on Nintendo all act as the Jump button. Circle and Square on PlayStation, B and X on Xbox and A and Y on Nintendo to use your Wind Bullet to pop bubbles and pick up enemies. After picking up an enemy, you can then use them to double jump or throw at other enemies or objects. There is also an option to remap the Jump and Shoot buttons in the Controls settings.

A second player can join the game and provide a Support Jump option. Pressing this button will allow Klonoa to jump as high as when using an enemy to double jump with. You have to wait for the jump action to recharge after using the Support Jump.

The game also features some difficulty modes.

On Easy, you start off with unlimited lives and you can take 15 hits before you are defeated. The Wind Bullet also travels further compared to Normal difficulty, so you don’t need to be so close to the enemies to pick them up.

On Normal, you start off with three lives and you can take six hits before you lose a life. You can find more lives as you play the game. The amount of hits in this difficulty only applies to Klonoa 1, as in Klonoa 2, you can take up to three hits on this difficulty.

Hard is only available when completing the game where you can only take one hit before you lose a life, and you only start with the level with one life.

Vampire Survivors

Vampire Survivors is a roguelike shoot ‘em up where you have to survive hordes of enemies by using a range of attacks which you can upgrade in each run. You only need a single joystick for this and you can choose between the Left or Right joystick, both of which function as character movement simultaneously. You attack automatically so you don’t need to use another input for gameplay.

Rocket League

Rocket League is a car-based sports game where you use vehicles to play a version of football. By default, the game has several controls. However, you can remap them to reduce some button inputs. For example, rather than braking and accelerating by using the default L2 and R2 buttons for PlayStation, LT and RT for Xbox, and ZL and ZR for Nintendo, you can go into the Controls Settings and assign the Up and Down movements on a joystick to be used as brake and accelerate instead. As you steer left and right with a joystick, this means you have full control of a vehicle with a single joystick. Other actions in this game include jumping, boosting and powersliding, all of which can be remapped to any button on the controller.

Cocoon

Cocoon is a puzzle-based exploration game where you play as a beetle who carries worlds of their back which you can enter and explore. By default, you use the Left Stick to move your character, and the Cross button on PlayStation, A on Xbox and B on Nintendo for interacting. However, in the settings, you can turn on the option so that you can move your character using both Left and Right joysticks interchangeably, and almost all of the buttons on the controller act as the interact button. These buttons include the face buttons, the bumper buttons, and the trigger buttons for each console.

EA FC

EA FC has included a Two-Button Mode for some time. When using this control scheme, you use the Left Stick to direct player movement and to aim passes or shots when in possession of the ball. On PlayStation, the Cross button is used to pass. On Xbox, this is the A button and on Nintendo Switch, this is the B button. Depending on the context, where you aim and how long you hold the button, will affect whether you do a lob, cross, ground or through pass. The same input is used for a standing tackle when out of possession. When you have the ball, the Circle button on PlayStation is used to shoot. On Xbox this is the B button and on Nintendo Switch this will be the A button. When out of possession, this input is used for a sliding tackle. Right Trigger can be used for optional, to sprint. Sprinting can be done automatically, depending on the context of the current player you are controlling within the game.

EA FC also includes a one-button mode where these pass and shoot controls are all reduced down to the Cross button for PlayStation, A on Xbox and B for Nintendo Switch. The Left Stick is again used for player movement and for aiming.

Changing the settings in the Accessibility menu can also reduce the controls needed for the menus.  Turning on ‘Remap Right Stick Functionality’ setting to ‘On’ remaps the function of the Right Stick to the Left Stick in many of the menus.

By turning the ‘Remap Left and Right Bumper Buttons and Left and Right Trigger Functionality’ setting to ‘On’, this allows you to navigate through many of the Settings options with the Left Stick, without needing to use the bumpers or the triggers.

We hope that this video has been useful for sharing ideas on games that can be played with a reduced number of controls, whether it is by gameplay design, accessibility features or remapping controls.

For more information on games that use a reduced control scheme, please use the ‘Games’ category on GameAccess.info. For information on alternative controllers, please use the ‘Equipment’ category.

For developers interested in reducing the inputs needed to play their game, you can watch examples of how games can offer reduced control schemes, by visiting the ‘Simplification’ topic in the SpecialEffect DevKit.