Pikmin Bloom Accessibility Redesign
We redesigned Pikmin Bloom's accessibility features to make it easier for players using mobility aids to enjoy the game. I worked with my team to make sure disabled voices were actually heard.
Timeframe
April 2026 - June 2026
Scope
UX Design
Context
Class project for COGS127 at UCSD
Pikmin People
Livianne Wong, Valerie Djatikusuma, and Pavani Katakam
Making Accessibility Accessible
Accessibility features limited by having an Apple Watch… aren't accessible. "Accessibility settings" that are necessary to play the game but require more than double the effort for the same reward are discouraging.
Pikmin Bloom, the AR fitness-walking game, is constrained by step-tracking technology to encourage players to move and be social. Players with mobility impairments are demotivated to move by using fitness walking games, as existing game features rely strictly on certain types of motor movement for progression.
Steps Don't Actually Matter
We were shocked to find out that step metrics actually weren't a dealbreaker for many disabled players, since the gameplay loop of planting flowers, going on expeditions, and collecting postcards to send to friends are what kept them on board. We redirected our focus towards emphasizing these features and making sure they could be accessed by an even larger population, including players who don't push their chairs, and players with fine motor disabilities.
Rewarding Different Kinds of Movement
solution (larger buttons, step tracking in distance)
