There seems to be an innate urge among many gamers to make already-challenging games even harder for themselves through self-imposed challenges. These can range from the ridiculous, likebeatingDark Souls 3with a single button, to the severe, like completing multiple games without dying once. The “no death” run is a popular choice, and one gamer has taken it to the next level by proving that one doesn’t need to use their hands to absolutely crush a hard game.
Conventional wisdom states that the best way to play games well is with two fully-functioning hands and a traditional controller setup, but more and more,gamers with disabilities are finding ways to disprove that notionand not just play their favorite games, but excel at them too. Such is the case with a gamer known online as HanDcapableSean, who, with the help of a specialized controller and input-mapping software, is able to control games using his chin.
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Boasting the “best chin-eye coordination on Twitch,” Sean mainly streams retro games and has has managed to beat quite a few, including infamously hard games likeActRaiser 2,Castlevania,Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link,Ninja Gaiden, andSuper Mario Bros: The Lost Levels, as well the entireDonkey Kong Countryseries. Even more impressive, he’s beaten a number of these games without dying once, with theTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtlesgame on the NES being his most recent successful no death run. As of this writing, he is currently streaming his attempt at a deathless run ofMega Man 2.
While classic games might be what Sean focuses on these days, he’s also managed to pull off incredible feats with more recent titles as well. Last year, Sean, then going by the name HandicapableOne, caught the attention of the internet when he successfully managed todefeat one ofDark Souls 3’s hardest bosses using his chin. This goes to show that a gamer’s skill isn’t dependent on them being conventionally able-bodied.
That Sean is able to do all this using his chin is a testament to the huge strides that have been made regarding accessibility in gaming in the past few years. With increasing awareness of the challenges gamers with disabilities and other handicaps face trying to enjoy the medium, more and more developers and peripheral makers are stepping up to meet their needs. This can be seen in both hardware like Microsoft’s Xbox Adaptive Controller and in thegrowing number of games with in-depth accessibility features. The way things are going, it will only become easier for gamers like Sean to pull off incredible feats of their own.
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