Even in the age of virtual reality video games, we can all still enjoy sitting down with family and friends for a classic card or board game. Many of us don’t even think twice when finding a game to play, but for those with health problems, physical limitations, or disabilities, the choice is much more limited and difficult. Those who are blind or visually impaired, for instance, can struggle to play the vast majority of board or card games, as they can’t see the various pieces and follow the course of the game.
Fortunately, game companies like Mattel are making efforts to change all of that, helping their products becoming more inclusive and accessible.
Mattel has been working hard recently to shake up its products, introducing Barbie dolls with different skin colors and body types, for example, and the company has even announced disabled and gender-neutral dolls too. It’s also working hard on its games department, transforming the popular card game of Uno in ways to make it more accessible.
Mattel wanted to open up the game of colors and numbers to the blind and low-vision community, teaming up with the National Federation of the Blind to develop Uno Braille.
This new version of the fun family card game incorporates braille dots onto each card, allowing those with visual difficulties to tell exactly what cards they’re holding without needing to actually see them.
The game plays and functions just like regular Uno, and the cards, at a glance, are almost indistinguishable from those seen in the regular version.
Look closer, however, and you can see the braille dots in the corner of each one, giving blind or low-vision players the ability to tell the card’s number, color, or special action. Ray Adler, Mattel’s Global Head of Games, had this to say:
With the launch of UNO Braille, we’re making a real impact on a community that has been underserved by providing a game that both blind and sighted people can play together. We are proud to have UNO Braille on-shelves and to be making UNO more accessible and inclusive to even more families.
The box that the cards come in also features braille on the front and back, and a specific Uno Braille site has been set-up, where players can download instructions in braille format.
And that’s not all! Home assistants like Alexa and Google Home can also be used to read out the instructions and make it easier for everyone to follow the game.
Blind and low-vision communities have received the news warmly, with many new players eager to give Uno Braille a try with their families at home.
Mark Riccobono, president of the National Federation of the Blind, said:
UNO Braille is doing more than making this beloved game more accessible. It’s also helping promote the importance and normalcy of braille by putting it in places people might not expect, and integrating it into the play of blind children. The fact that a blind person is now able to play a classic game of UNO straight out of the box with both blind and sighted friends or family members is a truly meaningful moment for our community
Let’s hope this inspires other game makers to make braille versions of their products and enable more people to join in on the fun!
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