Why WordTry's Accessibility Features Actually Matter (A Colorblind Player's Perspective)

I'm red-green colorblind, which means that distinguishing between certain colors can be tricky for me. It's not the end of the world, but it's definitely something I think about when I'm trying new apps or games.

When I first heard about WordTry, my immediate concern was the color-coding system. Word puzzle games often rely heavily on color feedback - green for correct, yellow for close, red for wrong. For someone like me, this can range from mildly annoying to completely unplayable.

But WordTry surprised me. And not just because it worked for me - but because it worked so well that I didn't even realize how much thought had gone into making it accessible until I really started paying attention.

The Problem with Color-Only Feedback

Let me explain what typically happens when I play games that rely on color coding. I'll see two tiles that look almost identical to me, but one is supposed to be "green" (correct) and the other "yellow" (close). I end up squinting at the screen, asking my partner "is this one green or yellow?", or just guessing based on context clues.

It's frustrating, but more than that, it makes me feel excluded. Like the game wasn't made with people like me in mind.

WordTry Gets It Right

The first thing I noticed about WordTry is that the colors are distinct enough that I can actually tell them apart. The blue used for correct letters is clearly different from the orange used for letters in the wrong position. They're not muddy greens and reds that blend together - they're crisp, high-contrast colors that work for a much wider range of vision.

But here's the really smart part: WordTry doesn't just rely on color. When you turn on the accessibility mode, wrong-position letters get a different visual treatment beyond just color. There are subtle shape or border differences that provide the same information through visual cues that don't depend on color perception.

It's Not Just About Colorblindness

The more I played WordTry and paid attention to its design choices, the more I realized how many accessibility considerations were built in. The text is large and clear. The contrast is high. You can play entirely with keyboard shortcuts if you want to. The interface is clean and uncluttered.

These choices benefit everyone, not just people with specific accessibility needs. High contrast makes the game easier to play in bright sunlight. Large, clear text reduces eye strain during longer play sessions. Clean interfaces are less overwhelming for people with attention differences.

The Social Aspect

One thing I really appreciate is that WordTry's sharing feature preserves accessibility. When I share my results, the colored tiles in the shared image maintain the same high contrast and distinct colors that make the game playable for me in the first place.

This might seem like a small detail, but it means I can participate fully in the social aspect of the game. My shared results look just as clear and readable as anyone else's. I'm not excluded from the community aspect because of a design oversight.

Why This Matters Beyond Gaming

The thing about accessibility is that it's rarely just one thing. When a company takes the time to make their product work for people with different abilities, it usually means they're thinking carefully about user experience in general.

WordTry's accessibility features signal something important: the developers thought about who might want to play their game and worked to include as many people as possible. They didn't just build for the "average" user and then try to retrofit accessibility later.

The Ripple Effect

Good accessibility design often benefits people in ways the designers didn't even anticipate. I've shared WordTry with friends who aren't colorblind but have mentioned appreciating the clear, high-contrast design when they're playing on their phone in bright light. Others have noted that the clean interface makes it easier to focus when they're stressed or distracted.

One friend mentioned that the keyboard shortcuts make it easier for her to play while dealing with a repetitive strain injury that makes mouse clicking painful. Another friend with ADHD said the simple, uncluttered interface helps her focus on the puzzle without getting overwhelmed by visual noise.

The Bigger Picture

I think WordTry's approach to accessibility reflects something important about how we think about inclusion in general. True accessibility isn't about grudgingly adding features for "special needs" users. It's about recognizing that human diversity is normal and designing from the start with that diversity in mind.

When developers think about colorblind users from the beginning, they often end up with better color choices for everyone. When they consider users who might have motor difficulties, they often build more intuitive interfaces. When they think about cognitive differences, they often create cleaner, more focused experiences.

What Other Games Can Learn

I wish more word games would take WordTry's approach to accessibility. It's not complicated or expensive to choose high-contrast colors. It's not hard to provide visual cues beyond just color. It doesn't require rebuilding your entire interface to add keyboard support.

But it does require thinking about accessibility as part of the design process, not an afterthought. It requires recognizing that making your game playable for people with different abilities isn't a nice-to-have feature - it's basic respect for your potential players.

The Personal Impact

Playing WordTry has become part of my daily routine, and I genuinely look forward to it each morning. The fact that I can play without accommodation or workarounds, without having to ask for help or make guesses about what color something is supposed to be, makes such a difference in my experience.

It's one of those things that's hard to explain unless you've experienced exclusion. When a product works seamlessly for you, when you don't have to think about your differences or limitations, it creates this sense of belonging that goes beyond just enjoying the game itself.

Moving Forward

I hope WordTry's approach to accessibility becomes the standard rather than the exception. There are millions of people with various forms of colorblindness, and millions more with other accessibility needs. We're not a niche market - we're a significant portion of potential users who just want to enjoy games like everyone else.

The best part is that truly accessible design benefits everyone. When WordTry chose high-contrast colors, they didn't just help colorblind users - they made the game easier to see for all players. When they built keyboard support, they didn't just accommodate users with motor difficulties - they created faster, more efficient ways for anyone to play.

Accessibility isn't about charity or compliance. It's about good design. And WordTry proves that you can create something that's both beautifully simple and genuinely inclusive.

Thanks for getting it right, WordTry team. It matters more than you know.