Gaming has always been a huge part my identity from the first exploration with my Game Boy (really showing age here!). Tetris hooked me in and paved the way for the future. I have dabbled amongst consoles but have realised that I am an Xbox girl at heart; I liked the way the controller felt in my hands.

As my MS progressed and the way that I use my hands changed, I could get away with playing my Xbox for about 20 minutes then not being able to do anything with my hands for a couple of hours. This was not ideal and as my left hand had given up the ghost, it was just muscle memory that was allowing me to keep moving the buttons. Sadly, I took the decision to hang up my controller.

Then Xbox released the accessible controller. A game changer (see what I did there?) definitely but there was still a lot of research to be done.

For example, how would I steer? I needed buttons that were easier to push and triggers that were easier to use. I had no idea where to turn. Then I found a website of a US charity called Able Gamers that had a lot of advice about additions to the accessible controller. It is from there that I found the Logitech Adaptive Gaming Kit, the buttons and switches that I desired were finally available. And boy did this box full of goodies deliver! There are so many buttons, switches and triggers. The kit includes Velcro to attach each item to a pad so that they don’t slide with stickers to label them. I would highly recommend investing in this kit if you have tricky hands like mine.

The next thing to sort out was the steering. After trying the recommended joystick, I had to return it as my hands just could not maintain steering with what felt like heavy push and pull manoeuvres. After seeking help from a few friends, Super Sarah and I accepted defeat. That is until a friend of ours had a positive experience with a UK charity called Special Effect. I visited their website and was quickly inspired. I completed their short form where they gathered some information about my condition and how it affected my gaming. Within a matter of days, Super Sarah and I sat down to a zoom meeting with two of their occupational therapists. We had a chat about the challenges that I experienced and they very quickly offered suggestions of what might help.

The chat took an unexpected turn when they could see that I had full movement in my neck and my head. Rather than concentrating on my right hand, the one that misbehaves less, they suggested steering with my chin. Now I don’t mean to brag, but I have the perfect chin for steering. It fits the mini joystick like a glove! The charity allowed me to borrow the mini joystick with an articulating clamp to hold it in place, along with a few other bits like a Velcro tray to hold the controller and any buttons I want to use in place. This is on a long-term loan basis which is incredible. If you are able, consider donating or arranging an event to raise money for this incredible charity that literally puts a smile on a person’s face.

I mostly played first person games like Assassin’s Creed, when I noticed limitations in my hand as it was easier to control. I still love them but I really wanted to game like I did before. I used to regularly play driving games. Forza was ideal, it was more like a driving simulation and feels more realistic (or at least I think it does because I don’t drive!). When my kit arrived from Special Effect, I dived straight in to a Forza game I already had installed on my Xbox but after three separate frustrating attempts I realised that I had dived in at the deep end. I needed to learn to use my new kit, to move using my chin in a fast-paced game that relies on me not driving into a wall was rather ambitious! For now, I have stripped it right back and I am thoroughly enjoying playing The Sims 4. I am currently developing my skills moving about on the screen and building a house for my Sim without any deadlines or pressure. I will try driving games again but for now I am adapting to my fantastic kit. To give the gift of gaming to a person with challenging abilities is an incredible thing and can bring so much joy. I have felt more like myself since I have been able to game again and spend some quality time with my Xbox. And Super Sarah is once again happy to be an Xbox widow.