Skip to content

Tips and Tricks

There are many small decisions that can make or break an adaptive gaming setup. Over time, players, clinicians, and assistive technology specialists have developed practical strategies that improve access, comfort, and overall experience.

This section captures a mix of proven approaches and commonly shared tips. Treat these as flexible ideas—what works for one player may not work for another.

Player Independence

Do not overlook system and menu navigation. Being able to independently start, pause, and navigate a game can significantly increase a player’s sense of control and confidence. Here are some common things to consider when thinking about a players independance.

  • Ensure the player can:
    • Turn the console on/off
    • Launch a game
    • Pause or exit gameplay
  • Place “non-critical” actions (menu, pause, home) on less "easy to activate" inputs if needed. Prioritize the reaction speed for inputs more relevant to the game.
    • Use features like Shift Mode (XAC) to add secondary functions without increasing the amount of hardware or inputs. Think, a switch could have the shift function to be "switch profiles" but A in its primary mapping.
  • Consider accessibility features built into the system (e.g., remapping, shortcuts)

Gamer Experience

Fatigue, frustration, and enjoyment matter just as much as technical success.

Gaming should not feel like a workout (unless that is the rehabilitaiton goal) or cause pain.

Tips:

  • Monitor for:
    • Fatigue
    • Strain
    • Frustration
  • Take breaks early—don’t wait until the player is exhausted
  • Reduce force requirements where possible (lighter switches, lower joystick tension)
  • Consider alternative mounting locations for the assistive tech to reduce strain.

Important mindset:

The experience the gamer wants does not need to match their current ability.

  • Start with the desired experience, not just what is easiest to create a setup for.
  • If a player wants to play a more complex game:
    • Build toward it
    • Use assistive tech to expand access
  • Avoid forcing players into games just because the game is “simpler”

For example, if someones gaming goal is to play Call of Duty and they only like first person shooter games, creating a setup that only works for pinball may be a great start, but that is not where the journey should end.

Tips and strategies when working with joysticks.

Accessing Two Joysticks from a Single Joystick

Many games require two joysticks, but not all players can physically access both.

There are ways to extend a single joystick to cover more functions.

Here are Three Tricks for This:

top down view of an icon of a joystick with the axis shown. X axis is going horizontal and Y axis is going verticle.

Top Down View of an Oak Joystick with Axis Shown

Check out the video detailing the three methods:

  1. X Axis Switching (XAC)

    • Using the XAC and Xbox Accessories App, swap the X axis on the left joystick with the right joystick
    • This will allow you to move forwards and backwards while using left and right to control the direction of the character.

  2. Shift Mode (XAC)

    • Use the primary mode for one joystick and the shift mode for the other.
    • Use an assistive switch in either toggle or regular shift mode to swap between using the left or right joystick.

  3. “Walk Forward” Button

    • Map forward movement to a button
    • Use joystick for camera movement to control direction (typically right joystick)
    • Can sometimes be done inGame Settings
      • Look for:
        • Auto-run
        • Camera assist
        • Reduced need for dual-stick control

SpecialEffect has created a fantastic resource for this:

Using a Mouth Joystick

A mouth joystick can be a powerful addition to a setup.

Benefits:

  • Adds an additional joystick input
  • If you have switch or joystick access below your neck, it frees more access to:
    • Buttons
    • Switches
    • A second joystick
  • Can reduce complexity of hand-based inputs

Use cases:

  • Players with limited hand mobility
  • Players who need access to a second joystick but have no more inputs available below their neck.
  • Players with no movement below their neck.

Mounting Assistive Switches on Joysticks

Switches can be mounted directly onto joysticks or toppers to enable quick access actions.

Methods:

  • Hook and loop fastner
  • Moldable plastic
  • Custom 3D printed mounts

Benefits:

  • Faster activation for frequent actions
  • Reduced reach distance
  • Better integration of controls

Example:

a hand on an oak joystick with a goalpost topper and a blue raindrop assistive switch mounted on the side arm of the goalpost topper and the users thumb hovering over it to press it

Raindrop Switch Mounted on the Side of an Oak Joystick Topper

Utilizing Shift Mode on the Xbox Adaptive Controller (XAC)

Shift Mode allows a single input to perform multiple functions depending on whether a “shift” button is held.

Benefits:

  • Doubles the number of available inputs without adding hardware
  • Reduces physical reach requirements
  • Allows layering of controls (primary vs secondary actions)

Common uses:

  • Switching between movement and camera control on a joystick
  • Adding menu/navigation functions
  • Expanding limited switch setups. You can effectivly double your inputs by adding a shift mode to them.

Considerations:

  • Ensure the player understands when Shift is active
  • Avoid overly complex mappings
  • Test for cognitive load and usability

Using the Xbox Adaptive Controller on the Nintendo Switch

How to Connect

When using adapters like the Mayflash Magic-NS 2, the Xbox Adaptive Controller can be used on the Nintendo Switch. See more in the Alternative Access section

How to Remap

  • in Nintendo switch
  • In xbox accessories still using spare PC or Xbox
This is just a placeholder image with no relevant content

This is just a placeholder image

Pseudo Controller Assist Mode

The Nintendo Switch allows two controllers to act as one.

Use this to:

  • Combine:
  • XAC + standard controller
  • XAC + Joy-Con
  • Allow support person to assist if needed

Instructions:

[Insert step-by-step instructions here]

This is just a placeholder image with no relevant content

This is just a placeholder image

Making Sure A is A and B is B

Button layouts differ between systems, which can cause confusion.

On Nintendo: * A/B are reversed compared to Xbox

Quick fix:

  • Hold Pause + A for ~3 seconds (adapter dependent)
  • This swaps inputs to match expected layout

Tip:

Always test button mapping before starting gameplay.

Adapters and the Button Layout Problem

Adapters allow cross-platform play, but they can introduce confusion in button mapping.

Different systems use different layouts:

  • Xbox: A, B, X, Y
  • Nintendo: A, B (reversed), X, Y
  • PlayStation: X, O, Square, Triangle

Key Tip:

Do not rely on button labels—focus on physical position.

Best practices:

  • Think in terms of:
  • Bottom button
  • Right button
  • Left button
  • Top button
  • Test mappings in-game before starting
  • Create a reference sheet if needed
  • Remap in-game controls whenever possible
This is just a placeholder image with no relevant content

This is just a placeholder image

Want to learn more about this program or request a device?

Copyright © 2026 Neil Squire / Makers Making Change. Content is licensed under the CC BY SA 4.0 License. This website is built with MKDocs. MKDocs is MIT-licensed software and is not covered by the CC BY-SA license applied to this site's content.

Visit Makers Making Change