We have worked with Max under the SpecialEffect Loan Library Project to expand her gaming set-up to play on Nintendo Switch and access a wide range of games, from Mario Kart to Animal Crossing and more. You may have seen Max’s case study on the SpecialEffect website. In this GameAccess ‘case study’, we will shine a spotlight on the techniques and equipment the SpecialEffect team used to create Max’s custom set-up, specific to her needs and abilities. By sharing Max’s own gaming solution, we hope to show some of the options available to help create a personalised set-up tailored to the individual.
The information in this article is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of writing (February 2025).
Background
As a long-time gamer Max already used a custom set-up. Max has cerebral palsy which affects her ability to coordinate her limbs and she found the standard controller difficult to access.
She recently moved over to the Nintendo Switch console and whilst she could still use her feet for the joysticks in her set-up, she felt that she may be able to access different joysticks with her hands which would enable her to control more buttons with her feet for even more complex games. We set about creating a completely new set-up, compatible with the Nintendo Switch.
After some trial and error to figure out the right combination of buttons and joysticks, we arrived at Max’s current set-up which enables her to access both joysticks with her hands, but gives her the flexibility of using a foot joystick for games which require more joystick accuracy.
Let’s explore her set-up further below.
Switches
Due to Max’s dexterity in her feet, she is able to access 18 accessibility switches with her feet which are attached with Velcro onto a Large Maxess Tray. We often use switches in place of the buttons that you would find on a controller. They allow us to split up the controls and position them where it is most comfortable and accessible for someone to use them.
When setting up a large number of switches on a tray, the size of the targets as well as the positioning of the targets was crucial to ensure Max could successfully access all inputs when needed and prevent the need for excessive movements which can lead to her fatiguing during her gaming session.
Due to Max’s ability to access multiple smaller targets, we opted to use smaller switches for button inputs. In this specific case, we used AbleNet Specs Switches. By using these, we were able to increase the number of switches accessible to Max on the tray than if using a larger switch. We used our own stickers to label the switches.
Whilst we set up Max with AbleNet Specs Switches, alternative switches could be used by some people, such as those found within the Logitech G Adaptive Gaming Kit, or for their Adaptive Gaming Kit for Access Controller. Provided you are safe and comfortable to use them for gaming, you can also use any other accessible 3.5 mm jack switch for gaming. The most direct comparison in Max’s set-up to those in the Logitech G kit, would be the ‘Small Buttons’.
More information on the switches we use at SpecialEffect, can be found, here.
Joysticks
When working with Max, she tried both the standard Zik-Zak joystick with ball topper and the Zik-Zak Mini with a U-shaped topper so she could test which she preferred. These were mounted onto a Trabasack Curve Connect lap tray using Velcro to prevent the joysticks from slipping and to ensure Max could comfortably reach them.
The standard Zik-Zak joystick offers a larger base which we find makes them more sturdy when mounted, though this wider base means that they take up a greater surface area than the Mini.
The Zik-Zak Mini is smaller, which means it can be more prone to the base moving when large force is applied (even with Velcro), but you would have more space to mount further buttons to the tray.
After trying both, Max decided on using two standard Zik-Zak joysticks. One was used for the Left Stick and the other for the Right Stick controls.
Whilst Max could use her arms to access the larger joysticks, some of the more complex games require more accurate aiming with the Right Stick. We tried to see if she could utilise the dexterity with her feet on a joystick for those games. We added a standard-force Celtic Magic Mini Joystick alongside the foot switches. The ‘J3’ version of the joystick is angled, which Max found easier to access on the tray. This enables her to change to more accurate camera controls when needed.
Therefore, we ended up with a set-up with three joysticks. A hand joystick for Left Stick and both a hand joystick and a foot joystick to switch between for Right Stick, depending on the game.
Controller Interface
To connect the accessibility switches and joysticks, we need to use a controller interface. For Max, we used the Hori Flex controller, which is a licensed third-party controller that can be plugged straight into the console, without the need for an adapter. The Zik-Zak joysticks have a USB connection which plugs into the Left and Right Stick USB ports on the Hori Flex. As the Celtic Magic Mini Joystick comes with a 3.5 mm jack as standard, we had a version made with a USB cable connection made, instead.
Since working with Max, the HID Remapper v8 has been made available which lets you use a joystick with a 3.5 mm connection with the USB slot on a Hori Flex.
When Max switches between using the hand and foot joystick for Right Stick, the relevant joystick is swapped and plugged into the USB port for the Right Stick on the Flex.
To connect the switches, we plugged each one into the switch ports on the Hori Flex.
Mounting
For Max’s set up, she uses a Large Maxess Tray positioned by her feet and a Trabasack Curve Connect tray on her lap. The joysticks and switches are attached using hook Velcro. This set-up allows her to play on her armchair. The set-up can also be transported to play in other people’s houses.
The large Maxess tray by her feet is mounted at a comfortable angle for Max using a Manfrotto Variable Friction Arm (VFA) and a Manfrotto Super Clamp as seen in this post. Since the Maxess tray is so large and would need to resist Max’s force on the switches, a large mounting plate was used with the Manfrotto VFA.
Next Steps
Under the SpecialEffect Loan Library Project, we will continue to support Max as and when her requirements change and tweak her set-up as needed.
We hope that reading about an Max’s controller set-up gets you going with ideas on creating your own customised controller. More examples of custom controller set-ups can be found using the ‘Case Study‘ tag and more information on equipment can be found using the ‘Equipment‘ category.
If you have any questions about this controller set-up, please visit the Contact Us page.
List of Equipment Used:
Below is a list of the equipment we used to create Max’s set-up, with unaffiliated links to the products on the manufacturers’ own websites, where possible. Other suppliers are available in most cases:
(Please note all links are unaffiliated)
Hori Flex Switch Interface: https://www.pretorianuk.com/flex-controller
Celtic Magic Mini Joystick): https://www.celticmagic.org/xac-buying-options (ordered with a USB cable connection, but a HID Remapper v8 could be used: https://oneswitch.org.uk/art.php?id=375)
Large Maxess Tray: Whilst the original Maxess trays shown in the photo are no longer available, there are alternatives now available, which are a variation on the one Max uses: https://www.inclusive.com/uk/maxess-mounting-system.html
Manfrotto Variable Friction Arm (VFA): https://www.manfrotto.co.uk/photo-variable-friction-arm-italian-craftsmanship
Large Mounting Plate: https://www.inclusive.com/uk/inclusive-triangular-mounting-plates.html
Manfrotto Super Clamp: https://www.manfrotto.co.uk/super-photo-clamp-without-stud-aluminium
AbleNet Specs Switches: https://www.ablenetinc.com/specs-switch/
Logitech Adaptive Gaming Kit: https://www.logitechg.com/en-us/products/gamepads/adaptive-gaming-kit-accessories.html
Logitech Adaptive PS5 Access Gaming Kit: https://www.logitechg.com/en-gb/products/gamepads/adaptive-gaming-kit-for-access-controller.html
Trabasack Curve Connect: https://trabasack.com/products/curve-connect/