One-Handed Game Suggestions?

****Hey guys! I actually just emailed this question to the Bobmcast to see what the guys might say, but I figured I'd ask the community too because, hey there are a lot more of us. Thanks in advance!****

Hey there! I have a question to ask, but it requires just a bit of explanation.

My girlfriend and I currently live about 100 miles apart. We've been doing the usual text/skype routine, but are looking for other ways to virtually spend time together. My first thought: VIDEOGAMES!

No, not Second Life.

We play a few mobile games, but we're looking for something we can voice or text chat while playing. My girlfriend doesn't really play games, but has nothing against them and is interested in seeing what we can find.

Sounds great, right? But there's one more thing! My girlfriend doesn't have a left arm below her elbow (no, there's no crazy bear/shark/katana story behind this, she was simply born without it). This, as you can imagine, complicates matters a bit.

Console games are more or less ruled out, though we are planning to play Brothers together at some point, me on the left stick, her on the right. PC games are primarily what we are looking at, specifically mouse-centric or simpler strategy games (Civ would probably be too much for her to take in right now). She's actually pretty fast on a keyboard, but things like shift clicks and alt-drags pose some difficulties because of that whole no-left-hand thing.

My question then, is what might you all suggest as possible games for us to play? I'm a little clueless since I myself have just recently taken my first steps into PC gaming, after 23 years of nothing but consoles. Any game suggestions you can think of that we could play together online, or as some Macgyvered co-op like Brothers, would be super rad and greatly appreciated.

Graciasssss!

This question has been asked before on the forums. Check out "site:giantbomb.com one handed games" on google for a few threads. There's also a concept for it here on the site. I would link stuff for you but I'm on mobile. Good luck.

Earthbound. I mean, she probably won't be able to eat pizza while playing it, but I'm not sure she'd mind.

Perhaps Torchlight 2 if she could get a mouse with more buttons on it?

The only things I can really think of are fairly complex. X-Com (not co-op, but I think you could play it one-handed) and Civ V are the only other multiplayer games that really come to mind that you only need your mouse hand for.

If she becomes interested in single player games, Might and Magic X and Legend of Grimrock can both be played with only the mouse. If you ever move in with her or she visits and you guys want to play something other than Brothers, you can always play a turn-based RPG (think Final Fantasy X or Persona 4) and just decide on how to fight battles and stuff. Co-op over the internet, though, is something I'm mostly drawing a blank on.

I hope you guys find something, I really do. One of my greatest fears is losing a limb.

EDIT: I found this link, which appears to be about one-armed PC gaming:

http://www.onearmedgraphics.com/wordpress/one-handed-gaming/

Almost any RTS can be played with just the mouse if you are quick on the draw.

Civilization is pretty fun with other people and you can definitely play that with one hand, gamestake a pretty long time though.

My little brother can really only use his left hand; so, I understand the limitation. Fortunately, I think there are actually a lot more games than there might seem at first which you can play with one hand. PC-gaming does allow more customization, but other decent options are RPGs and other turn-based games. Also Wii games. Most Wii games try to do everything on one controller; so, it has actually been my brother's favorite platform. That and the iPad.

Good luck! :)

Dive Kick could work? Might take some serious training though to discipline specific fingers to move on reaction.

@shadowconqueror: Awesome I'll check it out!

Thanks for the feedback guys! I actually had kind of glazed over the Wii... that might be worth looking into... they're pretty cheap these days.

A good turn based strategy game I like to play is Frozen Synapse. You control 3-5 soldiers by plotting their actions for the next 5 seconds, while your opponent does the same. Once you both submit your action plans, the server executes them and shows the results. Since you only play to 8 turns, this works just as well as a play by email game as it does when you are both online.The art is a little abstract and cyberpunk, but the game is focused and 100% mouse usable. I've only played it head-to-head, but I think the expansion adds a cooperative mode to the single player campaign.

You might also consider online card games like Hearthstone, SolForge or Dominion or online board games like Ticket to Ride, Small World or Hive (On Steam). These are much more casual than most of the other suggestions, so you could probably have one on as a background activity while you carry on a conversation. They are also all pretty great and most of them (except Hearthstone and SolForge) have physical versions too.

I found it was easier using one hand.

Also, here's the concept page. Even though a lot is missing.

To me, the most obvious is point and click adventure games. Broken Age just came out and is pretty good.

flappy birds mmo

Doesn't Bayonetta have a one-hand mode? Am I completely making that up? Haha.

I don't think you are. I faintly remember hearing something like that in regards to Bayonetta. It could have been a joke or something, though.

I'm not going to lie, I thought this thread was going to be about something else. Lol

There's some great reccomendations so far, I'll try to contribute with Pokemon. Particularly X and Y. They're easy games to play with just one hand and you can battle and trade with her online. Good luck and have fun!

Super Hexagon. You could position the keyboard next to your thumb.

Proteus can be played with just a mouse.

Turn based RPG's would probably work, sometimes I lay the controller flat and control the dpad with my index finger and hit x with my pinky. There aren't many of those on pc though unfortunately.

Also visual novels. I know a few girls who only play those, and they require very little input.

I hope I don't ruin either of your lives with this suggestion but here goes; World of Warcraft.

It's the perfect game for hanging out with people, you guys should give the free trial a shot. You can definitely play one handed. There's actually accessibility options in the settings that provide an onscreen four-way D-pad with jump. Or your Girlfriend could map jump to the scroll wheel and she's all set.

This is all dependent of course on whether or not she's open to the idea of a fantasy MMO. Stigma being what it is and all that.

Whatever you two end up playing, enjoy! Distance doesn't matter if your heart's in it.

Also Bear/Shark/Katana is one of the best mental images I've ever had.

Light gun games!

The Razer Naga mouse is uncomfortable, but it has TWELVE! buttons on the side. Get her one of them, map the buttons properly, and some of those limitations will disappear.

If either of you have a passing interest in card games, then you should consider checking out the Magic: The Gathering PC games.

Or maybe give Hearthstone a go if you want to take the easier-to-grasp (and free) path first!

I've got your one-handed game right here.

...

...

It's called Angry Birds. No joke, I loved that game. Or Command & Conquer, particularly the early ones.

Isn't that invite-only, or am I just way out of the loop?

@oldirtybearon said:

Sorry for being the guy that explains it, but... It was a fapping joke made by Kamiya about easy mode on Bayonetta. Because it didn't need more accusations of sexualization before its release.

OT: Turn based RPG or SRPG can be playable with one hand. Something like Disgaea, X-Com or the new FFX...

Games like Diablo or Torchlight can be played with a single hand, although on easy and not all characters...

I also wouldn't rule out games that use the WiiMote or the PS Motion Controller (for example, Sports Champions or Dead Space Extraction). Most of those games were made to by played with one controller, because few people have two of those...

I certainly wasn't invited!

https://us.battle.net/account/download/?show=hearthstone&style=hearthstone

But wait!

I think jokes were made, but that's totally still a real thing. It's settled: OP should play Bayonetta.

World of Warcraft.

You can move by right+left clicking at the same time. If you play a caster, you can remain stationary and turret. I don't think melee classes would work well, but a warlock or hunter would. I'm playing now with my gf who is playing a protection paladin, and as a shadow priest, I cast a heal over time, a protective shield, and then start cast a damage spell or two. While we two-three man dungeons that are level appropriate, I switch to disciple, cast a heal over time, a shield, and pick up loot.

Spells have cast times and if you're just questing and dungeoning, mouse clicking for abilities is just fine.

Anyone who makes a big stink about being pro because they fly over the keyboard with their leet skills just jams 1-1-1-1-1-2-1-1-1-1-1-2.

Ben Heck makes and sells various accessibility controllers(modded for 1 hand use but with full functions). As far as I know they are a bit pricey but it may be worth looking into. It would certainly open up the option of playing more games.

http://benheck.com/store

EDIT: Yes they are very pricey but here is a better link with video http://benheck.com/controllers

Civ, though if you backstab her badly enough, you might get a poisonous letter in the mail.

"Gandhi sends his regards? OH NO ANTHRAX!!!!"

So no one has come right out and said masturbation?

What about Peggle? I played XCOM with a controller but maybe someone who's played it with a mouse can confirm if you need keys or not. Either way it's turn based so it should work right? You could possibly swing Papers, Please as well.

Anything turn based would probably work out.

We all were thinking it.

The game of masturbation.

...I can't be the only one who thought that right?

Ok good.

Thanks for listing every single suggestion I was going to post, ya JERK.

Most point-and-click adventures games would work here too. If she likes storytelling or weird shit, maybe check out Kentucky Route Zero.

I guarantee you every single person who has posted in this thread at least -THOUGHT- it as soon as they read the title.

Also, maybe racing games? I bet if you got her a racing wheel and pedal she could do that pretty well.

Duels of the Planeswalkers 2013 has 2v2, pretty sure 2014 and 2012 have it too

1st game that came to mind was Opoona on Wii. That had a single nunchuck control mode

Pac-Man motherfucker!