In the two game apps The Unstoppables 1 and 2, children accompany a group of friends on a joint mission. They solve tasks, work together and experience how differences become shared strength. It can be particularly exciting for children to control heroes with disabilities themselves – characters that are otherwise rarely the focus of games.
The Unstoppables is about Melissa, Achim, Jan, Mai and the dog Tofu. In both games, Melissa’s companion dog Tofu disappears – and the friends have to find him again together. Each character has their own strengths: Mai is good at jumping, Achim is fast in his wheelchair, Jan is strong and Melissa can reach higher things with her cane. In the second part, Rina is another character with a variety of talents. Only when the players combine their abilities can they overcome obstacles and solve puzzles. Both games are designed as an adventure and point-and-click app and are easy to use.
The game makes the challenges faced by people with disabilities visible. For example, children experience what happens when Achim in his wheelchair hits a gravel path and can’t get any further. The playful solutions to such situations encourage reflection and promote understanding and empathy. Crossing traffic lights, overcoming stairs, deciphering clues – children also learn how cooperation and community work in The Unstoppables. They puzzle together with their group of friends, solve tasks and think about who can best help and how. This is what makes the games exciting: each character can do something different and becomes important at certain points. This can encourage and show children: Diversity doesn’t get in the way here, it contributes to success!
The detective story and puzzles are fun for children and encourage logical and strategic thinking. The comic style, easy controls and exciting atmosphere are well received by children from late primary school age.
Despite many strengths, it is also worth taking a critical look: Some disabilities are strongly linked to special abilities in the game, which can have a simplistic effect. Barriers are also sometimes solved in such a way that individuals have to help rather than making the environment barrier-free. This can be a good opportunity for parents to talk to children about realistic and inclusive solutions in everyday life.
The games were developed by the Swiss Foundation for Children with Cerebral Palsy as part of the “Principle of Diversity” learning program. The aim of the offer is to sensitize children and young people to topics such as being the same, being different, diversity, strengths, weaknesses and barriers in everyday life. The games are explicitly not just for entertainment, but are part of an educational concept that aims to teach inclusion in a child-friendly and playful way.
Both apps require reading skills. Accompany your child for a while when playing, especially at the beginning. Support them with questions about the controls or the story.
Your child can easily lose track of time when solving tricky tasks. Agree clear arrangements together, such as a fixed screen time.
The Unstoppables offers many opportunities for conversations: about disability, about obstacles in everyday life and about what good cooperation can look like. Remain open to your child’s questions. If you don’t know something, you can research it together. This makes the game apps a good conversation starter about inclusion, diversity and consideration.
