Amazing ;)

Japanese Twitter user kentarock1020 has a son named Hibiki who, very sadly, is completely blind. He’s lacked the ability to see since the age of two due to the rare cancer form retinoblastoma. That naturally makes it difficult to play most video games. However, there’s one Nintendo series he’s managed to not only play, but also excel at.

With the help of his father, Hibiki wrote a letter to Nintendo thanking the company and asking for more Rhythm Heaven (Rhythm Tengoku in Japan) games in the future. The full message is below:

“Dear Nintendo,

Hello. My name is Hibiki Sakai and I am in fifth grade. I am blind, but I’ve always wanted to play video games like everyone else. But there aren’t many games I can play at all. The one game I can really play is Rhythm Tengoku. It’s the only game I can enjoy together with others, and I never lose at it. I’ve gotten perfect scores on all the versions on the Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, Wii, and 3DS too.

So I really, really want you to make more Rhythm Tengoku games. And it’s perfectly fine if you make them a little harder too!

I think that there are a lot of other kids with visual impairments who want to play video games but can’t. So I’d love for you to develop more games for people with handicaps to enjoy playing with others.

I will always support you, Nintendo.

From Hibiki Sakai”

Believe it or not, Nintendo responded, and did so in an amazing way. Along with a standard letter for his parents, the big N also included a braille version so that Hibiki could also read it. His father was grateful, writing on Twitter, “Them sending such a sincere correspondence to just one person is truly divine customer service.”

The full reply from Nintendo is as follows:

“Thank you so much for sending us here at Nintendo your heartwarming letter.

We are so happy to hear that you’ve perfected and enjoyed Rhythm Tengoku, Rhythm Tengoku Gold, Minna no Rhythm Tengoku, and Rhythm Tengoku The Best.

We have passed on your letter to Nintendo’s development department. We want to keep making games that everyone can have fun playing, so thank you for your support.”

全盲の長男が唯一楽しめる#リズム天国
シリーズを全てパーフェクトでクリアした長男が#任天堂
さんへ手紙を書いた所、返信の手紙が‼️たった1人の為に誠実に対応でまさに神対応です✨
任天堂さん、全シリーズ音楽監修のつんくさん是非とも新作をお待ちしてます🙇#nintendo pic.twitter.com/LPOLfboJIT

— けんたろー(ドラマー🥁響希🥁父) (@kentarock1020) May 17, 2017

Aside from gaming, Hibiki has a passion for playing the drums. He’s actually been invited to big events in Osaka since this story began to circulate online. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evshvUpbIjM

Source

Stories like these always brighten my day.

What a sweet story :)

So nice that they took the time to translate the letter for him.

Sweet story. Hopefully more games that are blind-accessible can get made...

I'm glad for that kid being able to play certain videogames. And Nintendo was very nice to him.

Since I first discovered the Rhythm Heaven series... I've been thinking about how awesome those games are for that very reason: in order to play, you don't need to see. You only need to listen. Everyone is always all about super realistic graphics, art styles and immersion through visuals... but music and sound can contribute the same or even more than all of that. A game that you can beat without looking at the screen. In fact, you play better with your eyes closed than watching what happens on the screen. Isn't that incredible?

I think developers should try to go deeper into sound/music and how it can improve or change videogames. I'm not saying that nobody is doing that, but when you compare that field with the visuals... it certainly hasn't reached its full potential. There's still a lot it can be done with it.

Duplicate, delete it please.

It's stories like these that make all the unseemly things we humans frequently do tolerable. It reminds me of that Doctor Who quote: "One may tolerate a world of demons for sake of an angel."

It's great to hear there's a series he can play, and inclusiveness is the main reason I was very happy they added that "Autopilot" feature to Mario Kart 8D after seeing a video from Naughty Dog a year or two ago about a man with physical disabilities who wanted to play their games but occasionally would reach a point that was impossible for him to pass. They went on to design options that would allow the physically disabled to play the game, and apparently are keeping those communities in mind going forward.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ls_CD4mB42s&feature=youtu.be

I was admittedly someone who used to occasionally scoff at those options that make the game super easy, but I was ignorant and never considered other people might need them just to play the game at all. From here on out I am always happy when I hear some inclusive feature is optional in a game, as the interviews I read and watched always leap to mind.

Very aware that these games are playable without visuals, I often close my eyes for some of the stages I love the sound of and just get lost in the music playing them.

Do it a little bit roundabout though, I go 3DS > Amp > Headphones for more umph than the 3ds headphone port allows on its own.

There are days. like today, that stories like this one are so, so welcome.

I'm very happy for the kid, to be able to enjoy videogames, and for how Nintendo answered.