One-handed play
Also said as One-handed mode, Single-hand control scheme, Thumb-only
A way of playing with one hand, whether for someone who only has the use of one, or for a person holding a baby or a train strap. It usually means merging actions onto fewer buttons and letting the game do some of them for you.
Asking for two things at the same time is the first thing that shuts someone out. A small rethink of what really needs holding opens the game to them, and on a phone it can turn the game into something people play on the way to work.
Say it
“Add a one-handed mode: firing is automatic, movement takes one thumb, and no action needs two inputs at the same time.”
Where you’ve seen it
Super Mario Run was built to be held upright in one hand: Mario runs by himself and you only tap to jump. The Last of Us Part II has control schemes for Right Hand Only and Left Hand Only.
Not to be confused with input remapping
Remapping moves buttons around, but it can't help if two must be held at once. A one-handed mode changes what the game asks for.