The quiet art of one-thumb controls

Most of my gaming happens with one hand busy. A phone in one, a cup or a rail in the other. So I've grown to really value games that were designed for a single thumb instead of assuming you're clutching the device with both.

The signs of good one-thumb design are subtle. Big tap targets near the bottom of the screen. Buttons that don't force your thumb to stretch across the whole display. Menus that don't hide the confirm button in the far corner.

Casual games tend to nail this, but plenty of bigger titles do too when they bother. A racer with hold-to-drift, an RPG that queues moves, a builder with drag placement, all of these can work with one hand if the layout is thought through.

When I review, this is one of the first things I test: can I play it on the train, standing, holding on? If yes, the game already earned a point from me.