Update, July 2026: Version 1.2.0 improved Game Center sync and added a fully
accessible ranking and achievements screen inside the game. Details in my comment below.
--------
Hi everyone,
My name is Tomasz, and I’m the developer of Pulse Defense. It’s a new tower defense game for iPhone, just released on the App Store.
I’m posting here because I would really value feedback from VoiceOver users and AppleVis players. I designed the game to be playable through touch, sound, and haptics, not only through visuals. I’m especially interested in how it feels in real play, beyond my own testing.
Short version: I tried to make the battlefield readable through vibration and sound. Towers, enemies, and important events each have their own patterns. Enemies pulse faster as they lose health. Towers feel different from each other. Stereo audio helps you follow what is happening.
What I’m most curious about is whether the strategy actually comes through when you are not watching the screen.
VoiceOver support was planned from early on, and the full game can be played with VoiceOver enabled. There is also an optional In-App Voice mode for faster spoken feedback during battles. It does not require turning VoiceOver off.
The game includes a guided tutorial, a Haptic Sandbox, and an Audio Glossary. It also has high contrast, color-blind modes, haptic strength, game speed, and larger touch target options.
Pulse Defense is single-player, with 12 maps, 10 tower types, enemy abilities, bosses, checkpoints, and Game Center achievements. Blind, low-vision, and sighted players all play the same game; there is no separate simplified mode.
Chapters 1 and 2 are free with no time limit. One optional purchase unlocks Chapters 3 and 4 permanently. There are no ads, subscriptions, loot boxes, or pay-to-win mechanics.
The game requires an iPhone 8 or newer running iOS 16 or later. Headphones are helpful for directional audio, but not required.
App Store:
https://apps.apple.com/app/pulse-defense/id6780738249
If you try the game, I would especially like to know:
- Was the tutorial clear with VoiceOver?
- Were the haptic patterns easy to tell apart?
- Did the In-App Voice feedback feel useful during battles?
- Was anything confusing in the first 10 minutes?
Please don’t hold back on criticism. If something is confusing, frustrating, or does not work as expected, I would rather know now. I will be following the thread and using the feedback to decide what should be improved next.
Thank you for taking a look.
Comments
Version 1.2.0: Game Center leaderboard and achievements
Hi everyone,
Version 1.2.0 is out. Game Center now syncs properly, and there is a new ranking and
achievements screen in the main menu, fully accessible with VoiceOver and In-App Voice.
Everyone competes in one global ranking called Total Stars.
Win any map after updating and your full star count appears there automatically,
together with all 37 achievements, including ones you earned before the update.
The new screen also lists achievements you have not earned yet, so you know what
to chase.
The top spots are still wide open. I am curious who ends up there.
If anything in the new screen is confusing with VoiceOver or In-App Voice, tell me
here and I will fix it.
Tomasz
Trying it now!
I'm very excited about this! I haven't found an accessible tower defense mobile game yet, and I love when developers make use of haptics. Testing today, and will let you know my initial impressions.
I love this game so much.
I never thought that a game like this could be made playable. however the UI is very very intuitive and easy to grasp.
Give it a try guys.
Thank you
Kelly, I am really curious about your impressions, including the things that annoy you.
Panais, thank you, that is great to hear. The UI went through many rounds of changes to get to this point, so this means a lot.
If anything ever feels confusing, write here and I will fix it.
I'm loving it a lot!
Hiii I'm loving it a lot! I completed the first 8/8 without dying and second 9/9 as I remmber without dying. it is surprising lol cause I always die normally. it gave me enough motivation to continue and purchose the rest
Great So Far! A Few Thoughts
Love that the music stays at a low volume for VO, even without audio ducking. Nice touch!
I cannot get the sample haptic patterns to play in the tutorial. Could be me, could be a bug. (iPhone 16 Pro, iOS 26.5.2).
Most VO users will be swiping between elements in the tutorial, so saying where the Next and Back buttons are located isn't necessary. Maybe add it to the VO Hints?
It's easy for VO to miss the very first message, the one that encourages people to start the tutorial if it's their first time. I only saw it flash past because I was on a braille display. Consider making it an alert on first open, so it's harder to miss.
I'll keep playing and let you know anything else I come across. Overall, this is excellent!
Thank you for comment
Sysskuu, congratulations on those runs, and thank you for buying the full game. Good luck in chapters 3 and 4.
Kelly, this is exactly the kind of report I was hoping for. The tutorial haptics not playing sounds like a bug on my side, I am looking into it.
Your suggestions about the button locations and the first launch message make sense too.
I am collecting everything from this thread and my goal is to address it in the next update.
Thank you both for taking the time.
New mode
I played a couple of waves and beaten a few, but I have a suggestion. I was wondering if it’s possible you can throw an endless mode if possible or something similar for the game. And different types of enemies as well.
Endless mode and more enemies
Thank you Jordan. Both ideas go on the list, more enemy variety and some kind of endless or survival mode.
Version 1.2.1 is out
Version 1.2.1 is on the App Store with the three things Kelly reported.
The tutorial haptic samples now play. That one was a real bug and a good catch: the small vibration confirming the button press was silencing the sample right behind it.
The Next and Back button locations moved from the spoken step text to the VO hints, and the tutorial suggestion is now a regular item at the top of the main menu instead of a message that flashes past.
Thank you all for the reports.