Built with inclusivity top of mind, Art of Fauna turns stately illustrations of animals from around the world into relaxing puzzles – and sets a new standard for accessible game design.– App Store Editors
The first thing you see when you open Art of Fauna isn’t an African elephant or a ring-tailed lemur – it’s an accessibility screen. Such is this beautiful indie’s dedication to ensuring as many players as possible can enjoy its puzzles.
And what clever, multifaceted puzzles they are. There are two ways to solve Art of Fauna’s elegant illustrations of ducks, pandas and other creatures (all drawn from the Smithsonian’s Biodiversity Heritage Library). Rearrange the jumbled pieces, or slide fragments of words and phrases into the right order to reveal a delightful description of the animal.
Stumped trying to fix the fragmented image of a sea otter? Flip the puzzle over to tackle the jumbled words. The progress you make on one side carries over to the other. This flexibility – one path for the visually oriented, another for those drawn to grammar and syntax – speaks to the heart of Art of Fauna’s amazing accessibility.
Dyslexic font options. Thoughtful VoiceOver support designed to streamline how text on a puzzle tile is read aloud. Multiple themes to accommodate those who are colour blind. That’s just the start.
A whopping seven difficulty options for each puzzle ensure anyone can hop in and start solving right away. And in an inspired twist, developer Klemens Strasser included a phobia filter that hides spiders, snakes and other critters you might not want to see.
Strasser once said that making games inclusive is “just the right thing to do”. We agree – and hope Art of Fauna spurs the start of an entirely new species of game.
Read more about the 2025 winners
Quick tip
Scroll to the bottom of the game’s settings screen and tap the egg you find there to add a puzzle to your newly unlocked Easter Egg pack. Keep your eyes peeled for more eggs scattered throughout the menus.
Fun fact
After you finish a puzzle, you can see the animal’s risk of extinction according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. A portion of the game’s revenue supports wildlife conservation efforts.
Meet the creator
When Klemens Strasser designs a new game, he starts by asking two questions: Is it fun? And can it be made accessible to everyone? “I scrap ideas where I can’t answer yes to both,” he says. His games Letter Rooms and Ancient Board Game Collection were nominated in the Apple Design Awards’ Inclusivity category, while Art of Fauna won that award.