Good games to practice Japanese reading comprehension with

[Enecororo]

I've been thinking since I've been learning Japanese on and off over the years that I should probably practice more.

I've poked at random games but I feel like I get frustrated when I encounter words I don't recognize and it happens fairly often. (I'm at that kind of awkward point where I can generally read menus fine but dialogue tends to leave me in the dust)

Dragon Quest 1 on SNES is like the one game that I've actually beaten in the Japanese language and understood most of it. (Even if some stuff still escaped me)

I have a PS1 with an Xstation, a SNES with an FX Pak Pro, and a Game Boy Color with an Everdrive X7.

I also have a few hundred games on steam some with Japanese language options and I can emulate stuff on PC with little difficulty if it comes to that

 

[TruxtonTatsujin TruxtonTatsujin]

Any game that interests you, or at least, that's how I did it. Maybe don't start with an RPG though. For real though if it's a game you have a strong interest in, you're more likely to power through it and overcome any struggles you have. The last big text heavy Japanese game I played was the PC Engine port of Princess Maker. Was it easy? absolutely not, but the sick pixel art, voice acting and other things unique to this version made me really want to see it through. I even managed to get the best ending.

 

[Enecororo]

Any game that interests you, or at least, that's how I did it. Maybe don't start with an RPG though. For real though if it's a game you have a strong interest in, you're more likely to power through it and overcome any struggles you have. The last big text heavy Japanese game I played was the PC Engine port of Princess Maker. Was it easy? absolutely not, but the sick pixel art, voice acting and other things unique to this version made me really want to see it through. I even managed to get the best ending.

Nothing immediately leaping to mind in terms of strong interest other than maybe classic Game Boy Pokemon. But I have bounced off that in the past due to the aforementioned "encountering words I haven't seen before and getting frustrated"

Post automatically merged: Yesterday at 7:38 PM

Oh yeah I've also played 70s Robot Anime Geppy-X and I was pretty good at understanding most of it (probably helps that it was deliberately trying to be like a retro mecha anime)

 

[TruxtonTatsujin TruxtonTatsujin]

You gotta know what you're goal is when trying to learn a new language. I started learning Japanese because of all the old games left in Japan that will probably never be translated. I've just amassed a giant list over time of games I want to play. The PC Engine gives me a plethora of options to choose from but the PS1 and SNES has a big library of Japanese only video games as well.
Maybe start by researching Japanese only video games that you think look cool.

 

[Enecororo]

You gotta know what you're goal is when trying to learn a new language. I started learning Japanese because of all the old games left in Japan that will probably never be translated. I've just amassed a giant list over time of games I want to play. The PC Engine gives me a plethora of options to choose from but the PS1 and SNES has a big library of Japanese only video games as well.
Maybe start by researching Japanese only video games that you think look cool.

Maybe I'll poke at listicles.

When it comes to SNES I've also poked at Japanese versions of games that have gotten localizations like Super Mario World (Looking at differences isn't something that gets poked at super often)

I started learning Japanese cause I have a general enthusiasm towards Anime, Tokusatsu, video games, and Japan.

I recognized it was kind of a weeb attitude to take so I really knuckled down on taking it seriously when I did.

but yeah thanks for the advice. Next chance I get I'll consider what Super Famicom games I might want to sit down and play.

 

[SliperyHippo]

If you've got one of those "forever games" that just grip you in the way that you play them consistently for years I'd recommend just changing the language in that to Japanese since you may not know a word but can figure it out since you've played it before in english

 

[Enecororo]

If you've got one of those "forever games" that just grip you in the way that you play them consistently for years I'd recommend just changing the language in that to Japanese since you may not know a word but can figure it out since you've played it before in english

Ape Escape is one of those games that I could probably play in Japanese without trouble so I might do that.

 

[NeonKnights]

Pokemon on the Game Boy is a good option, I got Pokemon Yellow (J) a few years back for this very reason and it was far less expensive than the EN alternative. Mother 2 is actually a good option as well. I tend to prefer VN like games that have the voice lines matching with the Japanese text. Mostly I would recommend VN's with matching voice and text like Steins;Gate or Tokimeki Memorial 4. I play most of these on my PSP Go. Though I would not necessarily recommend Steins;Gate because all of the scientific jargon. Although I have learned some of that jargon from listening to the Steins;Gate drama CD's. I started learning Japanese from 20+ years of watching anime un-dubbed and attaining the language slowly over time. The Yakuza/Ryu Ga Gotoku games are also a good option.

 

[Enecororo]

Pokemon on the Game Boy is a good option, I got Pokemon Yellow (J) a few years back for this very reason and it was far less expensive than the EN alternative. Mother 2 is actually a good option as well. I tend to prefer VN like games that have the voice lines matching with the Japanese text. Mostly I would recommend VN's with matching voice and text like Steins;Gate or Tokimeki Memorial 4. I play most of these on my PSP Go. Though I would not necessarily recommend Steins; Gate because all of the scientific jargon. Although I have learned some of that jargon from listening to the Steins;Gate drama CD's. I started learning Japanese from 20+ years of watching anime un-dubbed and attaining the language slowly over time.

I'm only like 28 so I've spent most of my life doing it on and off.

I have been intending on getting myself a PSP to softmod eventually. Could be really good for those JP games

 

[ThirteeTooBeets]

I'd say anyhting aimed towards a younger audience or more "family friendly" since the grammar is more simple and I assume there's less hard kanji, like most Nintendo IPs. That's how I practiced my english

 

[Enecororo]

I'd say anyhting aimed towards a younger audience or more "family friendly" since the grammar is more simple and I assume there's less hard kanji, like most Nintendo IPs. That's how I practiced my english

I have been meaning to play Yoshi's Island again.

 

[Otosou]

Level-5 games are good for this, I think almost all of them have furigana and lots of voice acting.

 

[ThirteeTooBeets]

I have been meaning to play Yoshi's Island again.

Good game, but there isn't much dialogue so I'm not sure it'll be good active practice. I myself used Pokemon to practice english since it being an rpg has a lot of text

 

[NeonKnights]

The Nintendo Switch is also a good option as it's region free. In fact some of the games you already own might possibly have Japanese language options although this would probably involve you deleting and reinstalling the game and backing up your save data. I did this for "Pokemon: let's go Eevee!". Some other games on the Switch I would recommend are Yo-kai Watch and the Doraemon games.

 

[Enecororo]

Level-5 games are good for this, I think almost all of them have furigana and lots of voice acting.

Youkai Watch is a game I'd like to revisit if I can stop being lazy enough to get 3DS emulation working.

Post automatically merged: Yesterday at 8:06 PM

The Nintendo Switch is also good for this as it's region free. In fact some of the games you already own might possibly have Japanese language options although this would probably involve you deleting and reinstalling the game and backing up your save data. I did this for "Pokemon: let's go Eevee!". Some other games on the Switch I would recommend are Yo-kai Watch and the Doraemon games.

I do own the Doraemon Bokujou Monogatari game on Steam.

I own a Switch but I lost interest over time, its currently buried somewhere.

I do remember playing Mario Odyssey like that to practice years ago though.

 

[moonbits]

Nintendo games are usually simple to get into, try The Wind Waker or Phantom Hourglass in Japanese, from what I remember they use fairly simple grammar, hiragana/katakana and few kanjis. Paper Mario could also work.

 

[Metroid_Hybrid]

Metroid Fusion for the GBA might be a good option, considering that it has a 'child' & 'adult' settings.

'Child' mode keeps the game in katakana & hiragana, whereas the 'adult' mode makes heavier use of Kanji throughout..

 

[nobitakun]

Level-5 games are good for this, I think almost all of them have furigana and lots of voice acting.

Your avatar game is very good but difficult to understand. I believe somebody took the nickname Otogirisou :(

 

[Lod 10]

Hello, whoever is seeing my post, recommend me a good game for a donkey like me who doesn't even know how to read the language of the country where I was born properly, because I can't do anything. Any game is good for learning.I want to learn Japanese, which has been my dream since I was a child.they always said it was impossible

 

[RestoredaftrLostv2]

The Nintendo nds had a couple games to learn Japanese....they suck as they are made by ubisoft/virgin, but they exist. Personally, watching subbed anime is definitely the way to learn quicker.

 

[JG5009]

Any animal crossing seems to be good for that since those have extensive natural dialogue and are basically infinite, meaning that you can enter them anytime without worrying of missing out a story. (that's the thing holding me from trying many anime and games in JP, that first impression of a plot matters to me)

 

[qw90700]

Then you covered the basics so you are in par with primary school kid level but you kinda lacking in level of a high school kid. Then my best recommendation would be this game:

Hana to Taiyou to Ame to (Japan) PS2 ISO – RGT Repository

Hana to Taiyou to Ame to (Japan) PS2 ISO Game ID: SLPS-25034. Languages: Japanese. For Sony PlayStation 2.

retrogametalk.com

Long story short it's a walking simulator puzzle game require you to listen to tons of people who talk about tons of topic you hear in daily life. Dialogues are fully subtitled when sometimes voices are absent + you even have to read a fictional guide book in the game to pass the game + every chapter you constantly seeing same words so it is probably intentional so if a high school kid had playing this game and saw a word they never saw or they didn't know its meaning they would learn it and then constant usage of same word will teach them these words for good for sure.

It's not a game a person barely covered the basics can make sense but I think it will be a step up for you.

If this game's Japanese is too easy for you then we gotta up the game!!!:

Pyuu to Fuku! Jaguar Byuu to Deru! Megane-Kun (Japan) GBA - RGT Repository

Pyuu to Fuku! Jaguar Byuu to Deru! Megane-Kun (Japan) GBA Languages: Japanese. For the GameBoy Advance.

retrogametalk.com

This game is what an high school kid who often reads different materials can understand. You need to be literate to survive its word plays!!!

If the game's Japanese would be too hard for you then you may step-down the game a little and play a serious visual novel with tons of variety of topics like Ace Attorney:

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy on Steam

Become Phoenix Wright and experience the thrill of battle as you fight to save your innocent clients in a court of law. Play all 14 episodes, spanning the first three games, in one gorgeous collection.

store.steampowered.com

If you are lacking in informal, street talk and slangs and shit and how fucked up Japanese can be in fictional world then you gotta play some street racing and related games:

Racing Lagoon (English Patched) PSX ISO – RGT Repository

Racing Lagoon (English Patched) PSX ISO Game ID: SLPS-02038. Languages: English Patched, Japanese. For Sony PlayStation.

retrogametalk.com

However the game is also phoetic and philosophical that even an university student who specifically educated in deeper aspect of Japanese can have a hard time understanding what some in-game text even says because it is part of how Japanese writing can be that sometimes what matters is not meanings but how some kanjis look cool or sound. You don't understanding anything but you feel the words!!!

If Racing Lagoon would burn your head there are manageable related games like these but unfortunately they are not on this website because whoever manages repo has no care for Japanese street racing and whatnot scene!!!! lol:

- Shin Bakusou Dekotora Densetsu: A PS2 game about Japanese truckers who love to modify their trucks visually. That's why the game is filled with Japanese "dekotora" trucker culture as visual novel aspects, truck "wars" you play and then my favorite you can listen to various enka songs with Japanese subtitle to learn more about Japanese while you driving and even your trucks or smiles to some enka songs!!! lol

- Chou Saisoku! Zoku-sha King BU no BU: Bucchigiri Densetsu 2-kai: It's a PS2 game and my favorite street racing game after Racing Lagoon. Instead of ordinary Japanese street racers the game is about zokusha culture that is about crazy modification of cars that no amount of words can describe how crazy these cars looks like. The in-game text is very informal Japanese with every day usage in hardcore way and it touches upon classic idioms, metaphors, way of saying stuff and goroawase (Japanese wordplay by using numbers). In the game you will see the number 4649 and when you read it you'll notice it sounds "Yoroshiku" that means "Nice to meet you". It's that kind of Japanese game to practice!!! lol

 

[JG5009]

If anything, I'd say that the ambiguity should be embraced, the mindset when consuming JP content should go from "I can't understand this" to "I will understand this", no matter how much time it passes, every minute of reading and listening improves the knowledge even if it seems to be gibberish, trying to stick to content you like will make it more enjoyable and less of a chore and just in this site alone there's a thousand things available, find something and stick with it, use tools like dictionaries (yomitan, jisho) when possible to understand more words. :]

Post automatically merged: Today at 12:02 AM

Then you covered the basics so you are in par with primary school kid level but you kinda lacking in level of a high school kid. Then my best recommendation would be this game:

Hana to Taiyou to Ame to (Japan) PS2 ISO – RGT Repository

Hana to Taiyou to Ame to (Japan) PS2 ISO Game ID: SLPS-25034. Languages: Japanese. For Sony PlayStation 2.

retrogametalk.com

Long story short it's a walking simulator puzzle game require you to listen to tons of people who talk about tons of topic you hear in daily life. Dialogues are fully subtitled when sometimes voices are absent + you even have to read a fictional guide book in the game to pass the game + every chapter you constantly using same words so it is probably intentional so if a high school kid had playing this game and saw a word they never saw or they didn't know its meaning they would learn it and then constant usage of same word will teach them these words for good for sure.

It's not a game a person barely covered the basics can make sense but I think it will be a step up for you.

If this game's Japanese is too easy for you then we gotta up the game!!!:

Pyuu to Fuku! Jaguar Byuu to Deru! Megane-Kun (Japan) GBA - RGT Repository

Pyuu to Fuku! Jaguar Byuu to Deru! Megane-Kun (Japan) GBA Languages: Japanese. For the GameBoy Advance.

retrogametalk.com

This game is what an high school kid who often reads different materials can understand. You need to be literate to survive its word plays!!!

If the game's Japanese would be too hard for you then you may step-up the game a little and play a serious visual novel with tons of variety of topics like Ace Attorney:

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy on Steam

Become Phoenix Wright and experience the thrill of battle as you fight to save your innocent clients in a court of law. Play all 14 episodes, spanning the first three games, in one gorgeous collection.

store.steampowered.com

If you are lacking in informal, street talk and slangs and shit and fucked up Japanese can be in fictional world then you gotta play some street racing and related games:

Racing Lagoon (English Patched) PSX ISO – RGT Repository

Racing Lagoon (English Patched) PSX ISO Game ID: SLPS-02038. Languages: English Patched, Japanese. For Sony PlayStation.

retrogametalk.com

However the game is also phoetic and philosophical that even an university student who specifically educated in deeper aspect of Japanese can have a hard time understanding what some in-game text even says because it is part of how Japanese writing can be that sometimes what matters is not meanings but how some kanjis look cool or sound. You don't understanding anything but you feel the words!!!

If Racing Lagoon would burn your head there are manageable related games like these but unfortunately they are not on this website because whoever manages repo has no care for Japanese street racing and whatnot scene!!!! lol:

- Shin Bakusou Dekotora Densetsu: A PS2 game about Japanese truckers who love to modify their trucks visually. That's why the game is filled with Japanese "dekotora" trucker culture as visual novel aspects, truck "wars" you play and then my favorite you can listen to various enka songs with Japanese subtitle to learn more about Japanese while you driving and even your trucks or smiles to some enka songs!!! lol

- Chou Saisoku! Zoku-sha King BU no BU: Bucchigiri Densetsu 2-kai: It's a PS2 game and my favorite street racing game after Racing Lagoon. Instead of ordinary Japanese street racers the game is about zokusha culture that is about crazy modification of cars that no amount of words can describe how crazy these cars looks like. The in-game text is very informal Japanese with every day usage in hardcore way and it touches upon classic idioms, metaphors, way of saying stuff and goroawase (Japanese wordplay by using numbers). In the game you will see the number 4649 and when you read it you'll notice it sounds "Yoroshiku" that means "Nice to meet you". It's that kind of Japanese game to practice!!! lol

View attachment 120859

These are really good though, I'll grab them.

 

[Enecororo]

Then you covered the basics so you are in par with primary school kid level but you kinda lacking in level of a high school kid. Then my best recommendation would be this game:

Hana to Taiyou to Ame to (Japan) PS2 ISO – RGT Repository

Hana to Taiyou to Ame to (Japan) PS2 ISO Game ID: SLPS-25034. Languages: Japanese. For Sony PlayStation 2.

retrogametalk.com

Long story short it's a walking simulator puzzle game require you to listen to tons of people who talk about tons of topic you hear in daily life. Dialogues are fully subtitled when sometimes voices are absent + you even have to read a fictional guide book in the game to pass the game + every chapter you constantly seeing same words so it is probably intentional so if a high school kid had playing this game and saw a word they never saw or they didn't know its meaning they would learn it and then constant usage of same word will teach them these words for good for sure.

It's not a game a person barely covered the basics can make sense but I think it will be a step up for you.

If this game's Japanese is too easy for you then we gotta up the game!!!:

Pyuu to Fuku! Jaguar Byuu to Deru! Megane-Kun (Japan) GBA - RGT Repository

Pyuu to Fuku! Jaguar Byuu to Deru! Megane-Kun (Japan) GBA Languages: Japanese. For the GameBoy Advance.

retrogametalk.com

This game is what an high school kid who often reads different materials can understand. You need to be literate to survive its word plays!!!

If the game's Japanese would be too hard for you then you may step-down the game a little and play a serious visual novel with tons of variety of topics like Ace Attorney:

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy on Steam

Become Phoenix Wright and experience the thrill of battle as you fight to save your innocent clients in a court of law. Play all 14 episodes, spanning the first three games, in one gorgeous collection.

store.steampowered.com

If you are lacking in informal, street talk and slangs and shit and how fucked up Japanese can be in fictional world then you gotta play some street racing and related games:

Racing Lagoon (English Patched) PSX ISO – RGT Repository

Racing Lagoon (English Patched) PSX ISO Game ID: SLPS-02038. Languages: English Patched, Japanese. For Sony PlayStation.

retrogametalk.com

However the game is also phoetic and philosophical that even an university student who specifically educated in deeper aspect of Japanese can have a hard time understanding what some in-game text even says because it is part of how Japanese writing can be that sometimes what matters is not meanings but how some kanjis look cool or sound. You don't understanding anything but you feel the words!!!

If Racing Lagoon would burn your head there are manageable related games like these but unfortunately they are not on this website because whoever manages repo has no care for Japanese street racing and whatnot scene!!!! lol:

- Shin Bakusou Dekotora Densetsu: A PS2 game about Japanese truckers who love to modify their trucks visually. That's why the game is filled with Japanese "dekotora" trucker culture as visual novel aspects, truck "wars" you play and then my favorite you can listen to various enka songs with Japanese subtitle to learn more about Japanese while you driving and even your trucks or smiles to some enka songs!!! lol

- Chou Saisoku! Zoku-sha King BU no BU: Bucchigiri Densetsu 2-kai: It's a PS2 game and my favorite street racing game after Racing Lagoon. Instead of ordinary Japanese street racers the game is about zokusha culture that is about crazy modification of cars that no amount of words can describe how crazy these cars looks like. The in-game text is very informal Japanese with every day usage in hardcore way and it touches upon classic idioms, metaphors, way of saying stuff and goroawase (Japanese wordplay by using numbers). In the game you will see the number 4649 and when you read it you'll notice it sounds "Yoroshiku" that means "Nice to meet you". It's that kind of Japanese game to practice!!! lol

View attachment 120859

Some good picks. I'd say games like Pokemon do give me trouble. but hey something is better than nothing. I'll def try that first game, Phoenix Wright (I already own that game anyway) and the non-translated Racing Lagoon

 

[Lod 10]

Algumas boas escolhas. Eu diria que jogos como Pokémon me dão trabalho, mas, ei, alguma coisa é melhor do que nada. Com certeza vou experimentar o primeiro jogo, Phoenix Wright (eu já tenho esse jogo de qualquer maneira) e o Racing Lagoon não traduzido.

Com licençaExcuse me, if it's not a bother for you, can you help me learn a very good game for me to learn that is for very basic beginners, I don't even know basic Japanese. I still want to learn.