Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS - Kotaku Comments

Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS

Inside_Scarlet — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 14:45:26 MDT

I've been studying Japanese on my own and @ the University for a year. I must agree with what some of the others have said about learning through textbooks and classes. However, a game on the DS could be a good supplement. IF they would make use of the MIC function as well as writing it on the screen. I think it would make for a good tool for learning the Japanese language. Without being able to interact it CAN be a tad bit difficult.

Inside_Scarlet

Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS

VixDiesel — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 12:25:10 MDT

I'm interested in the Japanese one despite being in my late 20's.

VixDiesel

Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS

adversity — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 19:49:15 MDT

How about Arabic?

adversity

Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS

Samos42 — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 18:41:27 MDT

French, German, and Japanese maybe. I've always wanted to learn a bunch of languages but I don't want to take more classes. I also really want to learn Russian. I have no idea why.

Samos42

Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS

Video — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 17:30:34 MDT

Cool... I will be waiting so that way I can learn some japanese... I already know english/spanish....

Video

Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS

FancifulUnicorn — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 16:06:12 MDT

I've studied Japanese for quite some time at the university I attend and still probably can't out speak/read/write a Japanese 4 year-old, so I can definitely see owning this game not helping at all.. Learning Japanese is fun and all, but I think people who've never studied a language really underestimate the amount of time and work it takes to get anywhere (myself included before I started, at the end of the first year I could chat about the weather and ask people on awkward dates, that's about it) so unless it comes chocked full of zombies and/or you learn more than a few random useless phrases it's going to be a definite pass in any version of the language. There's just no substitute for good old fashioned textbooks and Japanese professors/friends sometimes.

FancifulUnicorn

Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS

hrabbit — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 15:47:54 MDT

I would love to get a japanese teaching ds game :D I could play video games while I study for my japanese class >.> that I will be taking sometime in the future....

@Polywhirl:
oh golly #_# I can't beleive thats real

hrabbit

Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS

Vegan Shinigami — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 15:33:36 MDT

Excellent, been waiting for a Japanese language program for the DS for ages. And to all the naysayers, I think that things like this ARE useful to language learners, but only in addition to other study. I am studying Japanese at University, but i'll take any additional help I can get! Can't wait!

Vegan Shinigami

Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS

Bokusatsu_Tenshi — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 14:43:20 MDT

Nice... one more thing I'm gonna buy to learn Japanese resulting in ultimate fail.
For those looking for games to learn japanese... try this one:
[www.kicl.info]
Knuckles in China Land. Yeah, you heard right.

Bokusatsu_Tenshi

Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS

Beki — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 14:23:27 MDT

Aren't My Spanish Coach and My French Coach sort of the same thing? This Japanese game sounds fun though.

Beki

Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS

frank0127 — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 13:47:12 MDT

@evslin: in schoolgirl outfits. and they fight giant lizards.

oh, and the robots have to look like Chuck Norris.

frank0127

Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS

Amerijapoxicano — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 12:55:42 MDT

God, I'm going to sleep now, but you guys are nuts. There's tons of stuff available now to learn Japanese. I have no less than 8 games on my DS for learning Japanese. Go out and buy textbook and enroll in a class. It'll be more expensive than a DS game, but you'll learn way more. Anyway, good luck to anyone hoping to learn Japanese. I know over 600 characters and am still far from literate. Keep that in mind.
でも頑張ってね。もうすぐ一に日本語で話しましょう。

Amerijapoxicano

Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS

Gadzooks149 — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 12:47:35 MDT

oooo, im' very excited about the Japanese one...

Gadzooks149

Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS

Amerijapoxicano — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 12:35:44 MDT

What the hell are you guys talking about?

I've been in Japan for about 2 years now and I've had a DS with software for learning Japanese for over a year now and I rarely use it. Why?........It's not that useful. Those guys talking about learning Kana, it took me all of one week. A DS program will NOT teach you Japanese. Good luck. You have to speak it and be around it to learn it in a decent amount of time. Sorry to spoil your fun, but textbooks, as boring as they may be, are way more affective than a DS.
Don't get me wrong, I think this type of software is great, but don't get your hopes up. You won't learn Italian in the month before going to Italy with a DS program. Let's be realistic.

Amerijapoxicano

Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS

mast3r_blast3r — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 12:15:01 MDT

Sweet. I'm in Japanese II right now, and software can really help.

I used the 'Slime Forest Adventure' freeware RPG, and learned all my kana in 2 weeks!

I hope this has a lot of vocab/conjugation/Kanji in it.

It's a great idea though! The touchscreen is great for interactivity + writing practice.

mast3r_blast3r

Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS

GothPunk — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 11:54:18 MDT

Thank you Virgin Play! I'm with everyone else who is saying 'about bloody time' someone actually listened to requests for a Japanese training program for the DS.

So wow, a language training program for the DS that I will actually buy.

GothPunk

Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS

Mansteak — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 11:52:49 MDT

These would be decent to supplement the languages I picked up while going through school and never - EVER - had a chance to use since I graduated. I hope they turn out halfway decent!

Mansteak

Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS

v00deux — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 11:35:03 MDT

THANK JEBUS ITS ABOUT TIME. preordered. thats all i have to say.

v00deux

Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS

geekgrrl — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 11:29:27 MDT

yay german! this eliminates my need to buy a CD or book!

geekgrrl

Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS

VixDiesel — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 11:27:05 MDT

even though i'm older, i would totally get the japanese one.

VixDiesel

Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS

foxwarrior88 — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 11:21:41 MDT

if you want to learn another language, either have a relative who speaks another language or go to a foreign language course in high school, but don't waste your time doing it on a video game, it's pointless!!

foxwarrior88

Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS

evslin — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 11:12:26 MDT

@gibwar: From the future.

evslin

Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS

TOCATL — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 11:11:07 MDT

Yea teach me some japanese XD...

TOCATL

Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS

gibwar — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 11:10:26 MDT

@MisterSleep: with puppy ears!

gibwar

Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS

thelastslice — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 11:04:19 MDT

@frank0127: Robot Pirate Ninjas.

I can't help but to think this can't do much to decrease the amount of furries visiting Japan. Sorry Japan!

thelastslice

Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS

MisterSleep — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 11:03:33 MDT

@frank0127: Zombie robot ninja pirates? Who are also vampires? And of course teenagers.

MisterSleep

Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS

munchausen — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 11:02:37 MDT

@IronsUK: Same here. Makes no sense to me to include all those others and not Italian. Who doesn't want to travel to Italy and learn a little Italian before going?

munchausen

Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS

Tuxy79 — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 11:02:25 MDT

Italian Version?

Tuxy79

Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS

frank0127 — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 10:51:46 MDT

@Mr.SithNinja: Robot Ninjas.

frank0127

Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS

Mr.SithNinja — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 10:43:49 MDT

@MisterSleep: The Japanese ones should feature Ninjas.....

Mr.SithNinja

Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS

frank0127 — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 10:36:46 MDT

@animemecha: something tells me every commenter so far just wants the Japanese one. lol

frank0127

Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS

frank0127 — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 10:35:56 MDT

@Absent Blue: i think we've actually hit the point where gmaes have "grown up" in the public eye, and can now be treated as "non-game" devices as well. you can further immerse yourself in the game world now than you could back in the GB days, so making a game educational means you're going to WANT to learn things.

and, if you want to be technical, the NES was used as an educational tool as well-- DK Jr. Math, anyone?

now it's only a matter of time before someone dubs games "art". ;) hopefully in my lifetime.

frank0127

Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS

animemecha — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 10:33:02 MDT

Let's see how well the Japanese one would go.

animemecha

Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS

MisterSleep — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 10:32:58 MDT

@Polywhirl: waahahah that's hilarious. That's...... that's brilliant. Time for some ¡justicia del vigilante!

MisterSleep

Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS

jeffx — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 10:29:59 MDT

you guys... there are some excellent Japanese learning homebrews out there. still, about time something official comes out.

jeffx

Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS

Woodwater — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 10:29:33 MDT

It's about time damn it.

Woodwater

Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS

MisterSleep — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 10:27:23 MDT

@panfriedcharlie: I think what he's talking about is that if you're learning a language with no knowledge of it beforehand, it's not going to be as effective as taking a class or anything like that. Same deal with books on tape or Pimsleur mp3s and the like. Language is all about interaction in a freeform manner rather than just regurgitating phrases, so there really is no substitute for a live person. However, as he said, it might make a valuable supplement to live instruction.

MisterSleep

Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS

Absent Blue — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 10:27:13 MDT

I wonder why systems only now became educational tools, was it because they consisted of more than button inputs?

Absent Blue

Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS

NightMystic — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 10:25:33 MDT

finallyyyyyyy about time to learn Japanese on the DS

NightMystic

Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS

panfriedcharlie — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 10:12:10 MDT

I disagree with Mike Fahey. Why would the fact that it's on a DS limit it's effectiveness?

And since nobody's played it yet, how are we to know anything about it's effectiveness in general? The medium is the message, man. Just sayin'.

panfriedcharlie

Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS

frank0127 — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 10:09:44 MDT

@MisterSleep: well it IS Japanese... soo..... expect robots covered in neon.

frank0127

Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS

frank0127 — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 10:09:16 MDT

@Yin: i agree! i've been dying to learn some Japanese myself, so bringing it to the DS is a no-brainer.

Handheld educational gaming. gotta love it. :)

frank0127

Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS

BananaKid — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 10:06:34 MDT

Maybe I have a filthy mind, but "Virgin Play" sounds like something completely different than a language tool.

BananaKid

Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS

MisterSleep — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 10:05:40 MDT

What, no zombies? I guess it's America, so maybe... pirates? Robots? I mean, seriously, there's no point in learning a language if I can't learn to yell "get down!!" or "we're not going to make it!!!"

MisterSleep

Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS

Project Thanatos — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 10:05:19 MDT

I've been waiting for some kind of Japanese language game.

Project Thanatos

Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS

bleeps — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 10:04:23 MDT

Needs zombies.

bleeps

Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS

IronsUK — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 10:03:25 MDT

I'd be interested in an italian version, aimed at adults. I guess I lose out of both counts =(

IronsUK

Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS

Fonic — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 10:03:20 MDT

Since it's Berlitz, I'm guessing they'll focus on speaking the language rather than reading and writing it. That's fine with Spanish, French, and whatnot, but with Japanese it's kind of important to learn the written stuff. If it uses romaji, as I'm sure it does since that's what Berlitz books use, then I personally have no interest.

Fonic

Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS

TheJ3ff — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 10:02:37 MDT

These games fail

TheJ3ff

Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS

Yin — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 10:00:09 MDT

A game for DS that teaches japanese is long overdue. Finally!

Yin

Learn Foreign Languages On Your DS

Polywhirl — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 09:56:06 MDT

I'm sticking with this:

But thanks.

Polywhirl