Welcome to
Games & Kanji
This is a place for people who want to learn Japanese in a way that is fun and feeds off their passions. Textbooks and regular study will always be beneficial for language learning but enjoying the journey is the key to success.
Head to the Games Library to see which games can help you today
Latest Reviews
Clash of Clans
Clash of Clans is fantastic for language learning for a number of reasons. Between the humour, styles of language, volume of text and overall aesthetic you can’t go far wrong.
Peak
I think I may be a little too into this but since Peak’s release I’ve played it almost every day. The repeatable charm and usage of language makes it remarkably inviting.
Gotcha Force
Imagine if you will, Pokémon meets Gundam, pulled entirely out of a kid’s toy box. I go back to revisit another childhood classic.
What sort of games are you looking for?
To see reviews organised by category, use the drop down box below to navigate by language difficulty, console or any other topic to find the right games for you. If you can’t find the game you are looking for contact us and we will either show you where it is or get it reviewed so you can see our thoughts on it!
What is Games and Kanji?

Have you ever been in a situation where you’ve spent all your time practicing Japanese, learnt a large amount of Japanese and feel confident that you can speak the language, but when you want to use it to speak to someone you find that you don’t know how to talk about the things you have an interest in? One thing that’s often forgotten in language learning is that, while your passion is language learning, native speakers and other learners are likely to have interests outside of learning Japanese.
I made this website for like minded people who have a passion for learning languages but maybe wanted to use it to talk about their other interests. For me personally, I love talking about games and the culture around them so it was a no brainer for me to build a platform based on this but the heart of this page relates to learning in all forms and all manner of ways to study. The aim of this website is to broaden the range of materials available for people to study with and perhaps change mindsets from just learning set phrases and regimented courses.
We are living in an age in which the majority of video games out there are accessible in multiple languages. Not only that but these games feature a wide variety of topics, ranging from lifestyle, cooking, combat, racing and more. With this page I hope to highlight which games are available to you, which ones relate to your own passions and then show you some of the best ways to use them effectively.
I have collated a library of the games I have played in Japanese, and have reviewed the pros and cons of each in regards to volume of content, reading level, style of writing and more. You can view a breakdown of what you can expect from a game or take a look at the glossary which explores the most prevalent words found in order to give you a head start before you play.
The main goal of each review is for you to recognise and isolate aspects of the games you play that can either bolster your vocabulary, improve your dialogue or boost your skills in problem solving whilst utilizing your target language. Being a competitive (and potentially mad) person, I also tend to set challenges and methods while I play to incentivize improving and maintaining focus. Here I hope to share some of my more successful methods with you in order to get you using your favourite games to their greatest potential.
The goal for me, and one I hope to instil in you, is to be able to play games with ease and experience language in its natural habitat while we enjoy our hobbies!


Why Learn with Games and Kanji?
“I have been learning Japanese with Luke for almost 2 years now, and I can confidently say that his tutoring has been nothing short of exceptional. Luke’s approach to teaching is both engaging and comprehensive. He has an incredible ability to break down complex concepts into understandable segments, making the learning process smooth and enjoyable. He’s also very friendly!”
Colton
Whilst the various archives for game reviews, guides and discussion posts have a lot to offer, Games and Kanji can offer you even more outside of this site too. I offer hands on tutoring, educational Instagram posts and even merch!
If there are any games you are playing or would like me to review, please feel free to send me your recommendations. Equally if you encounter language you are struggling to understand please send me a message and I’m more than happy to help. You can reach me via our Instagram or our facebook