When I think about sprawling pages of language and intellectual discovery in video games Rocket league wouldn’t be my first venture, however, it can be played in Japanese so it’s going on the list! I’ve been playing Rocket League (To a somewhat poor standard) for most of my adult life now. It’s one of those games I dip into for an annual pilgrimage and don’t revisit until I’m bored of everything else.
In those periods of blue and orange excitement however, Rocket League excels as a fantastic party game (Even if your non-japanese speaking guests have to ask what the menus are saying) and can be a great way to unwind. While it doesn’t fall into the usual category of games I usually get drawn to, it holds a special place in my heart, and there it will forever remain.
Platform and Languages
Rocket League is available on almost all platforms. The only way you won’t be able to play it is on mobile devices. The game is also free to play meaning if you’ve got the console to play it on there’s no reason not too.
Rocket League offers a variety of languages and these can be changed from the standard title menu in most cases. If you are playing from the Epic Games set up on PC you will need to log into the epic games dashboard in order to change this. Luckily Epic Games provides a quick and easy guide for how to do this. I’ve linked it here.
Glossary
Usability
As you’ve probably gathered from the intro, Rocket League doesn’t strike most people as a language heavy game when they first consider it. The thing is, there’s actually a surprising amount of language to find, it’s just not overly necessary to read it. Aside from a few menu prompts, which can be easily navigated anyway, Rocket League is an incredibly visual game. Even the sides are based on colours as opposed to team names. Because of this it is worryingly easy to play without focusing on a single word. Given the nature of Rocket League’s short format matches and the ease of dropping in and out of games, it’s almost encouraged to just sit back and enjoy the high octane fun without a care for what’s being said.
If you do take the time, you’ll notice that aspects such as the garage menu feature a suprising amount of titles and some breif (albeit repetitive) descriptions to go with them. For instance, when selecting your paint colour and type, you’ll see some useful terms to describe the texture and condition of the metal or coating. Previously I had noticed these descriptions but never really paid too much attention to them, however since this Japanese journey began, even the simplest ways of describing something became beneficial to learn and use in day to day speech. Remain diligent as you go through each menu and learn a few new bits of vocab that you can use around the house, the garden or even your own car! (I pray rust isn’t as a word that is as frequently used).
P.S don’t judge my game stats, I never claimed to be a pro!
There is an abundance of menus throughout Rocket League however the ones most subject to change and that cover the larges volume of text are the ones relating to either online play or online stores. Again, much the same as the above, many limited items in the online store feature desscriptives that can aid your understanding of the physics and mechanics of the gameplay. The competitive and seasonal notifications take this to a whole new level, utilizing terminology around success, progress and match play, often in paragraphs rather than sentences. With the frequency that seasons and new gear come out you’ll rarely run out of useful things to read. Also, don’t let the larger blocks of text scare you too much. Rocket League is very katakana heavy so it may be possible for you to read larger blocks of text more simply than you’d expect.
Two of my favourite aspects of Rocket League are the loading screens and the tutorial. The tutorial, while short, displays easily digestible sentences that instantly relate to the actions you have to carry out. There is very little complexity in the language, which can be of particular benefit to newbies looking to dip their toes into Japanese gaming, and the text remains on the screen until you hit the right buttons or actions. Even better, the tutorial is repeatable, meaning you can brush up on aspects such as jumping, tackling, shooting and scoring whenever you feel the need.
Loading screens are fun in any game (I say fun, fun for anyone who has the psychopathy to deprive themselves of gaming in their native language) but they play an additional benefit in Rocket League as they fill a gap between matches with useful vocabulary. The gameplay itself is so devoid of language that it can be easy to spend hours at a time without reading a thing, however the loading screens give you no choice but to either focus and practice some quick fire reading, or to just stare at the pretty pictures (At that point you may as well be playing in English anyway then).
Overall, Rocket League isn’t War and Peace. This is a game that most of us have played and probably will continue to play, and in that sense it holds value for 2 sects of learners. It can pose an advantage to any of you out there diligent enough to take in every word a game has to offer, milking every term for each topic it discusses. If you like cars and want to read about them, Rocket League is a great suppliment. Alternatively, if you’re either low maintenance about your study, or are just looking for a game that’s easy to play and flashes the occasional word in front of you, then Rocket League is also great.
As with most games, this is what you make it. Perhaps my bias is steering (Ha, pun) me onto believeing it strikes (Ha, ‘nother pun) more good than bad however, the language is there. It’s clear and it’s somewhat based in real, applicable topics (Flying cars aside…) meaning you can apply it more easily than a fantasy RPG to your real life activities. As a free title, and one that’s likely made it into most of our homes already, I can confidently say there is value to be garnered in playing Rocket League in Japanese. Get playing, get reading, and if you match with me in exhibition… don’t expect to much of a battle…
Challenges and Methods
Speed readin’ demon
Battle cars are all about speed. Sometimes reading is all about speed too. The menu screens provide only a limited amount of time to read their handy pro tips (If you’re running a high spec PC or PS5 it’s even shorter), so it’s important to hone your reading, memorise repeated vocab and see if you can read the screen before it leaves. Be speedy!
Get to know your vehicle
Rocket League is essential a fashion show before it’s a skill show. There are hundreds of ways to decorate your car and around the same amount of ways to gloat after you score. Take the time to read any kit you put onto your car. Challenge yourself, if you can’t read it, you can’t equip it. Check in regularly and if you forget anything you lose the right to show it off.
Additional images
Games & Kanji 