One of the best kanji learning games I have tried This is a review of the 2nd edition, although a 3rd and improved edition was launched a few weeks ago.
I honestly cna't see where they could improve on this software as it has been massively helpful to me.
It is learning software for the Kanken exam which is an exam aimed at native Japanese speakers to increase the knowledge and popularity in Japan. Particularly now that a lot of people are using word processors the ability to accurately write kanji is disappearing.
The Kanken exam involves reading, writing and stroke order among other things. It is notoriously difficult because one must know every reading of each kanji rather than simply the most common ones.
The exam has 10 levels with levels 10 and 9 being for beginners and including hiragana and katakana along with the first few hundred kanji. Levels 8 - 4 include most of the kanji needed to be fluent, while the average Japanese adult will find levels 2 and 1 to be a challenge.
This game includes all of these levels practising and tesing reading, writing, stroke order, style of stroke writing (tomeru/haneru/etc) and radicals, etc. It also includes timed practice exam papers, games using the kanji, diagrams showing strong and weak areas to identify where needs work and a dictionary of the kanji included in the game for reference purposes.
I became discouraged at first as there were a lot of unfamiliar readings for kanji that I thought I knew, but after a few months of using it my kanji has noticeably improved.
For the Japanese Proficiency test or in standard textbooks, many people concentrate on just learning the most popular readings for each kanji, but after studying for kanken you will be secure in the knowledge that you know each of the kanji you ahve learned inside out.
So far this is my favourite piece of kanji learning software for the DS. I use it in breaks during studying, on the bus or just when i wake up/before i go to sleep and those few minutes here and there have made a big difference.
I'm a long way off completing the training in this game, but am considering buying the third edition on the back of how useful this 2nd edition has been.
aurickandrien(4) on 19, Feb. 2009 11:21 (HKT)
No title I was a bit surprised when I first started the game as I'm used to training from the individual kanji up whereas this game teaches from the test down. It does a good job of keeping track of your progress and if there is a test section that you're doing poorly in you can practice in just that section. Overall Kanken DS 2 is a good supplement to my other kanji learning materials.
