Learning Japanese with Nintendo and PS5 Games: from Zero to JLPT N3

2025/09/03

Learning Japanese doesn’t always have to mean textbooks, apps, or endless grammar drills. In my case, video games became one of the most powerful tools in my journey toward JLPT N3. By immersing myself in Japanese game dialogues, menus, and even online chats, I was able to expand my vocabulary, improve listening skills, and pick up natural expressions that are commonly used in daily life.

Why to Chose Video Games Instead of Apps

Most learners rely on educational apps for vocabulary and kanji drills. While useful, they often feel repetitive and disconnected from real communication. Video games, on the other hand, gave me context-rich Japanese—words connected to actions, emotions, and stories. This made everything stick in my memory more naturally.

Nintendo Games: The Perfect Starting Point

Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Simple, Everyday Japanese

Animal Crossing is one of the best entry points for Japanese learners. The game’s dialogue is repetitive, polite, and practical, making it perfect for beginners. Talking with villagers taught me how to handle greetings, casual small talk, and everyday phrases like “thank you,” “good morning,” or “let’s play.” It felt like having dozens of patient conversation partners every day.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder – Learning Japanese Humor

Super Mario Bros. Wonder introduced me to another side of Japanese: child-friendly humor and puns. The game uses playful expressions and short text boxes that are easy to understand, even for those at lower levels. It showed me how Japanese humor often relies on sound effects, wordplay, and exaggeration—something that textbooks almost never cover.

Mario Kart – Practical Vocabulary Through Menus

At first glance, Mario Kart may not seem like a language-learning tool. But navigating its menus taught me functional Japanese commands like “start,” “save,” “retry,” and “settings.” These are phrases I later saw in apps, websites, and even daily life in Japan. It was a fun way to learn practical vocabulary while racing against friends.

Pushing Myself with Japanese-Only Games

Nintendo Switch 2 – Full Immersion Challenge

To push myself further, I bought the Japanese-only version of the Nintendo Switch 2. This meant every menu, every notification, and every game I played forced me to read in Japanese. Starting with accessible titles like Donkey Kong Bananza and Mario Kart World gave me confidence. These games had simple text, but they created the habit of always processing Japanese first before defaulting to English.

Pokémon – The Perfect Teacher for Beginners

Pokémon titles are perhaps the best recommendation for Japanese learners. The text is designed to be understandable for children, which makes it very approachable. Battle commands like “たたかう” (fight), “にげる” (run), and “どうぐ” (items) repeated so often that they became second nature. On top of that, online battles gave me the chance to interact with native speakers in a low-pressure environment.

Exploring Beyond Nintendo

Astro Bot (PS5) – Simple and Accessible Japanese

Astro Bot on PS5 surprised me with its straightforward Japanese text. Even though it’s a modern, visually rich game, the language remained simple. For intermediate learners, it’s a great way to practice without being overwhelmed, and the action-based gameplay keeps the reading segments short and fun.

Undertale – Deep Story, Accessible Japanese

Undertale’s story is known for being emotional and thought-provoking. But what helped me most was its clear and concise Japanese. Despite the complex themes, the text is short, direct, and beginner-friendly. It taught me how tone and context matter more than grammar complexity, and I was able to follow the story with minimal effort.

Old-School Challenge: Retro Japanese Games

On the Nintendo Switch, I downloaded retro consoles to challenge myself with classic Japanese games. Titles like Fire Emblem (GBA) introduced me to older writing styles and military-related vocabulary, while Mother/Earthbound showed me quirky, creative Japanese that pushed me outside the textbook world. While more challenging, these games boosted my reading speed and exposed me to kanji that modern titles often avoid.

Recommended Beginner-Friendly Games for Japanese Learners

If you’re just starting your journey into Japanese gaming, here are the best titles to begin with:

• Animal Crossing: New Horizons – for everyday phrases and casual conversation.
• Pokémon (any modern generation) – for simple battle commands and repetitive vocabulary.
• Super Mario Bros. Wonder – for humor, wordplay, and short, digestible sentences.
• Mario Kart – for practical commands and menu-based Japanese.
• Astro Bot (PS5) – for clear, modern Japanese in a fun, action-based format.
• Kirby – cute, simple Japanese with furigana, perfect for beginners.
• Yoshi’s – short sentences and repetitive vocabulary in a colorful context.
• Splatoon (story mode) – easy Japanese in its campaign mode, with funny slang.
• Undertale – short, direct dialogue with accessible grammar.
• Mother/Earthbound – quirky Japanese that introduces cultural jokes and wordplay.

These games are accessible, enjoyable, and designed with simple language, making them perfect for learners aiming at JLPT N5 to N3.

Why Don’t Use Online Games for Language Learning

Although many learners think online games are a great way to practice Japanese, I found them less effective for long-term learning. The main reason is that online communication usually repeats the same limited phrases: “nice,” “good job,” “let’s go,” or simple commands. Without new contexts or deeper dialogue, the language becomes repetitive and doesn’t expand your vocabulary.
That’s why I prefer single-player or story-driven games where I encounter fresh expressions and richer Japanese.

Why Avoid Certain Games at First

Not every Japanese game is beginner-friendly. Some titles are famous for their dense, literary-level Japanese. For example:

• The Legend of Zelda series often uses archaic or formal Japanese that even natives find challenging.
• Heavily text-based RPGs can be overwhelming, with long dialogue boxes full of kanji without furigana.
• Strategy games like old Fire Emblem titles may include specialized vocabulary that isn’t useful in daily life.

That’s why I recommend starting with games written for children or all-ages audiences, where the text is simpler, repetitive, and supported with furigana.

How Video Games Supported JLPT N3 Studies

• Reinforced vocabulary I studied in class.
• Gave me furigana support in Nintendo games, making kanji less intimidating.
• Made learning fun and sustainable—I looked forward to my “study time.”
• Balanced gaming and study by setting small in-game reading goals.

For me, gaming wasn’t just entertainment—it became an immersive language-learning experience. By carefully choosing accessible Japanese games, I managed to combine fun with progress, ultimately reaching JLPT N3. If you’re looking for a fresh way to study, don’t underestimate the power of video games in your Japanese journey.