Kotoba Dash is a Japanese vocabulary review game designed for learners who already know the basics and want a more engaging way to test and reinforce what they have studied.

Instead of clicking buttons or flipping flashcards, you control a character and physically run toward the correct answer. Movement adds time pressure and decision making, turning vocabulary review into something active rather than passive.

This is not a complete learning course. Kotoba Dash is best used as a supplementary tool for review, practice, and self-testing.

Who is this for?

Kotoba Dash is designed for Japanese language learners from N5 to N1.

You should already:

˗          Know hiragana and katakana

˗          Be familiar with basic vocabulary

The game is ideal if you:

• Want a game to review and test existing knowledge, not a sole learning resource

• Have been studying for a while and do not want to start from zero

• Find traditional flashcards boring or hard to stay consistent with

• Want a short, engaging daily game to maintain your studies

Core Gameplay

Kotoba Dash is a vocabulary quiz game focused on translation and reading recognition.

Words are presented using kanji, kana, and English, with multiple question types such as:

• Kanji to English

• English to Kanji

• Kanji to Kana

• Kana to Kanji

Optional furigana support is available and can be toggled on or off.

All questions are multiple choice, but instead of selecting answers with a mouse, players move a character toward the answer. This introduces time pressure and makes recall more active and engaging.

Input

• Keyboard focused

• Partial controller support exists for character movement

• Full UI navigation is keyboard based

Game Modes

Kotoba Dash includes multiple modes designed for different review styles.

Testing Grounds

An arcade, stage-based mode where difficulty increases over time.

• Shorter answer timers

• More answer options per question

• Focus on speed, accuracy, and survival

• Play for high scores and long runs

• A full run lasts approximately six to seven minutes

Mastery Mode

A structured, level-based progression system.

• Focuses on fixed sets of 10 words

• Levels take roughly 30 to 60 seconds

• Accuracy requirements must be met to unlock new levels

• Levels change on replay and are intended to be repeated to strengthen retention

Exploration

A fully customizable review mode.

• Choose JLPT levels, parts of speech, and question types

• Timer can be enabled or disabled

• No failure state

• Sessions can be short, long, or infinite

Progress and Tracking

Kotoba Dash tracks detailed performance metrics, including:

• Word accuracy

• Average accuracy

• Average answer speed

• Category-based performance

All progress, runs, and statistics are saved and can be reviewed in a dedicated stats area called Inari’s Shrine.

Players can freely switch between modes and unlock achievements over time.

What Kotoba Dash Does Not Do

Kotoba Dash is intentionally focused and does not attempt to teach everything.

It does not:

• Teach Japanese from the ground up

• Teach hiragana or katakana

• Explicitly teach pronunciation
  (reading practice reinforces pronunciation through recognition, not instruction)

• Teach grammar, particles, or conjugation

• Teach sentence reading or comprehension

• Aim to cover every word in the language

The vocabulary is broad but curated, and the game is intended as a supplementary review and self-testing tool, not a replacement for textbooks or courses.

Why Kotoba Dash Exists

Learning a language can be life changing, but staying consistent is often the hardest part.

Traditional flashcards can become repetitive and passive over time. Kotoba Dash was created to make vocabulary practice more engaging by turning review into a game that rewards attention, speed, and accuracy.

By tying answers to movement and time pressure, the game encourages faster recognition and stronger recall, while allowing learners to jump in at their current level without replaying content they already know.