From the Developer
This week's update brings a new mini game to the Game Center, two new Japanese stories to the Library, a new song in the Music Room and some improvements.
・For next week's update, I'm hoping to add 50 new kanji with mnemonics as well as the JLPT N1 Q&A set.
New Mini Game: KANJI BOTS
A brand-new mini game has been added to the Game Center!
KANJI BOTS
In KANJI BOTS, you'll shoot enemies, answer Japanese quizzes, earn money, and use your rewards to upgrade.
The game supports all levels:
Hiragana & Katakana, JLPT N5 to N1
How It Works
Shoot the incoming KANJI BOTS
Answer Japanese quiz questions
Earn money for your progress
Use your money to upgrade
The current quiz section contains all Hiragana and Katakana, with additional N5-N1 vocabulary planned to be added over time.
Also includes a new background song.
Library
Two new Japanese stories have been added to the Library.
Story 1
羅生門 (Rashoumon) - Japanese Folktale / 1919
by 楠山正雄 (Masao Kusuyama)
This is a modern Japanese retelling of an older Japanese legend.
Fantasy violence
No explicit sexual content
Themes of courage, bravery, loyalty, deception, monsters, and Japanese folklore
Recommended Age: 10+
Difficulty: JLPT N4–N2
Story 2
注文の多い料理店
The Restaurant of Many Orders - 1924 Japanese Classic
by 宮沢賢治 (Kenji Miyazawa)
Mild peril and suspense
Fantasy / horror themes
No graphic violence
No explicit sexual content
Themes of greed, arrogance, selfishness, consequences, survival, and respect for nature
Recommended Age: 10+
Difficulty: JLPT N3–N2
A classic Japanese children's fantasy story.
The Bible (Library)
Added: Complete Book of Leviticus translations (27 chapters)
Save & Load Improvements
The Save / Load menu visual refresh.
Improvements
Japanese text and labeling included
Updated coloring
New Save & Load sounds
JLPT N4 Anki Idle
The JLPT N4 Anki Idle vocabulary collection has been expanded.
Added:
179 new vocabulary
From 621 to now: 800
Music Room
A new song with Japanese lyrics has been added to the Music Room.
一歩一歩 = いっぽいっぽ = One Step at a Time
Level: JLPT N5 / N4
Bug Fixes & Improvements
Thank you to everyone who continues to report bugs and small issues!
Fixed
Spaceship and spacesuit descriptions now fit better inside the description box
Fixed a visual issue with Kanji Room Kanji #204 when marked as known
Improved some reading updates in the Kanji Survivors mini game
What's Coming Next?
For next week's update, I'm hoping to bring:
50 new kanji
The JLPT N1 Q&A set
ありがとうございます！
Thank you again for supporting PLAYNESE during Early Access.
Every Steam review, bug report, Discord message, and suggestion helps me decide what to improve and what to build next.
I hope you enjoy KANJI BOTS, the two new Library stories, the new track, and all of this week's improvements.
More Japanese learning content coming next week!
よろしくお願いします！
ライト = Light 🎮