# Kanji Apocalypse — Japanese Learning Roguelike > A roguelike game for learning Japanese kanji with deck-building elements. (iPhone/iPad app by United Lambdas.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kanji-apocalypse/id1563292580 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [United Lambdas](https://appshunter.io/developer/1271849082) - Category: Education, Games, Puzzle, Word - Price: Free with in-app purchases - Rating: 3.71/5 from 7 App Store ratings · 19 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 16.0 · 76 MB - Languages: English - Released: 2021-04-19 - Data updated: 2026-06-16 - Monetization: free with in-app purchases - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kanji-apocalypse/id1563292580/reviews.md ## What is Kanji Apocalypse? Find out why this app is one of the fastest-growing kanji learning games in 2022. It's a game that teaches you Japanese kanji and it's chock full of puzzle-solving action. Kanji Apocalypse will put a smile on your face while studying kanji; learn 2.000 kanji within a year. Want to travel to Japan and impress by reading the restaurant menu, use the Tokyo subway like a native or be a part of the amazing Japanese social circles? Kanji Apocalypse will help you reach all your goals. Japanese uses hieroglyphics which, with other methods, makes it much more difficult to keep up the motivation. Kanji Game uses a unique mix of deck-building and rogue-like elements to keep the game fun. MAIN BENEFITS: * Fun and effective * The more you play, the more content you will unlock. You'll be able to unlock a range of cards from various paths * 20+ cards to unlock * Customised game sessions by the Game AI to help keep the game fun * WatchOS support * Tracks your most difficult kanjis on your iPhone home screen with widget support * Excellent complement to Genki, WaniKani, Bunpro, Minna No Nihongo, Jisho, Imiwa, Takoboto & Yomiwa for those days when the motivation is low * Deep game mechanics with card combos to keep the game fresh for months or even years * Track your progress * Full of optional puzzle-solving action * 2.000+ kanjis to play through, more than enough to read Japanese newspapers! * Great for studying all the way up to JLPT N2 (Japanese-Language Proficiency Test) * Can sort kanji based on the textbooks Genki and Minna No Nihongo as well as JLPT. What the world is saying about Kanji Apocalypse: "Not gonna lie, it is a fun game. :) The graphics are tidy and the combos you can make still really blows my mind. Didn't think an educational game could be this fun." - Sharlotte Tuckeycjqry "Tried [Redacted] but it wasn't for me, this however is something I am behind! Playing this since two months back and it is finally something that I keep returning to. The core gameplay is fun, the rewards with new cards, and the combinations!" - Leshaunda Cockerjl "u have to be a real masochist to like this game. 5/5" - Lisa R. It's recommended that you have some knowledge of hiragana before starting. Tofugu is an excellent resource for that (https://www.tofugu.com/japanese/learn-hiragana/). Terms of Use can be found at https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ ## Key features - Deck-building and roguelike gameplay - Learn 2,000+ kanji - Unlockable cards and content - Customized game sessions - Widget support for difficult kanji - Progress tracking - WatchOS support ## Pricing and in-app purchases Base price: Free. **Subscriptions** | Subscription | Price | Period | | --- | --- | --- | | Premium - Early Access, Yearly | $22.99 | per year | | Premium -Early Access, Monthly | $2.99 | per month | **One-time purchases** | Purchase | Price | Type | | --- | --- | --- | | Premium - Forever | $25.99 | one-time | ## Recent user reviews (10 of 19) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kanji-apocalypse/id1563292580/reviews.md ### 3/5 — Did not work right *2025-08-22* Interesting game. But early into play, images were not fitting into their own frame. I may need to update to the latest iOS, I don't know. Using iOS 18.3.2. ### 3/5 — Feedback *2024-11-21* Red is the intentional color for getting something wrong. Also if you click one kanji another lights up. Fix the core interaction before adding anything else ### 1/5 — Interesting concept, but no iPad version? *2023-12-17, version 4.2* The iPad has been around for over 13 years, and pretty much every app has shipped with iPhone and iPad versions for well over a decade. This somehow does not. So while it's an interesting concept the lack of iPad support renders it useless. A shame. ### 5/5 — fun game *2023-05-25* fun little game for learning kanji ### 3/5 — Apple watch never opens *2023-05-08* Forever loading ### 1/5 — What's going on? *2023-01-26, version 4.2* I have to agree with the other review - it's really unclear what's happening. There are so many items I don't need (and I don't even know how to use them) and skills too? Where are they? Apparently answers are timed but I can't see where that timer is supposed to be. Why are there three paths? What's at the end? What's the difference? Is there a point to completing the path? What "combos" are there supposed to be in the game? Clearly a lot of love went into this project and it looks well made, I just have no clue what I'm looking at. Maybe put a guide or introduction on your website? ### 2/5 — Meh *2022-10-24, version 4.2* Not that great ### 2/5 — Great concept, unfortunately unplayable *2022-10-10, version 4.1* Hello! Perhaps due to your optimizing it for the newer and thus larger devices, the screen size doesn’t actually allow me to see all the options on the kanji/kana wheel, meaning I only see the top of a そ or 水 or whatever it is, it’s sort of cut off at the bottom of my screen. Although I can sort of guess what’s down there it kind of defeats the purpose and renders the game unplayable. Shame though cause the concept seems really interesting! ### 3/5 — Good for practice *2022-10-09* Good to practice things you already know, and the rouge-like elements seem to work ok. Things like the booster cards, and how much hp you have left are kind of a mystery. Also the game has crashed a couple of times when I was close to the chest. **Developer response:** I’ll take a look at the crash reports. Is there anything that would help to make it more helpful in learning? https://kanjiapocalypse.com/feedback/ ### 4/5 — Doesn’t teach *2022-09-22* The game mechanics are good but it doesn’t actually teach you anything you guess the answers until you get it right and remember it with the little time you have **Developer response:** Try the sloth card, it’s the favorite for the levels that are hard to master. Also it’s always a battle between how well you want to do this round vs next play session. ## Frequently asked questions about Kanji Apocalypse ### What is the learning methodology of Kanji Apocalypse? Kanji Apocalypse employs a unique blend of deck-building and roguelike game mechanics to make learning kanji engaging. The game AI customizes sessions to maintain fun, and players unlock new content and card combos as they progress. ### How does Kanji Apocalypse track user progress? The app tracks your progress through the kanji learning journey. It also features a widget that displays your most difficult kanji on your iPhone home screen, aiding continuous review. ### What are the subscription plans for Kanji Apocalypse? Kanji Apocalypse offers two premium subscription tiers: 'Premium - Early Access, Monthly' at $2.99/month with a 7-day free trial, and 'Premium - Early Access, Yearly' at $22.99/year with a 7-day free trial. ### Is Kanji Apocalypse suitable for beginners in Japanese? While the app aims to teach kanji effectively, it is recommended that users have some prior knowledge of hiragana before starting. Resources like Tofugu are suggested for learning hiragana. ### What is the age rating for Kanji Apocalypse? Kanji Apocalypse has an age rating of 4+, making it suitable for a wide range of users interested in learning Japanese. ### How often is Kanji Apocalypse updated? The app was last updated on October 13, 2022, with the latest version being 4.2. This indicates a history of updates and ongoing development. ### Can Kanji Apocalypse be used offline? The provided data does not specify offline play capabilities. However, its nature as a game with unlockable content and AI customization suggests it may require an internet connection for full functionality. ### What devices does Kanji Apocalypse support? Kanji Apocalypse supports Apple Watch and iPhone devices. This allows for learning and reviewing kanji on the go. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 4.2 — 2022-10-13 Bugfixes: Chapter completion bug, iPhone SE support & cockroach not showing. ### 4.1 — 2022-10-03 Fix crash at end of level ### 4.0 — 2022-09-24 Swipe your way to the correct answer. Now also support ordering kanjis. Implemented widgets for lock screen. Settings for disabling music and vibrations. ### 3.9 — 2022-08-07 Fix for the audio bug and the skill point tree for those that got all skill points ### 3.8 — 2022-07-23 Fixes time not ticking down on learning ## Apps similar to Kanji Apocalypse | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Kanji Study - Learn Japanese!](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kanji-study-learn-japanese/id1078107994) | 4.7 (6,761) | Free | Education | | [Bunpo: Learn Japanese](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bunpo-learn-japanese/id1279720052) | 4.9 (1,539) | Free | Education | | [Learn Japanese Kanji: Benkyō](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/learn-japanese-kanji-benkyo/id1541592138) | 4.7 (1,389) | Free | Education | | [Learn Japanese Kanji Letter](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/learn-japanese-kanji-letter/id1621992804) | 4.8 (143) | Free | Education | | [Learn Japanese Vocabulary](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/learn-japanese-vocabulary/id6443979045) | 4.3 (15) | Free | Education | | [nekomimi: learn japanese](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nekomimi-learn-japanese/id6627333398) | 4.8 (410) | Free | Education | --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-16.*