# Tone Game - Fun way to learn the Chinese Mandarin tones

> Interactive game for learning and practicing Mandarin Chinese tones. (iPhone/iPad app by Fernando Colaco.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tone-game-fun-way-to-learn-the-chinese-mandarin-tones/id829612788 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Fernando Colaco](https://appshunter.io/developer/415417684)
- Category: Education, Games, Word
- Price: $1.99
- Rating: 4.78/5 from 9 App Store ratings · 8 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 5.1.1 · 67 MB
- Languages: Czech, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese and 6 more
- Released: 2014-03-07
- Data updated: 2026-06-10
- Monetization: paid
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tone-game-fun-way-to-learn-the-chinese-mandarin-tones/id829612788/reviews.md

## What is Tone Game?

Are you learning Chinese? Having trouble with the Mandarin tones?

This game was born when I moved to Beijing and decided to start learning Chinese. One of the first obstacles when I started school was definitely the Mandarin tones, and correctly identifying them. So, I had the idea of building this easy to play learning game, as it will be useful for anyone learning Chinese and wishing to learn the tones, and practice in a fun way.

While trying to build the game with my own voice, I figured out quickly it would be a disaster without a real Chinese speaker's voice. So, I asked my Chinese teacher to help (and record all the possible words, more than 1500). That's her voice you hear in the game (special thanks!).

Playing the game is very simple, and you will practice the tones and will get better along the way. Listen to the sounds, and tap the tone you think is correct, using the 4 buttons at the bottom of the screen. Correct answers get more points (bottom right), and the more you advance, the more points you get per word. Wrong answers take one life (bottom left). The quicker you react, the more points you can also get. A bonus multiplier sits on top of the score, but will decrease each second after the phrase stops playing. If you want to replay a sound, just tap its word, but you will lose the bonus if you do so. You get extra lives after you pass a certain score, just check when you will get the next extra life (bottom left). The more you advance, the bigger the phrases are, having up to 4 words. Keep in mind that those are generated randomly out of all the possible pinyin sounds, so they don't need to mean anything.

Have fun and improve your Mandarin skills!

## Key features

- Native speaker audio
- Interactive tone identification
- Point-based progression
- Life system for mistakes
- Randomly generated phrases
- Bonus multiplier for speed

## Recent user reviews (8 of 8)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tone-game-fun-way-to-learn-the-chinese-mandarin-tones/id829612788/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Simple and efficient

*2020-11-22*

I am a beginner and want to get Chinese tones right. This app lets you hear random samples of hundreds of Chinese words recorded by a native Chinese speaker and you have to click one of the 4 tone buttons to confirm what tone you heard. The app keeps getting slightly more difficult as you progress until you get too many tones wrong, after which you get your score and can start playing again. 

It is simple, it is efficient and it is one of the best investments you can make into yourself for just a couple of bucks :)

### 4/5 — Frustration

*2019-07-11*

Excellent except when it shows the correct tone and on the last one it is covered up by the game over sign

### 5/5 — Worth every cent and more

*2019-02-22*

I have been learning Mandarin for a while now and I just wasn’t getting the hang of the times! This little game is perfect for training the ears to hear the different tones! I would only make two suggestions to the app builder:
-Add an option of showing the character as well as and also instead of the pinyin (varying the level of difficulty). 
-Include words with no tone, like 吗 maybe as an additional option.

### 5/5 — Great app!

*2018-11-19*

This is exactly what I needed! (Add Chinese characters to the display for each item & I’ll change my rating to 100 stars.) Seriously, thank you to this app developer for helping us “tone-deaf” beginner students... practice practice practice...

### 5/5 — Great App!

*2016-09-29*

Great little app for practicing tones. Seriously underrated!

### 4/5 — Great addition to your Chinese Listening Toolkit

*2015-01-30*

Fun app...hoping it helps me identify the tones more quickly.  As a new student to Chinese, it will be a good way to measure my listening skills as well.

### 4/5 — Very Helpful. Recommended to Mandarin Learners.

*2015-01-04*

This simple app is very helpful to anyone learning Mandarin Chinese and who may be struggling with tones. Without doubt it has helped me to develop an ear for distinguishing the tones. The native Chinese speaker also has a very pleasant voice, which is not true of many Mandarin apps.

The only reason I have not given the app a five-star rating is that the current version (1.0) provides no review of the tones you failed to hear during the game. Nonetheless, I recommend this app to anyone who is having difficulty with Mandarin tones.

### 4/5 — I love this thing

*2014-06-10*

I have a few apps that do something similar but this one is special somehow. It looks and sounds good and is actually fun. I think the game aspect makes it something you'll use on a regular basis.

## Frequently asked questions about Tone Game

### What is the primary purpose of Tone Game?

Tone Game is designed to help learners of Mandarin Chinese improve their ability to identify and distinguish between the four main tones. It uses interactive gameplay with native speaker audio to make learning fun and effective.

### How does Tone Game help users learn Mandarin tones?

Users listen to spoken words or phrases and tap the button corresponding to the tone they believe is correct. The game provides immediate feedback, points for correct answers, and lives for incorrect ones, encouraging practice and progression.

### What is the cost of Tone Game?

Tone Game is a paid application, available for $1.99. This one-time purchase grants access to all features without further charges.

### Is Tone Game suitable for all ages?

Yes, Tone Game has an age rating of 4+, making it suitable for a wide range of users, from young learners to adults, who are studying Mandarin.

### On which devices can I play Tone Game?

Tone Game is compatible with iOS devices, including iPhone, iPad, and iPod. It is designed to run on these Apple platforms.

### How often is Tone Game updated?

The application was last updated on July 8, 2015, with the latest version being 1.1. While updates may not be frequent, the core functionality for learning tones remains stable.

### Does Tone Game have advertisements?

No, Tone Game does not contain advertisements. As a paid application, it offers an uninterrupted learning experience without any ads.

### What is the user feedback on Tone Game?

Tone Game has received very positive user feedback, indicated by its high rating of 4.8 stars from 9 ratings. This suggests users find the game effective and enjoyable for learning Mandarin tones.

## Version history (last 2 releases)

### 1.1 — 2015-07-08

This app has been updated by Apple to display the Apple Watch app icon.

Some minor bug fixes.

### 1.0 — 2014-03-07

No release notes.

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*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 2026-06-10.*