A mobile Game to Practice German

A while ago the Goethe Institut released a mobile Game, Lernabenteuer Deutsch – Das Geheimnis der Himmelsscheibe, to Practice German. I played through much of the iPad version, but other platforms are supported as well: iOS (iPhone, iPod touch), Android, and a browser-based version.

All versions are free and worked flawlessly. The game is clearly an instructional game that features a mystery narrative. The player has to travel to different locations in Germany and solve small puzzles and complete language-based tasks. These include listening to instructions and then determining a route on a map, small conversations, or the reordering of sentences.

The game is designated for A2 level (or higher), so language beginners with some knowledge of German will feel right at home. Lernabenteuer Deutsch – Das Geheimnis der Himmelsscheibe can be played as a standalone, single-player game, or as a course-integrated learning module. The Goethe Institut does provide some work sheets and documents for teachers of German. Help is available in English and in German.

Overall, the game feels like an interactive textbook, with tasks closely resembling activities found in a textbook. For fun, it cannot compete with commercial game offerings. But as a serious game, as the Goethe Institut classifies it, it is certainly a valuable resource and adds some interactive features that a textbook cannot offer. Since it is free, it can definitely be mentioned to students for independent language practice.