Top 10 Fun English Learning Games
Sometimes learning a new language through online courses can become dull, becoming a tedious task in your routine. Fortunately, there are several ways to have this learning fun. Whether watching a movie without subtitles or trying to identify and translate the lyrics of your favorite songs, the methods are quite broad. Of course electronic games can also be great partners. That's why we've put together a list of 10 of the best games to learn English in a fun and uncompromising way!
Tip: Even tiring, do you need to focus on your studies? Then check out these 20 apps to study on any subject on iPhone, iPad and Android!
1. Pokémon Series
The Nintendo Pocket Monster franchise to date is one of the best games to learn English, especially because they are also available for Android and iPhone today. This is because of the large amount of texts and descriptions, although all of them are of low complexity. That is, the most used words and terms in the language are present in the title, helping the player to become more and more familiar with the written part of the language.
If you choose Pokémon GO as your game to learn the language better, check out these 10 tips for becoming a master!
2. World of Warcraft
One of the highlights of our list of the best online adventure games, World of Warcraft can be a great ally in learning. Although it contains many more texts and descriptions than the Pokémon franchise games, the game's vocabulary remains simple, adding little complexity to the other. Another great advantage of it is the ability to play it entirely in Portuguese and change the language at any time. That is, if a term or mission is difficult to understand in English, you can switch to Portuguese and understand what was being said, increasing your internal dictionary of the language.
3. Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?
A classic from the 90's, Carmen Sandiego is not only a great way to learn English, but also broaden your knowledge of geography and history. We say this because the game's plot involves hunting international criminals all over the world, but given the age of the game, many geographical references have changed or no longer exist, serving to know what the geopolitics, culture and borders of 20 years ago were like. It does not have as many dialogues as World of Warcraft and Pokémon, but it is easily understandable for those who are not as familiar with the language.
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4. Sherlock Holmes Series
Current games about Sherlock Holmes are also a good way to learn the language, especially because they also bring translation into Portuguese. More complex than the investigations of the classic mentioned above, the games on the series - whose current editions are called Crimes & Punishments and The Devil's Daughter - bring the detective into several loose investigations as the main plot unfolds in the background.
Because you need to pay attention to the dialogues, details and information, this makes it one of the best games to learn English and begin to understand the language of the queen's land. Sherlock Holmes adventures in games can be purchased for both current and PC consoles.
5. Valiant Hearts: The Great War
Another English learning game that is also great for learning history. The plot tells the story of four individuals - and a nice little dog - during World War I. Seemingly loose, the stories intertwine, talking about war from a more human perspective, rather than the uninterrupted action of shooter games. In addition to the adventure, the game provides an encyclopedia, telling about events that happened during the conflicts and descriptions of common items used during the period.
Valiant Hearts: The Great War can be played on consoles, PC, Android and iOS. It also has Portuguese translation and references to Brazilian participation in the war which we strongly recommend you see.
6. Feel the Music
A game available for browsers, Feel the Music lets you fill in the gaps of many songs sung in English. That is, you must identify in the song what the singer is saying and then choose the right option to earn more points. In addition to fun, exercise is a great help in improving your language perception and listening. By signing up, you get virtual money to release more complex songs.
7. Verb Machine
An online game provided by an educational institution, Verb Machine is an excellent tool for learning verbs, although its mechanics are not so similar to that of video games. However, it enters this list because it allows free exploration, bringing to the player the various ways to use verbs in the language through just four buttons. It's great for times when you need to build a sentence but you're not sure how to use a verb in it.
8. Spelloween
Another browser game available from the British Council, Spelloween has a formula for putting your English skills to the test - and under pressure. The game consists of two quick tests. The first one lasts 90 seconds and shows word options, and the player must choose the correct one, with each hit giving a point and error taking one. At the end of the sequence, your score is given and the correct answer to the questions you missed are shown on the screen.
The second test forces you to do the opposite, pointing the wrong written word! However, when you get it right, you must write the correct version to earn more points. A match lasts just over a minute or two, but it's a good way to test your vocabulary.
9. The Walking Dead: The Game
Similar to Spelloween, The Walking Dead's official game promises to put your language skills to the test with even greater pressure. With a focus on dialogue and storyline, you should make decisions and respond quickly to emergencies, at the risk of making someone meal for zombies, for example. For all the pressure involved, the title turns out to be a great way to improve your thinking speed. The Walking Dead: The game can be played on consoles, PC, Android and iOS.
Check out our review of the game and better understand why it is one of the best games to learn English!
10. Fallout Series or The Elder Scrolls
The tenth option on our list is according to the type of adventure you enjoy. If post-apocalyptic scenarios are your thing, we recommend the recent Fallout games - which is currently in its fourth edition - but if you prefer the medieval fantasy scenarios, the fourth and fifth chapter of the Elder Scrolls series are the most suitable. Both are open world RPGs, meaning they offer you a new world to explore.
With hundreds of non-playable and mostly accessible characters, you can greatly expand your vocabulary through dialogue with them. The immersion provided by both franchises allows you to learn much of English vocabulary with just one game. However, it is worth remembering that, unlike World of Warcraft, The Elder Scrolls and Fallout are single player games except The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited.
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Which of these English learning games were the best for your learning?
Each game described here has its own unique features and will work best according to the preferences of anyone who will test them. Had you ever played any of these titles? Which one do you think taught the language better? Comment with us and see our list of some of the best iPhone and iPad translation apps!
