Ruby Rei, created by game developers Wibbu, is a language learning video game app for mobile.
The third-person adventure game teaches players a foreign language through ‘game-first’ learning. It’s aim is to make people fall in love with languages by – literally – making it as fun as playing a video game.
Ruby Rei was inspired by the millions of people around the world who support their language learning through popular culture including foreign films and TV. The game focuses on immersing players in an epic adventure so they never feel like they are using an ‘educational tool’. Instead, they can just enjoy the game and gain a new language as they play.
Many language-learning apps still use traditional teaching methods such as testing and repetition which disengages users resulting in higher risk of language learning abandonment. *
Simon Moore, from the British Psychological Society and CEO of the Award-Winning Psychology Consultancy Innovation Bubble comments: “The key elements of Ruby Rei, as a game play app, delivers a positive experience to the new language learners. The focus on fun and enjoyment, provides immediate self-gratification of performance and immediate rewards which will encourage the user to play and learn more often.”
Ruby Rei has been developed to intrigue and engage language learners of all ages, whether it is to help deliver extra support with studies, an exchanging hobby for a commute or to learn a language ahead of a trip.
Throughout the process the user has the opportunity to learn:
- Up to1,500 words
- Develop their grammar to beginner and intermediate beginner level*
- Engage in over 600conversations
All elements of the game have been crafted by linguists, language teachers and game developers to transform both games and education with a new approach to learner motivation.
Highlights of the 20 levels include:
- Mini-gamesthat increase in difficulty to help Ruby conquer the environment on her new planet.
Educational benefit: This offers the ability to address cognitive components such as active audio and visual stimuli which helps engage memory, attention and perception.
- Logic puzzlesthat encourage the player to find and use items. Players also manipulate the environment in order to help out other characters and to allow Ruby to continue on her journey.
Educational benefit: Regular delivery of new problems/events helps maintain student engagement and interest.
- An engaging storylinewhich unfolds as the player progresses. Freedom to explore the planet and to interact with the environment. These interactions uncover additional parts of the story and allow Rubyto understand more about the mysterious planet that she has landed on.
Educational benefit: Characters, plots and the story are a dynamic strength to language learning in terms of meaning, value, and context.
The game is centered around the lead character, Ruby, who embodies all of the things it takes to be successful in learning a new language. She is fearless, adventurous, curious, excitable, and ready for a challenge. Throughout the game, Ruby makes new friends, explore new cultures, and finds new and exciting ways to express herself.
Wibbu CEO, Dean Jacobs said: “Our players fall in love with language learning because we literally make it as fun as playing a video game. Players are immersed in exciting worlds with compelling characters so that they’re emotionally connected to both the game and learning experience. RubyRei focuses on immersing players in the game with compelling worlds to intrinsically motivate them to want to play. It does not involve the pressure of tests; instead, players can enjoy Ruby Rei as game in itself.”
Languages available in 2017 include Spanish, French and Japanese for English speakers, English for Spanish, Portuguese, French, Japanese, Mandarin, Korean, Cantonese, Russian, Arabic speakers.
Ruby Rei is available for download on the Apple Store and Android.
