My Spanish Coach by UbiSoft

Is it Really Possible to Learn a Foreign Language on the DS?

Having inherited an original Nintendo DS from my kids (they all have DS lites now), I have decided to delve into the 'learning' aspect of the system.  such adventures have included the Brain Age series, Flash Focus, etc...  Being a low intermediate Spanish speaker - with a limited vocabulary, I was naturally drawn to this new title.  And, I am glad I found it!

Getting Started

It is relatively easy to start learning Spanish on the DS. If you have any experience with DS software, or even playing online games at sites like http://da.partycasino.com/, then you'll be fairly familiar with the process. After inserting the game for the first time, you are presented with the title screen, asking you to create a profile:

Main Screen

When you create a new profile, your automatically taken through a series of 50 questions to determine what level you will start at.  Sadly, the test only covers the basic beginner material (for example:  numbers, months, days of the week, etc...).  The test concludes if you miss 2 questions in a row (I missed one on accident).  I was placed in lesson 11, which was still in the realm of beginners.

Lesson Selection Screen

The actual Spanish lessons consist of Each lesson segment begins with anywhere from 6 to 12 words, in which the English word is hidden.  When you reveal the word, it's spoken in a pleasant female voice.  The pronuncuation is clear and easy to understand.   You can then compare, if you wish - your own voice side by side with the Spanish speaker to validate your pronunciation.  This is a unique feature that takes full advantage of the DS's design.

learn spanish words - compare your pronounciation

Following completion of the words, most lessons present you with up to 4 Spanish phrases, using varying verbs.  After completing the phrases, the games are made available (many unlock as the lesson progress). 

Basic Spanish Phrases

All games offer the opportunity to select from the current open words, mastered words (from past lessons), and 3 skill levels.  Harder skill levels earn you more points toward completing the level.  The games (3 in particular) are where this program really shines.   In flash cards, a Spanish word is read, and you are presented 4 choices in which to respond - depending on skill level, you will have more or less time in which to complete this task.  Multiple choice presents you with an English word, offering 4 Spanish word choices - which are then read as they are selected.  The other gem is Spelltastic - where a word is read, and you have to spell it correctly - including accented letters.  Other useful games include Bridge Builder (for phrase building) and a basic word search game.

       All games have the same setup features                                                            Flash Cards

On the other side, the matching game (which requires you to match a Spanish word with and English word) and Hit a Word are essentially useless.  The matching game doesn't give you enough time, and the whack-a-word is merely and exercise in reflexes rather than learning. 

Hit a Word - Pass on this one

When you complete each game, you are assigned points for the individual words.   When the required number of points is earned, you can move on to the next level, or continue to play in the current level.  Where the new level begins, however, is not exactly clear, and you actually have to backtrack in order to start the new lesson. 

Pros

• Words are well spoken, and easy to understand
• Dizzying amount of lessons (1000) and words (10,000) - you'll be busy for a long time.
• Multiple Choice and Flash Card games promote high retention
• At every level you can select to include past words in all games

Cons

• Some of the games are not helpful (matching and hit a word)
• Not much grammer or tense help
• Interface navigation could be improved - especially when completing levels

Conclusion

All in all, this is a tremendous value if your main goal is to increase your Spanish vocabulary.   Those in need of grammer and conversational skills won't find that much here.  So, to answer the question "Is it Really Possible to Learn a Foreign Language on the DS?" - well, is yes and no.  While My Spanish Coach won't teach you conversational Spanish, it should drastically improve your Spanish vocabulary - and for that, it's certainly worth the price.

Unfortunately, maybe due to the distribution network, My Spanish Coach (in addition to the other titles) is not easy to find in the local store.  I got the lone copy from a local Gamespot, which was the only one in the area that had it.  While your at it, you might check out My French Coach and My Chinese coach as well - same format, but French and Chinese respectively.

- Katheman