This week’s Kickstarter pick of the week is Japanese: The Game. Japanese: The Game is a language learning card game brought to us by Bernard Hamaker.

Bernard lived in Japan, and finally managed to learn the language. Once he returned to the states he found that the systems that could be purchased were expense as well as aimed as teaching singularly. He took up the quest 6 years ago to come up with a new system that would allow people to learn with friends, or alone as well as much less cost prohibitive, allowing more people to learn the language with greater ease.

Japanese: the Game is the result of that six year project. It is a live-action version of Mad Libs which can be played either: solo, cooperatively or competitively. There will be expansions and Bernard has already made one using Japanese food.

Here’s a quick preview:

If you love games, love Japan or love languages, Japanese: The Game brings these things together to create a system that allows learners to learn Japanese in a fun and easy atmosphere.

They have already funded and reached their first stretch goal. Everyone who orders a core deck will also forever be subscribed to all updates to the print and play version of the game. With 30 days left on this Kickstarter, there is nothing to lose and everything to gain!

This week’s Kickstarter pick of the week is Sunrider – A Space Visual Novel brought to us by the independent game developer Love in Space.  Sunrider will be a freeware PC game upon completion.

Director, writer and programmer, Sam “Samu-kun” Yang describes his game as one where you as the player will get to captain your own ship, the Sunrider, as well as command your own squadron of mechs as you attempt to make allies, save yourself, your crew, and your world from the conquering PACT.

Love in Space has offered a variety of buy in levels starting at just one dollar. At the 15 dollar buy in you get early access to the game, including all betas. At the 25 dollar level you get actual physical media, a cd and dvd of the game as well as the early access and all other benefits from previous levels.

Here’s a quick preview:

With beautiful graphics brought to the game by artist Ashton “melonbunny” Wilson and an amazing soundtrack that is as grandiose as any movie sound track it is easy to see why Sunrider has already funded and reached almost all of its stretch goals. With only six days left this is a great opportunity to support a small, independent game developer and get a great product as well.