DS gets wordplay, Japanese-English dictionary

By James Ransom-Wiley

Kanji Sonomama Rakubiki Jiten was released for the DS in Japan today, bringing an affordable electronic Japanese-English dictionary to the masses.
KSRJ's major selling point is its stylus functionality, allowing users to input kanji (stroke-sensitive) and kana onto the touch screen. Japan Chronicles compared Nintendo's new toy tool to Canon's pricey
($299–$470) Wordtank V80 Chinese-Japanese-English dictionary, which also allows kanji inputs via a stylus. Here's what the site liked about KSRJ:

  • Price*
  • Same J-to-E and E-to-J dictionaries
  • Word search by kanji
  • English pronunciation
  • Very readable,
    especially on a DS Lite
  • Easy-to-use search history
  • Useful quiz modes
  • World clock
  • Calendar

Here's what Wordtank V80 does better:

  • Vastly superior navigation
  • Superior Japanese dictionary (Super Daijirin vs. Meiky%u014D)
  • Includes Chinese dictionary, as well as dedicated English and Kanji dictionaries
  • Stylus-controlled navigation
  • Includes real (not virtual) keyboard

*We're not sure what the official retail price for the dictionary software is, but we found KSRJ for as low as $48 at goldenshop.com.hk.

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