Japanese DS games for kids (e.g. Pokemon) - Kana, Kanji, or a mix?

Question:

Hi!

I have been studying Japanese for a little while and would like to buy some video games (particularly PC or Nintendo DS) in Japanese so I can practice and have fun at the same time. Does anyone know if games for kids such as Pokemon are written mostly in Kanji or Kana or a mix? What grade level (Japanese grade level, that is) are those types of games?

Also, if they are written with a lot of Kanji, about how big do you think your vocabulary would need to be (300 characters? 600 characters?)

Thank you!

Answer:

Firstly Japanese language is written either in Kanji Kana mix or in Kana only, but it can not be written in Kanji only.
So the possible options are Kanji Kana mix or Kana only.

Pokemon series is mainly dedicated for children, so when you first play in DS you have an option; option 1 Kanji Kana mix mode, option 2 Kana only mode. Apparently the option 2 is for the children. And you can change the option while you play, of course.
Also when you opt Kana only mode, the message is written in relatively easier Japanese so that the children can understand easily.
This option was first applied in Black and White versions, the latest of the series. The earlier versions such as Diamond / Pearl / Platinum etc have the Kana mode option only.

My kid in the 3rd grade opted Kanji Kana mix mode and he does not have serious difficulty in understanding what the messages say. So I guess 400 Kanjis should be enough.