Mojinerai: Party Word Game

Home for the holidays? 26 new New Year topics are here. Play with family and friends: 2 to 8 on one phone, 2 to 20 on everyone's phones.

Secretly write a word that fits the topic. Every kana someone calls flips a few more cards in everyone's word. A deduction game for friends and family, perfect when everyone gets together for the holidays.

Note: the game screens are in Japanese only. You need to read and write hiragana to play.

TWO WAYS TO PLAY

• One phone: 2 to 8 players. Pass the phone only to write words, then put it in the middle for everyone to see. Works without a signal.
• Everyone's phones: 2 to 20 players. One player creates a room, and others join by scanning the room QR code or typing the room code. When anyone calls a kana, the cards flip on every phone at the same moment.
• Friends who do not have the app yet can scan the room QR code with the iPhone camera. A room page opens with a link to the App Store and the room code in large letters.
• Turn a tablet or a device connected to a TV into the big screen so the whole group can watch the board.

WHAT MAKES IT DIFFERENT

• The first time you open the app, a tutorial with moving examples shows the rules and both ways to play.
• Pick from a full hiragana table. Called letters are marked, so everyone can see which letters remain.
• A 30 second timer for each turn. A shrinking line shows the time, and when it runs out the turn passes.
• Over 530 topics, like "things in a haunted house", plus New Year topics such as "things in a New Year meal box". From December 15 to January 10, the New Year topics come first. Or write your own topic with the write button on the topic screen.
• Team play from 7 players. Each player writes a word, and a team is out when 2 of its words are fully exposed.
• The app does all the judging: whose cards flip, who is out, and who wins.

HOW TO PLAY

1. Write a hiragana word of 2 to 8 letters that fits the topic. Everyone gets 8 cards, so no one can tell how long your word is.
2. Take turns calling one kana. It flips on every board that has it, including your own.
3. If 6 of your cards are open, or your whole word is open, you are fully exposed and out. The last one still hidden wins.

READING THE TABLE

• Flip a rival's card and you go again, up to 2 calls in one turn.
• If the kana is in your own word, your card flips too. You can even call it on purpose to mislead.
• If one kana fully exposes both the caller and a rival at once, it is a clash, and the caller loses.
• Voiced marks and small kana become plain kana on the cards, so words with them are harder to read.
• There is no cards left marker. Word lengths stay hidden, so no one is safe until the end.
• One game takes about 5 to 11 minutes.

PLAYING ON EVERYONE'S PHONES

• Rooms are private. Players join only with a QR code or room code shared in person. There is no public room list.
• The room creator can remove players, and anyone can leave at any time.
• Names, words, and written topics pass a simple word filter before they are sent. Use Report a problem in the room menu if something is wrong.
• The camera is used only to scan the room QR code. Images are never saved or sent.

ALSO

• No login.
• Player names and the sound setting are saved on your device for next time.
• On everyone's phones, names and words are delivered to people in the same room. Rooms are deleted when closed or after a few hours.
• A toy-like purple world with a little lid character. Call a kana and the card lids pop open with eyes peeking out. Full exposures and wins land with spotlights and confetti. Turn sound off on the title screen.