Zon (www.enterzon.com)
© 2009 Confucius Institute
Zon is a free (registration required) virtual world -- or MMOG -- designed to teach English speakers Chinese language and culture through games and chat. Since the site first launched in 2009, it has improved, both in navigation and content, making it much more useful as a resource. Now you can hear words pronounced. There are five levels of play. You start by designing your avatar, and then become a tourist at the Beijing Airport. You must pass through customs and get to your hotel, while completing challenges designed to accomplish various tasks. You start by exploring to learn about myths and legends, investigating famous temples or shopping in public markets. Players can advance to rent apartments, buy a car, or own their own business. There are also tools that let you contribute content and a Wordpress blog, with additional resources. The site was funded by the Office of the Chinese Language Council International (Hanban) and Michigan State University. Disclaimer: I (Warren Buckleitner) went to this graduate school; one of the principle designers was on my doctoral committee. Learn more at www.enterzon.com.
Windows, Mac OSX, Internet Site
Teaches: Chinese language and culture
CTR Rating: 92%