12 Petpals

A first-words language app kids can play on their own.

12 Petpals turns word cards into companion stories, battle games, and a review backpack, helping children build vocabulary step by step while parents easily follow their progress.

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2-minute gameplay walkthrough

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A short walkthrough will show story levels, review battles, backpack review, the world map, shop rewards, and the child's daily learning summary page.

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Core first words

A curated set of 530 high-frequency everyday words

Categories cover fruit, vegetables, staples, drinks, animals, insects, plants, body parts, clothing, toys, vehicles, sports, family members, weather, colors, numbers and more.

Story learning

Everyday words come alive in warm scenes

Children become little helpers and explore the world together with their zodiac companions.

In familiar everyday places such as the living room, kitchen, supermarket, and zoo, the zodiac companions ask children for help identifying objects in the scene. When a child taps the right item, a matching word card is created and added to the backpack, turning vocabulary practice into natural, low-pressure comprehensible input.

The full set of 4,800 story levels is designed around repeated exposure to core vocabulary. Based on an adapted Ebbinghaus-style spaced review schedule, each word reappears across a 0-1-2-4-7-15-21-30 day rhythm, helping children gradually strengthen memory through stories and interaction.

Battle Review

Friendly battles that make review stick

Guided review battles turn repetitive practice into a fun challenge, helping children strengthen the words they have already learned in a relaxed way.

12 Petpals includes 19 dreamy 3D night-stage battle scenes inspired by famous Chinese landmarks, including Fujian Tulou, The Bund in Shanghai, Changbai Mountain in Jilin, Lushan Mountain in Jiangxi, and more. Each scene features a fluffy, fruit-topped Forgotten Monster.

Children listen to the audio and choose the correct word card from 5 options. A correct answer launches an attack; a wrong answer triggers a counterattack from the Forgotten Monster. To clear the level, children need to answer every question correctly. If they make mistakes, they return to review, strengthen the words again, and then challenge the battle once more before unlocking the next story levels.

Based on an adapted Ebbinghaus-style spaced review schedule, the battle system increases word exposure across all 530 core words, with each word appearing up to 18 times through learning and review. This helps children build memory through a repeatable loop of listening, choosing, battling, and reviewing.

Shop and Rewards

Energy Stars help Chinese zodiac companions grow

Children earn 2 Energy Stars after completing a story level and 5 Energy Stars after completing a battle level. Energy Stars come from the learning journey itself, offering gentle encouragement for steady practice and successful progress.

Children can use Energy Stars in the shop to redeem growth items, outfits, and Chinese zodiac gems that carry positive character meanings, such as Wisdom Gems, Courage Gems, and Life Gems. These rewards help unlock different growth stages for the Chinese zodiac companions: age 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, and 21.

Once a zodiac companion unlocks the age-6 growth form, the child can enter battle levels and begin new review challenges against the Forgotten Monsters. Learning, rewards, growth, and battle become a natural loop.

The reward system is warm and low-pressure, using companion growth as a story-driven reason for children to keep learning from within.

Timer and Eye Protection

A daily 30-minute limit for healthier learning

12 Petpals includes a built-in learning timer that gives children a clear, gentle boundary and helps them build a healthier rhythm of study and rest.

When daily learning time approaches 25 minutes, the app automatically gives a break reminder, encouraging the child to rest their eyes and move around.

When daily usage reaches 30 minutes, the app automatically locks the screen and exits. The app will not reopen for learning again on the same day, helping prevent long continuous screen use.

The lock is automatically lifted at midnight the next day, so each day starts fresh with a stable, healthy, and sustainable learning rhythm.