Translation & language
interpreter
Offline Japanese-to-English screen translation for retro games
★ 781
September 2026
MIT
Translation & language
What we checked ourselves
Not copied from the project's own blurb. These are things we opened and verified, with the date.
- 9 Sept 2026We checked that the link to the project still resolves.
- 13 Sept 2026We read the licence text itself (LICENSE). No unusual restrictions were stated.
- 2 Sept 2026We read the project's own documentation and found no sign that development has stopped.
Where this sits among the 26 tools we list in Translation & language
- Works without using a terminal20 of 26
- No API key required20 of 26
- Keeps your data on your own machine12 of 26
- Commercial use confirmed as allowed22 of 26
Only 7 of the 26 meet all of the conditions above.
Counted from our own checks: every tool we list is examined against the same criteria.
What it does
Reads Japanese text off a game window, translates it and shows English subtitles as an overlay, using OCR trained specifically on Japanese retro game typography - which is why it does better than general screen translators on those titles. Everything runs locally with no network after setup. Note the direction is Japanese into English only. Modern or heavily stylised text reduces accuracy, and some games prohibit third-party overlays.
Summary based on the project's own description. The Japanese page has a fuller beginner guide: setup difficulty, what to prepare, and a step-by-step start.
Screenshots & visuals
Before you start
- Setup difficultySome setup needed
- Command lineNot required
- API keyNot required
- Sends data onlineNo
Judged automatically from the project's own metadata. Always confirm on the official page.
interpreter FAQ
- Is interpreter free?
- Yes. It runs on your own machine, so there is no usage-based cost either.
- Do I need to install anything or write code to use interpreter?
- You install it like a normal desktop app. No command line involved.
- Does interpreter work on a phone?
- No. It needs a computer.
- Can I use interpreter commercially?
- The licence is MIT, which permits commercial use. Conditions such as keeping the copyright notice still apply, so read the licence text before shipping it inside something.
How it compares
The conditions that decide whether you can actually use it, side by side.
| Tool | Command line | API key | Sends data out | Phone | Commercial use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| interpreter (this page) | Not needed | Not needed | No | No | Yes |
| Translumo | Not needed | Not needed | Yes | No | Yes |
| normcap | Not needed | Not needed | No | No | Not verified |
| MORT | Not needed | Not needed | Yes | No | Yes |
"Sends data out" means your input is uploaded to someone's server. Pick "No" when the material cannot leave your organisation.