By DeNA Co.
Report updated Apr 17, 2026
PROGRAMMING ZEMI
For young elementary school students (1st grade and up), parents, and teachers seeking a free, creative introduction to programming logic.
PROGRAMMING ZEMI is an established education app that is completely free. With a 2.6/5 rating from 5 reviews, it shows polarized user reception.
What is PROGRAMMING ZEMI?
Current Momentum
v1.14
- Fixed bugs
Active Nemesis
Tynker Junior: Coding for Kids
By Tynker
Other Rivals
7-Day Rank Pulse 🇺🇸
EducationNo ranking data
Rating Pulse 🇺🇸
What makes this app unique?
What Does It Look Like?
How Is The App's Momentum Right Now?
Loading...
What Are The Key Features?
Allows children to take photos of their own drawings and animate them within their programs.
Limited-time integration of 54 characters, 16 backdrops, and 5 music tracks from SEGA.
Standardized drag-and-drop programming interface for pre-readers and early learners.
A gallery system for sharing work and remixing programs created by peers.
How much does it cost?
- Completely free to use
The app is likely a CSR or brand-building tool for DeNA, removing all financial friction for users but lacking a direct monetization path.
Who Built It?
DeNA Co.
Bridging physical entertainment and digital engagement through high-profile IP collaborations and location-based AR companion tools.
Portfolio
8
Apps
Who is DeNA Co.?
DeNA leverages a dual-track strategy of managing global media franchises alongside a pivot toward O2O (Online-to-Offline) immersive experiences. Their primary moat is the ability to secure and execute high-tier licensing partnerships, such as Pokémon and Sonic the Hedgehog, while simultaneously developing proprietary AR infrastructure for physical facilities. The current trajectory signals a move toward 'Smart City' and XR sectors, using mobile software as the primary engagement layer for localized Japanese entertainment venues.
Who is DeNA Co. for?
- Fans of major media franchises
- Visitors to physical immersive entertainment facilities in Japan
Portfolio momentum
Maintained an active development cycle with 7 updates across the 4-app portfolio in the last 6 months, including recent facility-linked launches.
What other apps does DeNA Co. make?
Pococha Live
EDGE POKER (エッジポーカー)
FINAL FANTASY Record Keeper
Pokémon Masters EX
Wonderia
アルプラ
What do users think recently?
Analysis in progress, available soon
What is the competitive landscape for PROGRAMMING ZEMI?
How's The Education Market?
How does it evolve in the Education market?
| Country | Category | Chart | Rank | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇯🇵 Japan | Family | AndroidFree | #116 | ▼26 |
The rivals identified
The Nemesis
- -
Higher rated at 4.5★ vs 2.6★
- -
Word-Free Visual Coding
- -
Gamified Coding Adventures
Contenders
Highly structured scope and sequence designed for school environments
Focuses on foundational logic (loops, conditions) through maze-based puzzles
ScratchJr
★3.9 (38.2K)Scratch Foundation, Inc.
The industry standard for introductory block-based coding for the K-2 age group, offering a similar creative sandbox without the need for reading skills.
Completely free and open-source with no commercial ties
Extremely high adoption rate in elementary school curricula worldwide
codeSpark - Coding for Kids
★4.6 (40.3K)Homer
📈The most successful gamified coding app for young children, utilizing a 'no-words' interface similar to Programming Zemi.
Superior gamification mechanics that drive daily active usage
Includes a 'Game Maker' mode that allows users to create and share their own arcade games
Peers
Open-ended creative freedom that allows for more complex projects than block-puzzles
Strong social feed where kids can play and remix each other's games
Swift Playground
★3.7 (1.8K)Apple
The official Apple entry point for coding, which many parents move to after children master basic block-based apps.
Direct path to professional development using real Swift code
High-end 3D graphics and deep integration with iPad hardware (ARKit, sensors)
New Kids on the Block
Exceptional visual design and aesthetic appeal for younger children
Broad variety of game mechanics beyond simple block-connecting
OctoStudio: Create-Code-Learn
MIT
A new, mobile-first creative coding app from the creators of Scratch that emphasizes using phone sensors and cameras.
Heavy focus on 'coding in the real world' using photos, sounds, and movement
Completely free, private, and designed for offline use in diverse environments
The outtake for PROGRAMMING ZEMI
Strengths to defend, gaps to attack
Core Strengths
- Sonic the Hedgehog IP integration
- Unique Doodle Animation feature
- Completely free with no IAP
- Classroom-tested pedagogical foundation
Critical Frictions
- Low iOS rating (2.6 stars)
- Very low review volume (5 ratings)
- Limited marketing/social media presence
- Time-limited nature of key IP content
Growth Levers
- Develop a teacher dashboard to compete with Kodable
- Add a 'Game Maker' mode to match codeSpark's engagement
- Expand to more gaming IP collaborations via DeNA's network
Market Threats
- ScratchJr's dominance in global school curricula
- New mobile-first competition from MIT's OctoStudio
- High-budget marketing from BYJU'S (Tynker)
What are the next best moves?
Conduct a technical audit of the iOS build to identify causes of the 2.6-star rating.
A 2.6 rating is a significant churn risk and prevents App Store featuring, regardless of feature quality.
Launch a user acquisition campaign centered on the Sonic the Hedgehog content before the 2027 expiration.
The Sonic license is a high-value differentiator that is currently underutilized given the low rating count.
Evaluate the addition of a 'Game Maker' mode.
Competitor codeSpark uses this feature to drive significantly higher retention and community content generation.
Feature Gaps vs Competitors
- Game Maker mode (available in codeSpark)
- Narrative-driven missions (available in Tynker Junior)
- Teacher dashboard for classroom management (available in Kodable)
- AR/3D integration (available in Swift Playgrounds)
Key Takeaways
PROGRAMMING ZEMI has a strong creative hook with its Doodle Animation and Sonic IP, but it is currently failing to achieve market scale. If I were the PM, I would prioritize fixing the technical issues causing the 2.6-star rating and then aggressively market the Sonic collaboration to schools as a free, high-quality alternative to ScratchJr.
Where Is It Heading?
Stable
v1.14.13 updated in March 2026 — indicates the app is in active development, not maintenance mode.
Sonic collaboration secured until March 2027 — provides a clear content runway for the next year.
Extremely low rating volume (5) despite being on the store since 2017 — suggests stagnant growth.