Progress: All recipes unlocked
Cooking Mama Cook Off is a sequel to the DS game. It is a cooking simulation game that uses a variety of mini-games to mimic steps in food preparation. The main objective of the game is to complete all the steps of each recipe quickly and efficiently. As recipes are completed, more recipes are unlocked.
The controls of the game vary depending on the mini-game. Tasks included are cutting (sawing motion), mincing (hammering motion), and stir-frying (adding ingredients, then shaking the pan to cook evenly). The Wii remote is put to good use in this game. I did encounter some control difficulties in some of the tasks, such as kneading in the proper direction. I swore I was moving my remote in the correct direction, but the game responded differently. Also, in the seasoning task where its necesary to shake your Wii remote at the proper time, it was too responsive and picked up any very slight movement. My resolution to that problem was to set the remote down on the table and nudge it when needed.
There are many recipes in the game, which almost seemed to drag it on. As I was playing, trying to find an end, more and more recipes became unlocked. Recipes include sushi, lasagne, and tacos. Eventually, they were all unlocked and finished. Scores are awarded based on speed and quality, and a medal is awarded upon completion of the dish. There is also a mode that allows you to face off with computer characters from the different nationalities of which the dishes originate. By winning against them, you win different items that you can place in your virtual kitchen in the game.
Scores:
- Graphics: 6/10 (kinda reminds me of Flash)
- Sound: 8/10
- Multiplayer: 8/10
- Control: 7/10
Overall Score (not an average): 6.5/10
Summary of Cooking Mama Cook Off:
Overall, I wasn’t very impressed by the game. At first, it was neat and interesting, but became very repetitive and almost pointless (having a full separate mini-game just to mince 1 half clove of garlic…). The recipes were interesting and some of the tasks were a little challenging. Personally, I think I’d rather try making the food for real (but money and proper tools does get in the way of that). This game isn’t really for me, but don’t let that stop you from trying it.
SECOND OPINION (Miyamoto):
This game provides a very decent gaming experience, especially for something so original. The game suffers, though from the fact that it looks, plays, and essentially is a DS port. The multi-player aspect of the game can be surprisingly competitive and entertaining, especially when you get a couple of experienced “cooks” going head-to-head. I had a lot more fun with this game than I was expecting. This is still definitely a “rent it first” title, in some cases you may even be able to master the game within the time that you rent it.
My Score: 7.5/10
