12DOVE Verdict
Pros
- +
Mid-recipe minigames
- +
Share the pain in two-player mode
- +
Thankfully brief
Cons
- -
Inconsistent controls
- -
Repetitive activities
- -
Belongs on DS
Why you can trust 12DOVE
Part of the charm of the original Cooking Mama on DS was Mama herself, with her cheery advice that would turn to fire-eyed anger at the drop of a spoon. The cutesy presentation helped too, yet the game was fundamentally about cooking.
Now, however, food has taken a back seat to ‘personality’. The game’s shifted from a first-person view, meaning you now face your MySims-esque avatar as you control their movements while Mama buzzes around offering non-stop Engrish encouragement. This front-on view isn’t nearly as intuitive as before, and the blocky 3D is a graphical step backwards for the series.
The Let’s Cook mode gives you the chance to prepare a meal for one of Mama’s odd friends. It’s a pretty pointless addition though, as the process of assembling one of the 51 dishes (yes, just 51) remains the same, except on a ‘one mistake and you’re out’ system. The two-player activities fail to liven things up for the same reason – there just isn’t enough variety. There are more new tricks in the shape of mid-recipe minigames where you help Mama rectify your culinary mistakes by catching stray ingredients in her apron or grabbing a flying pizza base, but, as in the main game, unresponsive controls hinder your efforts.
Feb 25, 2009
More info
Genre | Simulation |
Description | Even with new features such as mid-recipe minigames, this latest Cooking Mama will not have you coming back for seconds. |
Franchise name | Cooking Mama |
UK franchise name | Cooking Mama |
Platform | "Wii" |
US censor rating | "Everyone" |
UK censor rating | "3+" |
Release date | 1 January 1970 (US), 1 January 1970 (UK) |
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