Cooking Mama (video game)
A touch-screen cooking simulation with 96 dishes.
Cooking Mama is a 2006 cookery simulation video game developed by Office Create for the Nintendo DS. It was published by Taito, Majesco, and 505 Games, and received IGN's Best Of E3 award for 2006. The game launched the Cooking Mama series, which later expanded to multiple platforms and spin-offs including Gardening Mama.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- Office Create
- Publisher
- Taito (JP)
- Majesco (NA)
- 505 Games (PAL)
- Composer
- Masayoshi Ishi
- Genre
- Simulation, minigame
- Modes
- Single-player, multiplayer
- Platforms
- Nintendo DS, iOS
Facts from the source article.
Gameplay
Cooking Mama is a minigame compilation where the player uses the device's touch screen to cook various meals under the guidance of the titular Mama. Tasks include chopping vegetables, slicing meat, flipping food in pans, and arranging items on the plate, each performed through a minigame lasting less than ten seconds. The iOS version additionally uses the accelerometer for some activities. The game contains 96 different dishes, each requiring one to a dozen minigames. Minigame mechanics range from drawing parallel lines to chop items to a rhythm game for adding ingredients or adjusting heat. Players often look at the top screen for instructions and perform actions on the bottom screen. A serious blunder or time expiration causes a failure, shown by an angry Mama with flames in her eyes and the caption Don't worry, Mama will fix it!. Performance is rated per dish, awarding bronze, silver, or gold medals based on the average minigame result; the highest medal earned is recorded on the selection screen.
Game modes
The main mode lets players cook dishes, starting with a few simple recipes and unlocking more as earlier ones are mastered. Each recipe requires timed minigames for each ingredient or group; for example, making a sandwich involves chopping a cucumber into slices before time runs out. When replaying a mastered recipe, the player may change the dish between minigames, unlocking the new recipe. A practice mode allows replaying unlocked recipes. Another mode lets players combine unlocked recipes, such as Fried Eggs with Rice to make an entree. A further mode tests minigaming skills like peeling, stewing, and tearing, ranking the player at the end.
Reception
The DS version received mixed or average reviews on Metacritic. Famitsu gave it four sevens for a total of 28 out of 40. 411Mania scored it 7.5 out of 10, calling it a quality and affordable title at $19.99. Detroit Free Press gave three stars out of four, describing it as best played in small bursts and perfect for waiting or road trips. The Sydney Morning Herald gave three stars out of five, saying it was a lot of fun but unlikely to satisfy a gaming appetite. The original Cooking Mama sold over 500,000 copies in the United States as of August 15, 2007, and over one million in PAL regions. It received a Double Platinum sales award from ELSPA, indicating at least 600,000 copies in the United Kingdom. By January 30, 2008, the series had sold over 2.6 million copies worldwide. Majesco credited it for an increase in revenue in early 2007. By May 2009, over four million series copies were sold in North America. Miley Cyrus was a noted fan. PETA created a Flash game titled Cooking Mama: Mama Kills Animals to criticize the use of meat-based recipes and promote veganism. The creators responded that they would never put rat in ratatouille and noted not all recipes are meat-based. PETA expressed happiness with the release of Gardening Mama.
More in Taito Games of the 2000s
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