Cooking Mama (Nintendo DS, 2006)

Food-themed titles are pretty much a rarity in the western gaming world; there are some RPG's that have some cooking components to them (Tales of Phantasia comes to mind, for example) and, if you're a retro gamer, you've surely played Food Fight and Root Beer Tapper. In Japanese gaming, such titles are a lot more common, some titles that I can remember off the top of my head: Ore no Ryori, Nabe Kazoku (both PSone), Burger Burger Pocket (GBC), Curry House CoCo Ichibanya (PS2). This shouldn't come as too much of a surprise if you've visited Japan because Japanese tend to be near food-obsessed - watch the classic '85 film Tampopo for reference.

At first glance, it's fairly obvious that Taito (this title's publisher in Japan) really went out of their way to create a quality title: graphics are very cute with lots of color, the dixieland-ish music somehow matches the game, and the game really makes use of the touch screen and microphone. In fact, I would venture to guess that this game makes the most use of these features; the touch screen is used for tons of actions: cooking, pressing, kneading, turning, mixing, to name just a few. The mic is used solely for blowing to cool food when boiling on your stove.

In essence, Cooking Mama is a bunch of simple minigames disguised as phases of cooking a dish: cutting, mincing, boiling, etc.; the ultimate goal of which is to produce a set-recipe dish. Think Warioware and Feel The Magic/Rub Rabbits and you have a fairly good idea of what makes this game tick. However, unlike these games, Cooking Mama has no central story.

That's right, there's no real motivation to cook all these dishes except to unlock other recipes of which there are quite a few, some 50+. There are a few game modes available such as a practice mode, mini-game challenge mode, and a recipe combining mode that yields odd combinations like potato salad over rice, but they are all centered around the same throw-a-bunch-of-minigames-tog​ether frame.

For those of you who happen to purchase the import version of the game, there is a fair amount of Japanese in the game but it's all in kana so it's easy to read (or look up, if that's what you do). A small amount of trial and error might be necessary to figure out which actions are required at certain times but the game is friendly enough to hold your hand when it's most necessary. For Japanophiles, there's not really much to ooh and ah at, except for the cooking theme, but (though not guaranteed for the US version of the game) one thing of note is the types of dishes that are used in the game. Lots of dishes that are true to real Japanese home cooking: wonton, croquette, spaghetti napolitan, curry, tonkatsu and all portrayed and "cooked" as uniquely as Japanese themselves do.

Overall, Cooking Mama is a fun diversion but probably not a game that will be played for extended periods of time. I hate to harp on the point again that a story mode would have really helped the game because, just like how spices are used in real cooking, it would have made an OK dish even better.

I already love to cook so when I heard about Cooking Mama I got excited. I debated for months on whether or not I should get it based on the mediocre and poor reviews I've seen elsewhere..mainly from people around my age (I am 23). Eventually, I decided to try it out for my self. I am glad I did!

You first start off with about 16 Japanese and American dishes. You can unlock more recipes as you master certain skills such as chopping, grating, measuring, etc. Some tasks are highly difficult for me such as peeling the potatos with the potato peeler, and cutting tough/thick cuts of meat completely before the timer runs out. That all just adds to the challenge for me. You can practice the recipes in practice mode before you are graded on them...still being timed though. When you feel confident enough, you can make the recipes for a score and medal in make mode. If you get everything right, you will receive a gold medal for that recipe or silver or bronze accordingly. The only weird thing is, if you fail at a task cooking mama's eyes go on fire...creepy! That's such a minor thing though.

The graphics are very bright and cheery...pretty cartoonish. The sound could not be any better. When things fry, you hear a clear frying noise, same with all the other tasks such as chopping, cracking eggs, etc. This game completely shows of the DS's stylus capabilities...the entire game is played with it. The stylus becomes the utensils. There are around 70 different recipes you can make total...some will be similar to others and require doing pretty much the same tasks. That what bores some people, but for me it's an exciting thing making each new recipe...especially since you really have no idea what you will unlock next. As I stated before, some recipes are American and some are Japanese. It's kind of interesting seeing how to make recipes from another country. Each recipe usually takes between about 1-3 minutes to make. This game is highly addictive, and if you dont spread out your time, it is very possible to finish the whole game in a short period of time. Even if you end up making all the recipes, it's fun to re make them just for the sake of it, or to get a higher score.

My younger sister is 11, and she enjoys this game probably more than I do. If you're into something that will make you think more or is more mature, then this game will not suit you. However, if you love to cook, or want to take a break from all those hard action games, then this is a sure winner.

Don't forget about Cooking Mama 2 coming out in a month or two I believe!!

This game is very fun, I only wish there were more "hints" available in the owner's guide. It offers a variety of cooking techniques that you can practice. Once you feel you have practiced enough you can make your menu item. You receive a gold, silver, or bronze medal depending on how well you do and what your score is. Some of the dishes are very easy, like the sandwich, while others are very hard, like the beef steak. This game is a must for anyone who likes to cook and even those who don't. The ultimate goal is to get gold medals for all your food dishes and then to have fun by combining different dishes for a truly unique menu item.

I had a friend who I saw playing this game the day it came out to the USA. It looked like so much fun that the next day I had to buy it myself! The game is so easy to learn that it makes it a wonderful game for even the younger video game players out there! But it is still changling for adults! After cooking several dishes and unlocking some hidden ones you can changle your self to getting all gold! There is a pratic area so you can tone your skills. After your done with that you can also try to clear all the skills in the Use Skills area of the game. If you happen to know someone who all ready has the game ask them to send you a demo! That way you can try it before you buy it!

Cooking Mama can be described as a cute, interactive cooking game for Nintendo DS. All controls in the game are done with the Stylus pen: chopping vegetables, boiling water for pasta, stirring soups and adjusting the heat (you actually blow into the DS microphone to cool soup down!), breaking eggs, spreading sauce, kneading dough, folding dumplings, and my personal favorite - flipping and pan-frying food!

If you love cooking, or want to learn more about it, this game could be a good starting point. It actually features some pretty healthy and diverse meals, perhaps with a stronger asian influence than other world regions. Meals don't take long to make, so you can cook a quick meal while waiting in line, and easily save/quit the game when you want to. Each time you cook a meal you get new meals to make, so there is no shortage of foods to make.

The game may lose some of its luster and value after repeated playings, but it is still a great game for kids, or to pass the time. Highly interactive, very cute and creative, and best of all, you learn about cooking without running the risk of losing a finger!