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Majesco reports drop in Q1 profits
This week, Majesco reported its earnings for its fiscal first quarter (which ended January 31). As you may have surmised from the recent news of its potential Nasdaq delisting, things aren't precisely where Majesco would want them to be, financially. Its net profit for the quarter was $3.8 million, showing a year-over-year decline compared to Q1 2009's $4.2 million profit. However, the slightly smaller Q1 still seems big enough to make Majesco happy. "Majesco had a very solid first quarter driven by strong holiday sales of our Cooking Mama franchise," CEO Jesse Sutton said, "which once again delivered impressive results, and Alvin & The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel." Yes, that's right, some of you bought something with the word "Squeakquel" on it. "Our results were in-line with our internal expectations and we remain on track to deliver improved profitability for 2010," he added. "We have made significant progress in fine tuning our strategy to meet the challenges of the current operating environment." The latest announcement from Majesco, of course, is another extension of the Cooking Mama franchise, Crafting Mama.
Metareview: Cooking Mama: World Kitchen
Click to embiggen Even though PETA hasn't been too happy with Cooking Mama: World Kitchen, everyone else has to be enjoying the game we had so much fun with back at E3, right? Well, the few reviews that have come in haven't been all that positive. So let's get to the scores. IGN (70/100): "So what we have here is a good casual game; what last year's Cooking Mama should have been. World Kitchen is easy enough for anyone to pick up and play (despite the lack of tutorial), and Mama's charisma may even keep cynical hardcore gamers playing longer than they expected. A little depth beyond simple waggle controls and more gameplay variety would be nice, but this is a fun, breezy game for the non-discriminating player on your holiday shopping list." Nintendo Power (65/100): "Cooking Mama World Kitchen isn't bad, but it could have been better." [Holiday 2008, p.80] 1UP (C-): "World Kitchen tries hard to spice up the already tasty Cooking Mama recipe with new characters, slapstick rescue minigames, and cheesy-in-a-bad-way voiceovers, but the results leave behind a funny aftertaste. It'll do in a pinch, but I prefer Cook Off's well-balanced helpings." Any of you pick up Mama's latest game? Agree with the critics? Disagree? %Gallery-28210%
PETA plans to continue to use games to spread its message
Following up their recent Super Mario Bros. and Cooking Mama games, PETA has commented to GI.biz that they'll continue this format as a way of "engaging with the public." We guess it's been successful for them, as they say this approach to spreading their message is as "important as music, movies, and television." We can't say we agree, but different strokes for different folks, we suppose. "Many people are unaware of the real-life violence that animals endure on factory farms and in slaughterhouses," a PETA spokesperson said. "We use games to highlight the cruelty to animals because they appeal to people who are interested but may be turned off by more direct appeals." Well, we don't understand the effectiveness of this approach, to tell you the truth, but, then again, we enjoy a burger every now and then. %Gallery-28210%
PETA plans on making more games to spread message
PETA intends on creating more games to raise awareness about practices within the meat industry. The organization states that its recent Cooking Mama game wasn't an attack on publisher Majesco, but a way of getting its "Meet your Meat" video -- an unsettling "undercover video" of a corporate turkey farm -- in front of fresh eyes. Speaking with GI.biz, a PETA spokesperson said the organization uses games to raise awareness in people who "may be turned off by more direct appeals." It originally turned to games to attract young males, but has since learned the demographics are much wider. The group believes Majesco took the parody in the way it was intended, which seems like a reasonable assumption considering the publisher's lighthearted response. Despite all the joking, PETA does hope that Majesco makes a Cooking Mama: Vegetarian Kitchen "one day." Source - PETA: We'll keep using games "to spread our message" [GI.biz] Source - Cooking Mama Responds to PETA Parody [PETA]
Majesco responds to PETA's Cooking Mama parody
Majesco kept it classy in its response to PETA's Cooking Mama parody. Taking the whole situation in stride, the publisher quoted the fictional Mama as saying, "I would never put rat in my Ratatouille. Like any accomplished cook, I create my recipes to appeal to a broad range of tastes and preferences. My only goal is to ensure you leave the table well fed." Majesco went on to note that the company's latest entry in the franchise, Cooking Mama World Kitchen, features over 25 vegetarian-friendly recipes. It also states that Mama is not a vegetarian, but "fully supports" the humane treatment of animals, as her doggie "protégé" Max will make his debut in the latest game -- hopefully, not as an entrée. Kudos to Majesco for incorporating some flair into what would otherwise have been another boring press release about a game launch. And thanks to PETA for making the whole laugh possible.
Mama responds to PETA
Mama, lovable cook and Majesco mascot, wants us all to know that her latest game, Cooking Mama: World Kitchen, isn't all about killing animals and preparing them as tasty dishes. No, the Mama has a bunch of vegetarian recipes, as well, evidenced by the press release sent over to GoNintendo. What kind of veggie dishes can be prepared in Cooking Mama: World Kitchen? Well, there's miso soup and rice cakes, just to name a few. "I would never put rat in my Ratatouille," said Mama, wrist-deep in her latest recipe. "Like any accomplished cook, I create my recipes to appeal to a broad range of tastes and preferences. My only goal is to ensure you leave the table well fed." We imagine PETA's next step is a Flash game where Mama viciously murders piles and piles of octopi for their ink so she can write out a press release. %Gallery-28210%
Cooking Mama vs. Regular Mama
We're so pleased to present this upbeat, non-disgusting trailer for Cooking Mama: World Kitchen. However, even this innocuous "As Seen on TV" style video is not without controversy: certain statements are made regarding your mama. Specifically, her ability to cook, contrasting with the abilities of the game's fake cartoon mama. The trailer disclaims these statements, but it's possible that by then the damage could already be done. Consider yourselves and your mamas warned. Hopefully we can look past this shocking material and enjoy the gameplay footage and cute presentation. Because it is really cute, and it would be a shame if some kind of awful publicity marred such cuteness. %Gallery-28210%
PETA Flash game puts us off Cooking Mama, food
Ready to be sick? Coinciding with the release of Cooking Mama: World Kitchen, PETA has wielded the Awesome Power of Copyright Infringement to make a Cooking Mama Flash game about the preparations involved with cooking turkey. Combining an impressively accurate facsimile of Cooking Mama gameplay with horrifying, bloody visuals, Cooking Mama: Mama Kills Animals is intended as an appeal to Majesco to create a vegetarian-only version of Cooking Mama. In Mama Kills Animals, a sadistic Cooking Mama guides you through the process of defeathering, preparing, and stuffing a turkey. Between levels, the game presents horrifying facts about the meat industry as well as videos we didn't dare watch. Apparently, at the end, Mama reforms and becomes a vegetarian. In case you didn't get our subtle hinting, this game can be really upsetting. Keep that in mind should you decide to click.
PETA parody grills Cooking Mama
PETA's parody on Majesco's Cooking Mama franchise may be the best Flash-based game we've seen from the activist group yet. Following up on its Bloody Burberry and Super Chick Sisters games, Cooking Mama: Mama Kills Animals takes a stab at soon-to-be-released Cooking Mama: World Kitchen, not to mention the main course of most Thanksgiving meals. The game is done in perfect Cooking Mama style - having the player pull out the bird's feathers and then scoop out its innards. Whether you agree with the message or not, it's the medium and style that got our attention. PETA does give some constructive feedback to Majesco, asking if it could make an all vegetarian-recipe version of Cooking Mama. Considering how important Mama is to Majesco's cash flow, a vegetarian version might be a good marketing ploy. PETA's Cooking Mama: Mama Kills Animals can be played after the break (Warning: Sound auto-plays and is loud).* *The "Meet your Meat" video, which becomes available after finishing the game, may be difficult to watch. Don't click the link if you're not interested in seeing what a corporate turkey farm looks like.
Retail and download releases for the week of November 17th
Just as we all found out last week, today marks the release of the fourth episode of Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People. Oh, and we're also getting a bunch of other games. This week, seriously, has a lot of games. Head on past the break for the full list. Also, our apologies. There likely won't be a VC Monday Madness video today, but we'll try to get it up as soon as we can. Sorry! %Gallery-27704%
Mama cooks up a recipe for cuteness
Cooking Mama: World Kitchen is almost here, and that means the powers that be are working very hard to convince Wii owners that Mama is cute as ever, even if she's had a little work done. These latest screens do an excellent job of proving their point, with their adorable high fives and Mama poking herself in the eye. Guess those fleshed-out limbs take a little getting used to. Check out the gallery below for new screens, and if those aren't enough to satiate your appetite for Mama, head on over to GAME Watch to see more. %Gallery-28210%
Cooking Mama: World Kitchen screens are convincingly adorable
While we love Cooking Mama and eagerly await the November 18th release of Cooking Mama: World Kitchen, our excitement has been tempered a bit by the decision to go all-3D. We love the hand-drawn Mama character that accompanied previous DS and Wii games, and we've found it hard to accept the new low-poly 3D models. Well, after perusing the latest screenshots, we give up. Okay, Taito/Cooking Mama Ltd./Majesco, your new Cooking Mama game is very cute. We look forward to creating our own very cute character to interact with the cute Cooking Mama in the cute cooking game. We can see the traditional graphics in Gardening Mama, anyway! %Gallery-28210%
Cooking Mama invading North American kitchens on Nov. 18
For those of you that read our write-up of the game back at E3, you know we thoroughly enjoyed our brief time with Mama in Cooking Mama: World Kitchen. Now, the game has been dated for North America, arriving on our shores November 18th. Cooking Mama: World Kitchen boasts over 50 recipes and co-op gameplay, and will not be as punishing as the original, as one failed step in the recipe doesn't destroy the whole meal. So, who's excited to put on their apron and get to cooking with Mama? %Gallery-28210% [Via CVG]
E308: Wii Fanboy flips burgers in Cooking Mama: World Kitchen
Click to embiggen I should preface this by saying I'm not a huge Cooking Mama fan. Sure, she's great and all, but preparing fake food often held a spot in my heart next to making real food. I'm just no good at either activity. But, that isn't to say that Cooking Mama: World Kitchen isn't better by leaps and bounds than its predecessor. %Gallery-28210%
Ding! Majesco serves up more Cooking Mama for Wii
While we wait (and wait, and wait ... ) for an official Iron Chef game (maybe if we clap our hands and click our heels it'll happen?) there's a new entree on the cooking game menu from Majesco. Cooking Mama World Kitchen is not, as its title might have you think, an online competitive cook-off. It is a follow-up to Cooking Mama: Cook Off, calling upon players to perfect their virtual cooking skills using the Wii remote to simulate a number of kitchen utensils. World Kitchen, due for holiday release, has gone all polygonal on us, and promises new mini-games, recipes, and a more thoroughly rhythm-based gameplay system to (ahem) spice things up. %Gallery-26525%
Cooking Mama gets a new perspective
According to a press release sent out by Majesco today, Cooking Mama: World Tour is going to represent a significant revamp of (formerly Office Create) Cooking Mama Limited's signature cooking game series. Mysteriously, the press release describes an "upgrade to full 3D graphics." Yes, that means that Mama has gone 3D. It also means that the game's view has flipped: instead of playing in first person, you now look directly at your avatar as he cooks. For the first time, you'll be able to control Mama herself in spontaneous minigames, as she rushes in to fix your mistakes -- for example, she can catch mis-flipped burgers in her apron. "Additional rhythm and motion" has also been added to the main Wiimote-based gameplay. Whatever that means, at least Cooking Mama Limited is taking steps to avoid stagnation. [Screens at IGN]
Cooking Mama serving again this October?
Back in March, Majesco quietly announced a new Wii Cooking Mama game called Cooking Mama: World Kitchen, to be released in fiscal 2008. We haven't heard or seen anything about it from Majesco since, but GameFly is providing evidence that the game is on the way, having just listed the game in their "Coming Soon" area with a release date of October 30. The Cooking Mama series continues to make tons of money for Majesco, allowing them to fund some interesting games. In addition, it's hard to imagine something as basic as motion-based food preparation getting stale, so we say bring 'em on.
