cooking mama
Latest
Water saplings! Add soil! Dilute serum!: Gardening Mama dishes out the orders
Wiiz has another six screens of Gardening Mama, Majesco's game for people who, like us, think gardening is a bit rubbish and not really worth our time. Naturally, we think simulating this activity through our DSes is perfectly fine, mainly because it doesn't involve getting wet feet and cold hands. So we're massive hypocrites. Sue us.These new screenshots deal with some of the new tasks we'll face as virtual gardeners. We're told to "Add more soil!" "Water the sapling!" "Dilute the serum!" "Squash those viruses!" No matter what she or her garden is going through, Mama greets all of these challenges with the same reaction: that calm (yet determined) smile. We doubt we'll manage to be quite as composed.%Gallery-35422%
Gardening Mama to sprout in Spring
Tired of wrestling with assorted meats and vegetables, Mama has moved from the confines of Majesco's kitchen and into the fresh outdoors, or at least she will next Spring when Gardening Mama is released for the Nintendo DS. Developed by the folks responsible for Mama's culinary exploits, the game will allow players to "plant, nurture and harvest" flowers, fruits and veggies growing in her backyard. Perhaps this is the beginning of a trend for Mama as she explores the world outside of her kitchen to discover firsthand just where her ingredients come from. We gleefully await the arrival of Slaughterhouse Mama to deliver some delicious reindeer steaks just in time for next year's holiday rush. Gallery: Gardening Mama [Via DS Fanboy]
Spring is the season for Gardening Mama in North America
We didn't think Majesco would find any reason not to pick this up, but we're glad to see an official announcement. The company will publish Cooking Mama Ltd.'s latest, Gardening Mama, in North America, with a scheduled spring 2009 release.According to the press release, Gardening Mama features not only planting and maintaining crops, but also segments in which players use those crops after harvesting -- including examples like making strawberry jam and carving pumpkins. Gardening Mama also features four-player multiplayer gardening, and the ability to share the products of your labor with other players online.%Gallery-35422%
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%
Delightful deal on bundles at Amazon
If you're in the market for a new DS Lite for yourself or a lucky giftee, you may want to have a look at this Amazon deal. From now until November 15, if you purchase a DS Lite and one of a selection of games, the game's price will be knocked down to $4.99. The eligible games include, among others, Millionheir, Flash Focus, Cooking Mama, Clubhouse Games, and both Brain Ages. It's clear that these selections were chosen with the "expanded audience" in mind, and consequently, this deal is a great way to get someone started with the DS. Oh, and if you want a second $5 game, today's Deal of the Day is The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor.
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]
Show and Tell: Oh, Mama!
It's no wonder we're seeing Mama branch out -- Cooking Mama spawned a ridiculous amount of love, even if it didn't break any sales records. The shining face of Mama (or the image of her fiery eyes) is fast becoming a staple in the gamer crafting and cosplay communities. Mama's out of the kitchen, so we're dedicating this week's Show and Tell to her!Take the guided tour by starting right here, or be reckless and jump right into the gallery below.%Gallery-35505% Show and Tell is all about fan stuff, so long as it's Nintendo-related. We love to see your collections, your crafts, your frosted creations, your t-shirts and swag of all sorts.Just snap a few pictures, tell us what's up, and send it all to showmeit [at] dsfanboy [dot] com. We'll take care of the rest. Not a handy type, but found something neat? Send us a link instead.
Cooking Mama pulls boxart, screens fresh from the oven
It's been awhile since we had a chance to discuss Cooking Mama: World Kitchen. In fact, it's been months, as our time with the title back at E3 was the last we've heard. Well, thankfully, that changes today.We've got some fresh screens for the game, as well as boxart. The boxart is, well, quite pleasing to us. We have Mama looking over the shoulder of our new wouldbe chef, smiling happily and ... wait, what is that? Mama, how could you? The first rule of the kitchen is to turn off all unused burners on the stove! Are you trying to get someone killed?! Tsk tsk, Mama. We guess we can still love you. And play your game.%Gallery-28210%
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%
Whip up a batch of Cooking Mama: World Kitchen screens
Well, we heard the news not too long ago. Cooking Mama: World Kitchen is getting down to serious business, with updated 3D graphics and sophisticated moton controls. Hooray, huzzah -- too often have we wished the Wiimote to be a spatula for flipping burgers. Why enjoy the sight, smell and taste of cooking real burgers when you can do it without all those sensory annoyances?Yes, it's always fun to laugh at "life" simulation games (even if this life is a cartoon featuring big-head Mamas and cooking scores). The real truth, though, is that Cooking Mama games are usually pretty fun, and the fresh new gallery shows a pretty decent look at the upcoming Wii installment. Bon appetit!%Gallery-28210%[Via press release]
