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Cooking Mama to bake on the Wii again
If you're one who wants to know how to prepare food, but has no desire to take any sustenance from the real thing after learning how to prepare it, then rejoice as a sequel to Cooking Mama has been announced for the DS and Wii. With lots more recipes, a new multiplayer mode and new minigames, the title looks to provide more of the same. Whether that's a good or bad thing, is up to you. As of right now, the sequel has only been announced for Japan, but we're pretty sure she'll be making the rounds to other regions. [Via Joystiq]
New Cooking Mama out of the oven early next year
If you love slaving over a hot stove, mindlessly chopping things and stirring, stirring, stirring, but hate having any sort of payoff for your labor, have we got great news for you! Cooking Mama is back! Well, it will be back, according to UK publisher 505 Games, at some point early next year. Still only available on Wii and DS, expect the new iteration to have twice as many mini-games and a new multiplayer mode. We don't know that Majesco will once again be bringing the game to America, but the original did a lot of good for the company, so we wouldn't be surprised. Now if you don't mind, we need to stop by Caketown for some supplies.
Kids' nutrition camp to use Wii
Kids these days have it so much better. Not only did we have to walk uphill in the snow to school (both ways!), but we also never had shoes. We were forced to eat potatoes, cold, straight from the ground. We were never able to take part in fun summertime camps where we were shown how to create nutritious, fun meals. And, sure enough, one camp in central Pennsylvania is set to do that with the Wii and Cooking Mama. In allowing the children to play the game on the Wii, the camp hopes they will be able to translate in-game information into real-world application, showing the kids how to bring the digital recipes in the game to life as they prepare the dishes with real ingredients.
Sanyo showcases uber-pricey IH rice cooker
Hot (ahem) on the heels of Matsushita's induction heating stove comes a similar contraption from Sanyo, but this one has a certain fondness for pressure cooking. The IH pressure rice cooker sports a copper lining that is reportedly sandwiched between layers of stainless steel and aluminum, which enables it to heat up quickly and retain a high degree of heat throughout the cooking process. Additionally, this device promises "even heating" that comes with the IH territory, comes in white / black (ECJ-XP10) or champagne gold (ECJ-V10), and will run you a staggering ¥131,250 ($1,076) when it lands in September.
Poll: The best in motion controls (so far)
For such a popular console that tries to offer something for everyone, the Wii also manages to be somewhat controversial -- and we're not just talking about Manhunt 2 here. The motion-sensing controls have been a bone of contention when it comes to nearly every game, even those people seem to enjoy. Some gamers find them awesome, and others ... not so much. We've selected six games which cover a range of game types (and aren't all first-party, either) as a measuring stick of what you think is best when it comes to Wii controls. We encourage you to vote early (and often!), but feel free to talk about other choices in the comments, as well as the reasons behind your picks. You might have noticed that Wii Sports isn't on this list (and neither are several other well-received games!). We considered including it, because not everyone agrees that it works quite well as a showcase of the Wii control capabilities, but decided at the last minutes to include only non-bundled games. Feel free to voice your support for Wii Sports in the comments, however! Which of these games boasts the best motion-sensing controls? The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Cooking Mama: Cook Off Trauma Center: Second Opinion Madden NFL '07 The Godfather: Blackhand Edition Resident Evil 4 (Wii)
Matsushita's IH cooking utensil perfects your stir-fry
When you've eggs that essentially boil themselves and gizmos that take the skill out of concocting a decent breakfast, where's the need for culinary prowess? For the chefs who feel that modern technology is diluting their art, Matsushita's latest invention isn't likely to enthrall you, but for those in need of a quick stir-fry lesson, the KZ-VSW33D should fit the bill. The electromagnetic induction heating (IH) cooking utensil, better known as a stove here in the states, uses infrared temperature sensors which can quickly determine if the bottom of the pan has cooled off since the prior reading (you know, while you're hurling it about trying to impress onlookers), and can then adjust in order to provide an even amount of heat throughout so that certain sections don't end up, um, extra crispy. Of course, such a snazzy cooker demands quite the premium, as this uber-efficient device will run you a staggering ¥409,500 ($3,310) when it lands in September.[Via Tech-On]
More Wiimote extensions for the imagination-impaired
We can only guess that these people think that you are playing Cooking Mama every day, or that there will be many, many sequels -- otherwise, we'd have to call them a little late to the party. And really, were they even invited? We can understand swords and shields. We can even get behind rackets and bats, though they're a little silly. But ... a frying pan? Spatula? Did someone kill off imagination without sending us a memo? [Via DCEmu]
Recipes on your iPhone
We here at TUAW are big fans of Apple's products (shocking, I know) so whenever something new comes out we cover the heck out of it. At the moment the new hotness, as the dorks who desperately want to sound cool say, is the iPhone. TUAW is all atwitter about the iPhone (though you can subscribe to an iPhone-less feed if it isn't your thing) which makes sense since it is a rather important product launch for Apple.We're not the only ones going batty for the iPhone, though. Blogs, newspapers, and magazines are all hot and bothered about the iPhone. Case in point: 101cookbooks. That's right, a cooking blog is writing about the iPhone, but that's not all. They even created new, iPhone specific versions of their site for everyone's favorite unreleased mobile device. You can check out the recent recipes, or categories on designed for the iPhone webpages.Who needs a silly old SDK anyway?Thanks, Marisa.
Make pudding with the Sugarbunnies
Move over Mama, there's a new set of cooks in town. Make that a nest ... of bunnies. Sanrio's Sugarbunnies, to be exact, and they are ready to bring you on board for a delicious candy-making revolution. Bunny twins Shirousa and Kurousa have been charged with making candy for everyone, and as far as we can tell, they have to select the right recipes and ingredients to satisfy a variety of sugary cravings through Cooking Mama-style minigames. But the Sugarbunnies go beyond the limits of Cooking Mama, it seems, as they need to harvest the proper ingredients for the recipes. Sounds a little like Animal Crossing on the farm and in the kitchen to us, and that's really all we need to know to be interested. The Sugarbunnies will be bounding onto the DS in Japan this fall.
New Cooking Recipes!
As mentioned in yesterday's Rogue post, I highly believe in Cooking as a skill that's excellent to have. You save yourself money in regards to buying food, and you have a highly portable and common source of buffs. For those of us who have classes that can't cast buffs, this is a real boon -- although every class can benefit from added buffs! So when I saw the mentioned addition of more new Cooking recipes in the patch, I had to get out there and see what was available. For those of you who haven't gotten time to check into them, here's the lowdown. There are three new recipes available from the lovely dancing barmaid, Kylene, in the bar in the Lower City. The amusing thing about these three new recipes (at least to me) is that they have you cooking the off-hand fish "weapons" that you can catch. (Of course, this means that gone are the days of Monty Python Fish Slapping Dance renditions. Wait... Maybe that's just my guild. )Nonetheless, for those with an eye for fresh fish and sampling the finest in Azerothian Cuisine, check out the Good Eats after the jump!
Automatic waffle maker hits version 2.0
While it certainly looked about perfect to us, we know how picky engineering inventors can be, so it's not too surprising to see the folks behind the automatic waffle maker crank out a version 2.0. We can't be sure, but the video (shown after the jump) does seem to suggest that the newest iteration cooks up your breakfast without quite as much mess as the original, and the hardware behind the magic looks to have seen upgrades all around. Best of all, however, is the title splash screen that lets you know you're still looking at a beta creation, which ought to mean there's an even more sophisticated version around the bend. Bargain bin griddles, watch out.
Analyst: Cooking Mama spices up Majesco's forecast
Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter said that publisher Majesco is "close to returning to profitability" and predicts the Cooking Mama series has earned sales of $15 million this quarter. That figure, according to Gamasutra, is above the $13 million consensus estimate for quarterly sales. "We are increasingly positive on shares now that the company has been able to stabilize revenues in the $12 – 13 million quarterly range," he said, "and believe that Majesco can break even at $65 million in annual revenues." Majesco had at one point hit the proverbial rock bottom, spurred by dismal sales of Advent Rising and Joystiq favorite Psychonauts. The publisher is moving into the black through its sales of budget titles (six DS, one Wii and one Xbox 360 titles are coming this quarter), and we fully expect them to keep with what works. Folks who were hoping for a high-budget Cooking Mama Xtreme Beach Cookoff will probably have to wait for at least a few years of profitability.
The most impressive Mario cake ... EVER
Su-Yin from The Journal of a Girl who Loves To Cook has crafted the most breathtaking Mario cake we've ever seen. The inspiration came when a friend spotted the Super Mario wedding cake and said "Su Yin could do better than that!". So ... she did. As with any serious art project, the design began with a sketch and took several days to complete. The results, as you can see, are beyond stunning. Check out the gallery below and marvel at Su-Yin's ability to blend food, art, and geekery into one delicious dessert.%Gallery-3495%
Marugoto Teikoku Hotel provides accommodations for your DS
Shaberu! DS O-Ryouri Navi Marugoto Teikoku Hotel (Talking DS Cooking Navi Marugoto Teikoku Hotel), the cooking tool based on recipes from the upscale hotel, is headed to Japan on June 21. When it comes out, e-gourmands will have an option as to how they'd like their service: with or without pouch.For 4,280 yen, Japanese consumers can buy the basic program, but for only 1,000 yen more (about $8.25) they can add this Koei-branded DS case. What's $8 to someone who eats at the Marugoto Teikoku Hotel? Probably a roll or something.
Insider Trader: When you want what they've got
Each week, Lisa Poisso brings us Insider Trader -- your weekly inside line on making, selling, buying and using player-made products.Want to make a completist crafter crit in his pants? Give him a good whiff of something he may not even have know existed: Alliance- and Horde-only patterns. "What?!? They've got stuff I don't have?" That's right -- each faction enjoys a variety of profession patterns available only to that side via quests or faction-specific vendors.While most of these patterns are low- to mid-level frills, plenty of entrepreneurial crafters find them meaty (or profitable) enough to be worth jumping through hoops for. Beyond the satisfaction of having literally all of the available patterns in a particular trade, craftspeople may actually carve out a niche crafting items for players on their faction who don't normally have access to them.The neutral Auction Houses are a crafter's bread and butter when it comes to finding these patterns, although having a friend on the other side is even better. Almost all of these patterns (and the items they create) are tradable, although you'll find a pair of Alliance cooking patterns listed that remain stubbornly marked Bind on Pickup. But most are available for cross-faction movement via the neutral auction houses. There aren't many new Burning Crusade-era patterns to track down and agonize over, though -- just one lone Draenei pattern (listed after the jump). It seems that the bitter tears of Horde herbalists pining for Herbalist's Gloves washed the faction-specific pattern trend right down the drain.Read more for a list of faction-specific crafting patterns.
Keyboard waffle iron cooks up your favorite peripheral
While you may lobby that nothing's sweeter than an automated waffle maker, Chris Dimino just might counter that. This design guru has apparently concocted a retro inspired, and ever-so-slightly altered kitchen appliance that cooks waffle that are a bit wider and more familiar than usual. This piece of cookware sports an integrated stand for holding four jars of syrup, and the iron itself presses a nifty keyboard each and every time -- caps lock key and all. Of course, we don't expect retailers to start stocking these things anytime soon, but if you're serious about your words waffles-per-minute, we're sure Chris could make arrangements.
Cooking Mama cooking tips and infomercial
It's no secret that many players found the Cooking Mama: Cook Off controls just a little frustrating. Instead of being a game that could highlight the further potential of the Wiimote, what we ended up getting at a whopping $50 price tag (for what really should have been a budget title) was a game which highlighted Wiimote issues. Some who don't fear the Nintendo Defense Force might even have defined these issues as "problems." This made Mama angry and you wouldn't like Mama when she's angry. So, Majesco came out with some tips on how to improve your Cooking Mama: Cook Off experience: For rolling truffles, place the Wii Remote flat in the palm of your hand, as if it's the truffle. Once in your hand, roll the Wii Remote in your hand as if it's the truffle. For egg cracking, hold the Wii Remote up in the air vertically and bring it down as if there is an invisible bowl in front of you. To grind meat, hold the Wii Remote horizontally in your hand and make the crank motion as if there is a meat grinder in front of you. For stirring, hold the Wii Remote upside down and stir as if it's a spoon. To flip items in the frying pan, flick your wrist as you would with a real pan. Three flips consecutively will earn you bonus points. Cracking 3 eggs with only one initial attempt will earn you bonus points. In certain recipes, you can turn the heat up or down on the stove before the direction reaches the line. After the break we have an "infomercial" perfect for late-night viewing. We don't even feel the need to say anything about it, but the simple fact that we put it after the break probably tells you something ... watch if you dare.
Hello Kitty gets her own crock pot
Unfortunately, the Hello Kitty crock pot arrived a tick too late to be considered for any snazzy kitchenware awards, but we're sure it's a real winner in the hearts of fanboys and girls everywhere. Aiming to take the difficulty out of cooking and give even the culinarily-challenged a surefire way to concoct a solid round of soup, the HK slow cooker should handle your roasts, veggie soups, and chowders with ease, and what better to season such delicacies in than a pot full of cute? Sadly, we've no word on price nor where to purchase this fine piece of countertop cookware, but giving your future meals the ability to simmer in cheerfulness is priceless indeed.[Via CNET]
Cooking Navi goes high-end
Cooking Navi has been a smash in Japan, so it's hardly a surprise that the game would get a sequel. This particular sequel, however, is somewhat of a surprise. Shaberu! DS O-Ryouri Navi Marugoto Teikoku Hotel (Talking DS Cooking Navi Marugoto Teikoku Hotel) is a new version of the game containing recipes from the chefs who cook in the prestigious Japanese hotel.We're thinking about picking up Koei's latest nongame, since we'd love to try some gourmet Japanese cuisine. But we have a concern: isn't Cooking Navi supposed to be about basic recipes and helping regular people make them? Seriously, look at those seven chefs on the box. This interactive cookbook has the potential to be the hardest game on the system.
Food, fun, and photos from the Cooking Mama event
Reader Alex answered our call for photos from Saturday's Cooking Mama kickoff event held at the Nintendo World Store, and he wasn't messing around -- his Flickr set contains nearly 100 pictures! It's just like we were there ourselves, and thanks to his efforts and our caption skills, you can experience it as well. Hit the jump for a selection of photos, and then go wallow in the entire set. It's enough to make our tummies rumble.
