Cooking Mama: Excellent Pick Up

Blaine

Blaine

CAGiversary!
I was at the game store today, wanting to see if they were taking Wiiorders yet when the FedEx guy came in with Cooking Mama.

Since the clerks knew I was wanting it as well, the gave me the first copy out of the box.

So far it's a really great $20 pick up. The mini games are fun and sometimes challenging (I'm not sure if the touch interface is a little wonky or requires precision... or if there's really a difference since the result is the same). It also seems like it has a pretty hefty amount of depth and humor.

The package says there's about 80 recipes and I'm unlocking them at a furious rate. The ability to make your own dish is fun but offers no real sense of accomplishment aside from the obvious "shaqfu" to Dr. Atkins when you make your Curried Rice topped with Fried Dumplings (Gyoza).

I'm probably going to write a full review of it sometime tonight. But it pretty much just won my heart over instantly when...

I unlocked the recipe for Instant Ramen. The mini game was add hot water... SUCCESS! 100% score.
 
My gf just came up to my work with a nice new (of course) copy of Cooking Mama. Im enjoying it. But Ive been wanting to play this for quite awhile.
Anyone considering getting it, definitely should.
 
[quote name='DeathDealer']My gf just came up to my work with a nice new (of course) copy of Cooking Mama. Im enjoying it. But Ive been wanting to play this for quite awhile.
Anyone considering getting it, definitely should.[/quote]

Are you having a hard time breading?

I'm severely panko challenged apparantly.

Peeling potatos is also a bitch... but I figure that's just realism, because peeling vegetables sucks in real life.
 
Is it easy? difficult? short? long?

Even at $15 or $20 if it's kinda easy and short I'll pass for now, but if it's got some length to it I'll get it soon.
 
[quote name='Roufuss']Is it easy? difficult? short? long?

Even at $15 or $20 if it's kinda easy and short I'll pass for now, but if it's got some length to it I'll get it soon.[/quote]

The difficulty is relative. Realistically all you need to do to unlock further recipes is attempt to complete one. You don't have to get a gold or a silver medal.

Since getting more recipes is the only real advancement in the game, and it's pretty easy to do, the I'll say it's easy.

Getting high scores is a little trickier as well but far from difficult.
Getting a perfect score is pretty tough.

So I'd say getting a gold medal in every dish is pretty hard (rough equivelant of 100%ing a game) but just unlocking all the dishes (the equivelant of just rolling the credits) isn't.

Never the less, it's still a unique and fun game. For me, that justifies the $20.
 
[quote name='Blaine']The difficulty is relative. Realistically all you need to do to unlock further recipes is attempt to complete one. You don't have to get a gold or a silver medal.

Since getting more recipes is the only real advancement in the game, and it's pretty easy to do, the I'll say it's easy.

Getting high scores is a little trickier as well but far from difficult.
Getting a perfect score is pretty tough.

So I'd say getting a gold medal in every dish is pretty hard (rough equivelant of 100%ing a game) but just unlocking all the dishes (the equivelant of just rolling the credits) isn't.

Never the less, it's still a unique and fun game. For me, that justifies the $20.[/QUOTE]

Hm... so it's one of those games where it's easy to unlock the dishes, but mastering them takes some effort? Sounds interesting.

Just waiting for Best Buy to get it in so I can GGC this thing and grab it for $15.
 
Got it today because EBgames just got it that day (called them Tuesday, Wednesday and thursday). Then I went to Toys R Us and they had them right there by the budget and clearence titles.
 
I picked it up today at TRU along with RE4 for GC and used the $5 off $25 purchase.

Does anyone else's copy of Cooking Mama contain a paper cover insert that is too big for the DS case? Mine is a bit too long and sticks out.
 
When I picked up the Office season 2 yesterday I stepped into TRU for a few minutes and surprisingly they had all the new titles, this, MegaMan ZX, Mario Hoops, and Lego Star Wars 2. I was tempted to buy this since I have seen stuff about the import since I bought my DS Lite but I skipped it.
 
I wrote a mini-review of it on my 1up blog:

Its novel idea and my love of food made me interested in Cooking Mama. The Japanese version of the game failed to hold my interest for more than a couple dishes. I thought that was because I couldn't understand the langauge. I gave the US version a try last night and was still disappointed. After I got over the excitement of "Hey look at me cook things on the DS!" there was little to keep me playing. Like real cooking, a lot of the small steps (chopping vegetables, mixing ingredients) became repetitive.

It's a shame the game gets so boring, but I don't really have any suggestions on how it could be more fun. Maybe co-op wifi play?
Click to expand...
 
Stopped by EB today, and they "sold out" of all two copies they got. Apparently they're a heavy volume DS store, so they were rather annoyed at the shipment.
 
[quote name='botticus']Stopped by EB today, and they "sold out" of all two copies they got. Apparently they're a heavy volume DS store, so they were rather annoyed at the shipment.[/quote]

You're lucky. I stopped buying DS games back at EB at home due to the fact that A) corporate would only send enough games to cover preorders and then one copy extra for display and B) preordering a game at the local stores was an absolute waste since you would never get a call when a title comes in/are not told if it pops up on the computer/are out of luck if you're not around to pick it up ASAP. Not cool.

Cooking Mama looks interesting enough and I'm glad it has a real budget price but...I could really go for an Americanized version of the actual cookbooks they had going around in Japan. A bit more useful and, hey, I like the fact that the DS is seeing a lot of worthwhile non-gaming titles like way back when in the early Game Boy days.
 
I'm tempted to pick it up with a GGC, but I'm afraid it will be another Brain Age. I played it everyday for a couple weeks and haven't touched it since.
 
[quote name='BIG5']I'm tempted to pick it up with a GGC, but I'm afraid it will be another Brain Age. I played it everyday for a couple weeks and haven't touched it since.[/QUOTE]

It is more like WarioWare Touched than Brain Age.
 
[quote name='thorbahn3']It is more like WarioWare Touched than Brain Age.[/QUOTE]

He's not comparing the two games directly, he was saying he hopes it dosen't turn into one of those games he gets bored of in a week after the initial excitement dies down.
 
Anyone else feel awkward asking a clerk for a game with the word "mama" in the title? At first the girl gave me a weird face but while I looked around for other games, she was reading the back and said, "Hey, this sounds pretty interesting."

It's a pretty fun little game although I find the potato peeling missions to be difficult.
The stir/add ingredients/turn the burner up/turn the burner down missions aren't that fun for me either. Still, I enjoy the game but I enjoy real cooking.
 
[quote name='espy605']Anyone else feel awkward asking a clerk for a game with the word "mama" in the title? [/quote]

I've pretty much totally passed any point of shame when it comes to game stores. Between Nintendo making me have to use words like Wii and Wiimote...
I'm sure I sound like an idiot. Right now, as long as a game is fun I don't care if it's called "Yay yay piddle piddle: Don't touch my bathing suit area". I'm asking for it.

I also find the vegetable peeling to be a bitch.
 
[quote name='Blaine']Right now, as long as a game is fun I don't care if it's called "Yay yay piddle piddle: Don't touch my bathing suit area".
[/QUOTE]
That game was a huge hit in Japan.
 
Right now, as long as a game is fun I don't care if it's called "Yay yay piddle piddle: Don't touch my bathing suit area". I'm asking for it.
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I would love to see you order that when people with their kids are around. That's strictly an internet order for me.

Oh wait, it isn't a real title.

I also find the vegetable peeling to be a bitch.
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I can barely do two and you have to do five to get gold.
 
[quote name='evilmax17']Whoa! Cooking Mama is only $20 MSRP? Where was I when this was announced?[/quote]

Dennys?
 
[quote name='Roufuss']So does anyone know if the Best Buy's of the world got this in stock yet?[/QUOTE]

Ok, looked it up on BB's computer in store through the inventory system (contacts are helpful) and it's not even in their inventory system at all, or on the webpage.

Yet it's going to be in the ad this Sunday...?

I'm confused.
 
Yet it's going to be in the ad this Sunday...?

I'm confused.
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I wouldn't worry about it. Mega Man ZX wasn't in their online system until it actually came out, so once Best Buy starts carrying it you'll know.
 
I picked up Super Princess Peach this past week (using the buy 2 get 1 free deal with Lego SW II and Zelda) and the woman at the door who removed the security casing made a sarcastic comment about how this game must be for me (assuming it was for a daughter or wife, I assume)...and I told her it was. She gave me a look like, "whatever."

Given that experience, I think I could go in and pick up Cooking Mama :)


(of course my boyfriend still insists no straight man would ever play Super Princess Peach)


[quote name='Blaine']I've pretty much totally passed any point of shame when it comes to game stores. Between Nintendo making me have to use words like Wii and Wiimote...
I'm sure I sound like an idiot. Right now, as long as a game is fun I don't care if it's called "Yay yay piddle piddle: Don't touch my bathing suit area". I'm asking for it.

I also find the vegetable peeling to be a bitch.[/QUOTE]
 
[quote name='espy605']I wouldn't worry about it. Mega Man ZX wasn't in their online system until it actually came out, so once Best Buy starts carrying it you'll know.[/QUOTE]

However, it wasn't in their inventory system at all... there was no item called Cooking Mama for the Nintendo DS at all. It made me think that maybe it didn't come in yet, but it's already Friday and the ad hits on Sunday.
 
(of course my boyfriend still insists no straight man would ever play Super Princess Peach)
Click to expand...

I think more straight men play it than any other demographic. Nintendo fanboys are pretty rabid.
 
The dude sounded confused on the phone when I first asked him if they had cooking mama lat Tuesday now that you mention it. I'd have to say with the releases of Super Princess Peach and Nintendogs, this is the first system with good games that are a tad girly but don't suck.
 
I'd have to say with the releases of Super Princess Peach and Nintendogs, this is the first system with good games that are a tad girly but don't suck.
Click to expand...

I don't think girly games were ever really an emphasis by big developers in the past. Some people think the Kirby series is a little girly, or at least not a game a grown man would typically buy.
 
[quote name='BrerDan']Given that experience, I think I could go in and pick up Cooking Mama :)

(of course my boyfriend still insists no straight man would ever play Super Princess Peach)[/quote]

Your boyfriend is gay.*

For those who are still looking for it, I've done a little unscientifc research and here's what I've come up with.

EBGamestop stores who are 'high volume' Nintendo/DS stores are the ones who are promoting the Super Play Saturday tournaments. They tend to get the largest numbers of DS games. All of the ones I've encountered first or second hand have recieved 2 copies of Cooking Mama.

Most other ones are getting none (again, from what I've been able to discern) so...

Look for a Saturday Super Play poster as those stores should have recieved 2 copies. That's not to say stores without the poster won't have the game - just that it seems that have the poster look like they've gotten them.

Even if my lil' pseudo-science proves spurious... It still seems like stores are only getting 2 of each, as I've yet to meet anyone who has worked at/been at a store to get more.

Best of luck. Pittsburgh CAGers can find at least 1 copy in the South Hills Village Mall.








*My sister is a lesbian so I'm playing my PFLAG card here for the sake of a joke. My hate crimes are done out of love.
 
[quote name='Blaine']
Even if my lil' pseudo-science proves spurious... It still seems like stores are only getting 2 of each, as I've yet to meet anyone who has worked at/been at a store to get more.[/quote]the number of games each store receives is based on the number of preorders they got for it. if they don't have any preorders on a game, they will get only a few copies, or even none at all.
 
the number of games each store receives is based on the number of preorders they got for it. if they don't have any preorders on a game, they will get only a few copies, or even none at all.
Click to expand...

So it makes sense that most GameStops didn't get any as the computer presale system GameStop uses does not allow the preordering of $20 games.
 
I couldn't find it in the manual or options, but is there any toggle or setting for left-handers? Some of the movements (like breaking eggs) are kind of awkward.
 
[quote name='WhipSmartBanky']I couldn't find it in the manual or options, but is there any toggle or setting for left-handers? Some of the movements (like breaking eggs) are kind of awkward.[/quote]

Afraid not. It's a crap solution, but you could always rotate your DS 180 so you're cracking them upside down.

Then you can pretend that you're an astronaut!! Or Canadian. I think it has something to do with the Coriolis Effect.
 
[quote name='espy605']...or just go to Toys R Us, all of which in my area received at least four copies.[/QUOTE]

Apparently Circuit City, Best Buy, and Wal-Mart are also going to stock the game. I've already seen posts on GameFAQ's where people have gotten them for all 3. Someone even said Target had alot of copies.

EB / GS sucks with new releases.... don't ever use them to determine how hard it will be to find a new release.

I guess I'll try Best Buy again today...

EDIT: Hurray, local Best Buy had the game! They had about 5 or 6 copies my gf said, they were still in the back so I assume they came in late yesterday or early today. $16.04 after GGC, now I just have to wait until 9:30 pm when she brings it home after work ;)
 
[quote name='espy605']So it makes sense that most GameStops didn't get any as the computer presale system GameStop uses does not allow the preordering of $20 games.[/quote]but i preordered brain age no problem
 
Here are the rules for a 2 player Cooking Mama cook off that my co worker and I came up with.

1) A coin toss determines who goes first

2) Whoever's turn it is selects the dish to be contested and also makes the first attempt at it. The other player then tries to play the same dish. Record both scores on a sheet.

3) Alternate rounds for who picks the dish and goes first

4) Play for 10 rounds (or however many you want) and at the end, whoever has the highest combined score wins!
 
[quote name='BrerDan'](of course my boyfriend still insists no straight man would ever play Super Princess Peach)[/QUOTE]

Your boyfriend is *WRONG*!!! Lord it over him!! I picked up SPP on release week and played through it twice. Loved the crap out of it. Definitely low difficulty, but tons of fun and just a generally joyful gaming experience. The Toad mini-games could be a riot, too. It's one of my favorite DS games.

Anyway, looks like I'll be picking up Cooking Mama sometime soon. I'm just so immersed in my backlog now that it's not even funny. I wanted Lego Star Wars II, but just can't justify buying any more non-clearance/sale games for a while.
 
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