Cooking Mama: Cook Off

"Excellent! Good job!"

The quirky anime art style and overall cheery feeling this game emits is almost overwhelming. All of the cuteness mixed in with a cup of 2 player competiton, tablespoon of relplayability, and a dash of induced hunger finishes off this mini-game driven game very well. No matter how old or young you are, "Mama" gives something for everyone.

Gameplay - 9
Cooking Mama Cook Off's easy-to-pick up gameplay makes it ideal for players of all ages. Controls are also quite similar to real-life actions used while cooking. For example, to sprinkle salt or pepper, simply shake the Wii remote. The actions are not annoying at all; whenever I play, my hands/wrists never hurt or became tired. Whether I was chopping or grinding meat, sprinkling spices , or stirring a boiling pot, I did not feel discomfort. I was also pleased with the many modes available on the Wii version. "Friends Around the World" mode is pretty much Player vs. CPU. The CPU varies, depending on what type of cuisine you are preparing. For example, if the player is making sushi, a Japanese "friend" is the opponent, and so on.

Graphics/Sounds - 8.5
I thought the music was very upbeat, but at the same time nice music to listen to in the background as you were cooking virtual food. Sound effects sounded very much like the real thing. For example, hearing a boiling pot on the game made me think of a nice bowl of hot soup. Yummy! Mama had a cute and friendly voice, although some players may find it difficult to understand her because of her thick Japanese accent. Graphics wise, the food looked so delicious! I found myself licking my lips in hunger after seeing my results.

Play Time/Replayability - 8
The replay value for Cooking Mama Cook Off is fairly high, even higher if you're hungry because of all the yummy looking food! 2 player mode also adds to the replayability, letting players compete with each other with a point-based judging system. There is also a "challenge" mode, much like 2 player mode but without the competition.

Overall - 9
In general, Cooking Mama Cook Off is a wonderful addition to the Cooking Mama franchise. Clearly not just a port of the DS version in that the recipes and controls are quite different. I recommend this game for players of all ages, whether you're 5 or 95, Cooking Mama Cook Off has something for everyone. Children will enjoy the sunny feeling the game has to offer, while adults will have the joy of cooking without the mess.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 11/15/07

Game Release: Cooking Mama: Cook Off (US, 03/20/07)