"The only problem is that you won't eat what you've baked..."

Nakayoshi Cooking Series Orishiri Pan Oku San (Intimacy Cooking Series Mr. Delicious Bakery) is
a weird, but very addictive game, released only in Japan. While you hardly heard about any other
cooking game before, as soon as you get into this game, you will laugh and wonder why you never
played such a fun game. Besides the other games from Nakayoshi Cooking series, the only game that
is all about cooking is Ore no Ryoui, released for Playstation only in Japan, though the most
modern games from Harvest Moon series (Harvest Moon 64, Harvest Moon Back to the Nature, Harvest
Moon for Girls and Harvest Moon Save the Homeland), also feature a cooking mini-game.

Nakayoshi Cooking Series Orishiri Pan Oku San (what a HUGE name, huh?) is not a hard game at all,
it is just a little tricky for the ones who does not know japanese. First of all, you have to
find a recipe, in order to know what you will need to make the specific food. After, you have
to find the ingredients with the people... I mean, animals... who live near your home, and
finally, proceed step by step what the recipe says, to finish your work. You have to choose the
right quantity of each ingredient, mix them in a bowl, and bake them in the oven. This game is
all about a bakery, so the final result of each level will be things like breads, croissants and
cookies. Very uncommon for a game, huh? Yes, but it has lots of fun.

What makes this game so good, is that you really have to work in a recipe, instead of just
watching the game making the food all alone. You have to set the right quantity of each
ingredient in cups, weight or spoons, mix ingredients such as milk, butter, sugar, bread
flour and salt, swing the D-pad in a clockwise move to mix them into the bowl, plus adjust the
correct temperature of the oven, and the correct time for the bake. This is very easy, and also
very fun. Your only problem will be if you do not have the ability to read japanese, and if
you want to know what ingredients you are mixing.

Nakayoshi Cooking Series Orishiri Pan Oku San is also very good in the technical area. The
graphics are very good, though the game does not push Game Boy Color to the limits. The
characters are detailed, and the sprites have the correct set of colors, as well as the
backgrounds. The sound is not a blast, but it also does not make you turn off the noise after
five minutes playing, such as several titles released for Game Boy Color. The gameplay is
simple, yet diverse. Usually, making food in this game is mix of few mini-games, such as
press the correct button in the right time. Overall, the game play is very good, plus the
adventure part of the game features interaction with other characters, in the search for the
ingredients.

Some people may believe that this game is too infantile to give it a try, but open minded people
will really enjoy this game, especially the ones who are habituated with plenty exotic games
released only in japan. So, if you are tired of punching, kicking, shooting or killing virtual
people, it is time to make virtual food. The only problem is that you won't eat what you've baked...

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 04/24/02, Updated 07/12/02