Cooking Mama 2, Dinner with Friends - Nintendo DS

I've seen this game out on the market for awhile now. The premise intrigued me, much like the Spiderman-friend or foe game. So one day out, I saw that there was a Cooking Mama 2. So I thought well, no need to get the first one to see what the game is about. I'm thinking that the second one will have what the first one had and more. I'm assuming, since I never played the first one.

The game plays entirely using the stylist in various ways and blowing into the mic. No buttons at all. Which is fine by me, because that's the whole reason I broke down and bought a DS. It was innovative! Anywho, there is no story or plot that one works towards in this game. It is a standalone premise that builds off playing with others who also own this game.

For the most part, you are this little girl, with an typical Asian accent that talks to you when you screw up or do good. Comes complete with no "R's" but substitute with "L's". If anyone has ever seen "Gorgeous tiny chicken machine show", you will know what I mean. If you haven't, do a search for it and enjoy.



Like I said, there is no story, you go into a option where you pick a recipe and you play a mini game that is like doing a part of the recipe. For example, if you are cracking eggs into a bowl, you start with a bowl the left side of the screen and a hand holding a egg on the other. You then have to slide the hand across and hit the egg on the edge of the bowl and pour the egg into the bowl. Hit it too hard and the egg splats on the table. Other things you do, is roll out doe, slice veggies and meats, adding spices, stirring, cooking, there is honestly a ton of different things to do.

The only reason for, (if you are disappointed about not having a story line,) completing the challenges, depending on how well you do, you get a grade, that grade then lets you unlock more recipes, 80 in total. Then there are bonuses, where if you do the mini games fast enough, you unlock a bonus. These bonuses are things like, new outfits for cooking mama, change the decor, the over all look of the play screen. It doesn't feel very rewarding.

Then there are timed challenges, cook for the computer, where if you screw up the receipe once, its over, but get it right and it opens up more bonus items. So really all you can do in this game is unlock bonus items to dress and decorate your kitchen.

The only other reason you would play this game is if others owned this game aswell and you could have cook offs. ....fun. Really, the gameplay itself is just a bunch of mini games in the form of cooking and preparing food and it gets a little boring pretty fast. If you want a good mini game type, then Daffy Duck's Duckamuck is a much better game.

I think this game is geared towards young girls, Its a neat little premise, but it just doesn't hold my attention. Unlike spiderman friend or foe, that I also think is a game geared towards younger kids, this game just isn't fun. Its not bad for what it is, but I definitely felt disappointed by the overall game.

My overall, its a different game, you may like it, i didn't.

4/10