Mama has been around for a long time – almost a decade now. In that time, she's branched out from cooking to gardening, babysitting and crafting, maybe for a little light distraction.
But now she's back in the kitchen in Cooking Mama 5: Bon Appétit! If you've delved into the Mama series before, expect more of the same. Lots of mini games, with around 60 recipes and plenty of household activities to take on.
If this sounds about as much fun as poking your own eyes out, you're probably over the age of 25 and have to play out these tasks for real every day. But then, Cooking Mama was never intended for an adult audience. If the subject matter wasn't a hint, playing the game should ram it home.
There’s very little challenge to the game, so experienced players will whizz through it. But younger gamers will find it appealing. The cartoon graphics, the constant encouragement, different tasks that repeat everything you’ve learned; it’s all there. Most actions, such as chopping ingredients, cracking eggs and so on are all done with the stylus, but there are times you will have to mix it up, such as blow on the 3DS. If you want a bit more of a challenge, the Cooking Dojo judges you on time and accuracy, but overall, it’s a very forgiving game.
Fun, casual, but not too challenging.
