This series of videos makes us happy, but it also makes us a little sad. Why? Because we had the idea a while ago to try a recipe using the exact ingredients, instructions, and timings found in a Cooking Mama game, and never actually had time to try it. And now Thwomp Factory has undertaken a very similar experiment. It's actually part of an ongoing series of theirs about making recipes based on video games! Check it out if you want to try some Contact or Harvest Moon-inspired cuisine.
They skip to the last hilarious step in Cooking Mama 2's chili dog recipe: catching all the ingredients with the bun. "Why does Mama make her chili dogs like this?" Thwomp Factory's Amelia wondered. "Does it improve the flavor, allowing the subtle spices of the chili to mature in the open air? Does it work up an appetite, with all that running around and panicking?" Mostly it makes a risible mess. But it's a surefire recipe for awesome videos.
No. We're serious. Because, really, would you want to make Mama mad? Former GameSpot scribe Alex Navarros apparently couldn't care less, because he slapped a six out of ten on Cooking Mama 2: Dinner with Friends back in February, and got a vitriolic letter from publisher Majesco for his troubles.
It's a delightfully sarcastic retort, with the author of the letter noting that "With the first Cooking Mama reaching 1 million units in Europe and near of 1 million stateside, I began to worry that this might begin to go to our heads. Majesco's parking lot would be flooded with Bentley's, Maybach's and rare hybrid cars that run on pure ego." Hit the break for the petulant tirade in full.
From next Monday, sushi-scoffing Brits will have a chance to play the cooking sim while failing to successfully use chopsticks at two London branches of YO! Sushi (located on Poland Street and Farringdon Road). Shortly thereafter, the other 30-odd UK-based YO! Sushi restaurants will follow suit. This kind of reminds us of the marketing push given to Yume Neko in Tokyo's Cat Cafe Calico, except with a game we're not bothered about and a less interesting venue.
We'll take almost any encouragement to buy a bunch of games, and there's little better incentive than a package deal, through which we "save" money by buying more stuff. Retailer Toys R Us knows this, and has dangled the carrot of reduced-price DS games at us with a "buy one, get $10 off" sale. The ad says "all DS games," but the sale is actually restricted to a selection of TRU's offerings.
That's fine, though, because there's enough here for just about anyone to be driven into an impulse purchase! Standouts include Flash Focus,Professor Layton, WordJong, Cooking Mama 2, and even some pre-release stuff like Rondo of Swords! Or you could finally pick up the whole Imagine collection.
Hmm, with all the games out this week, it seems like there should be something that really gets our hearts pumping. Maybe it's WordJong. After all, we liked it, but nah, that's not really an incomparable thrill ride. Cooking Mama 2? Just doesn't seem like it. We can cross off Baby Pals and all the Petz and Horsez games, too. It's right there, on the tip of the tongue ... what could it be?
Oh yeah: Contra 4. At last, dear friends, it's here!
Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?
Baby Pals
Contra 4
Cooking Mama 2: Dinner With Friends
Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends: Imagination Invaders
With a new TV commercial about to hit the airwaves (in Japan,) we've been able to learn a little more about the "cosplayer" Taito employed in some print advertising. It turns out that she'll be the face of Cooking Mama on TV as well.
The actress in question is a Japanese comedienne named Shizuyo Yamasaki, commonly called "Shizu-chan." She's part of a comedy duo called "Nankai Candies" and also played a supporting role in "Hula Girls." We figured she must be a celebrity of some kind and not just the first person who fit in the apron.
As for the commercial itself: there are stills at Inside-Games, but no video yet. We pretty much get the idea anyway. Cooking Mama 2 is fun, whether you're a child or Shizuyo Yamasaki.
You know, sometimes we just don't get Japanese marketing. Probably most times.
The latest one to leave us baffled is this Cooking Mama flyer, put out by Taito to promote the next game in the series. For some unknown reason, the Japanese publisher felt that Cooking Mama 2 would sell more copies with a scary cosplayer representing the game.
We hope that Majesco, the game's North American publisher, won't resort to such unsettling tactics here in the States. There's only a 0.01% chance that they would, but we still might have a nightmare or two about it. We think we even prefer "Cheerleader Mama" over this.
Go beyond the jump to see another flyer of Mama in her cosplay glory.
GoNintendo's "inside guy" is usually spot-on with his scouted information on upcoming Download Station games, but keep in mind that this tally is anything but official. According to the mole's report, this Version 7 update to the in-store wireless stations will feature a total of twelve game demos and five videos, all of which you can see after the post break.
Playable demos for Contra 4 and Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword top the gossip, promising to bring run-n-gun shootin' and ninja-of-the-night flippin' to our handhelds soon. Once this update hits, we are going to be on these two titles like gravy on mashed potatoes. Who knows, we might even eat some mashed potatoes with gravy while we play the demo. These are crazy times we live in.
Over at the TGS booth for Cooking Mama 2, GameSpot got a sneak peek at the cook-em-up title. While engaged in the virtual kitchen, cooking up some dishes with the mama, they prepared a couple of select dishes, including ice cream and pizza.
From their impressions, we gather that fans of the first title should be pleased at where the direction of the new game is headed. Also, with the addition of some new recipes, the title should be fresh and inviting to new chefs aspiring to make a name for themselves in the virtual kitchen.
Just don't cross mama. She's liable to grab a knife and cut you.
Majesco may be bringing forth a sequel to their smash hit Cooking Mama, but apparently it wasn't enough to bring them into the black. Hopefully, that'll change with the upcoming release of Cooking Mama 2, but the Q3 financial results show the company's profits are down to $10 million from $12.4 million last year.
The DS is an important platform for the company, as 66% of their total sales come from games on the handheld. And with the first Cooking Mama game selling over 500,000 units, the company has high hopes for its sequel, as well.
GoNintendo's "inside guy" is usually spot-on with his scouted information on upcoming 
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