Cooking Mama: Cookstar | |
---|---|
Developer(s) | 1st Playable Productions |
Publisher(s) | Planet Entertainment |
Series | Cooking Mama |
Engine | Unity |
Platform(s) | Nintendo Switch |
Release | Nintendo Switch
|
Genre(s) | Simulation, minigame |
- For the first time in history! Cooking Mama Cookstar is available on Sony PlayStation 4! Congratulations to the winners of the Cooking Mama Cookstar Sweepstakes! 1st Prize – Nintendo Switch console, a copy of Cooking Mama Cookstar, and $100 GameStop Gift card. From Maryland 2nd Prize.
- Cooking Mama: Cookstar would have been the first game in the Cooking Mama franchise to appear on the Nintendo Switch, with the last five games in the series being released on the Nintendo DS and, before that, the Nintendo Wii. The game has yet to reappear on the Nintendo eShop and, according to one developer, it may not return at all.
Introducing Cooking Mama: Cookstar. A brand-new Cooking Mama experience created specifically for Nintendo Switch™. Cooking Mama Cookstar features over 90 incredible new recipes for players to master. Cook everything from classic Japanese recipes to today's most tasty comfort foods. A brand-new Cooking Mama experience created specifically for Nintendo Switch. Cooking Mama: Cookstar features over 80 incredible new recipes for players to master. Cook everything from classic Japanese recipes to today’s most tasty comfort foods. Cooking Mama Switch truly has a taste of everything.
Cooking Mama: Cookstar is a cookerysimulation-styled minigame compilation video game, and the sixth installment in the Cooking Mama series of video games. The game was briefly released before its official release date on the Nintendo Switch eShop on March 26, 2020,[4] but was taken down just a few hours later due to legal issues between the publisher, Planet Entertainment, and the owner of the Cooking Mamaintellectual property (IP), Office Create. The game was then officially released on March 31 in the United States despite legal concerns, but the European and Australian releases were delayed to April 28.[1] Office Create publicly issued a statement condemning the breach of contract on April 15, 2020. However, the European and Australian releases were not impacted and released as normal.
The game is the first entry in the Cooking Mama series since 2014's Cooking Mama 5: Bon Appétit!, and the first Cooking Mama game on console since 2008's Cooking Mama: World Kitchen. It is also the first entry to be released on a non-Nintendo console, having been released on the PlayStation 4; this version was promoted alongside the original Switch release but was not released until over a year later.
Gameplay[edit]
Cooking Mama: Cookstar plays similarly to previous entries in the series. New in Cookstar is the introduction of a vegetarian mode, as well as the ability to share photos of completed recipes on social media.
Development[edit]
Cookstar was initially revealed as Cooking Mama: Coming Home to Mama in August 2019, with an estimated release date for Q3 of that year. Its publisher claimed that it was the first implementation of blockchain technology on a major video game console, using the technology to implement a form of digital rights management.[5] The game was developed by American[6] studio 1st Playable Productions, but the company later removed all mentions of the game from its website.[7]
Release[edit]
Cookstar ostensibly released on March 31, 2020. The game was briefly made available on the Nintendo Switch eShop, but pulled shortly after its release.[8] Additionally, the PlayStation 4 version was not released at the time despite being listed on several storefronts. (This version of the game would eventually be released on March 25, 2021, nearly a year after it was first advertised.[9]) Unconfirmed rumors that the game acted as a cryptocurrency miner emerged shortly after its release.[10] 1st Playable responded that the implementation of blockchain technology was only 'hypothetical' and explained that the game's removal from Nintendo eShop was due to an ongoing legal dispute between the publisher Planet Entertainment and IP rights holder Office Create.[11] Office Create stated it has started taking legal action against Planet as Office Create had terminated their license to use Cooking Mama on March 30, 2020, after which Planet had started selling the game.[12]
Reception[edit]
Aggregator | Score |
---|---|
Metacritic | 46/100[13] |
Publication | Score |
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IGN | 3/10[14] |
Nintendo Life | [15] |
Nintendo World Report | 4.5/10[16] |
Cooking Mama: Cookstar received mixed reviews from critics.
Travis Northup of IGN gave the game 3 out of 10, praising the detailed recipes featured in the game, but criticizing the monotonous gameplay, poor motion controls, 'nightmarish' voice acting, and lack of meaningful progression. He also noted that the game does not offer anything new compared to past entries, which combined with the flaws, make Cookstar a 'tedious game that does almost nothing well.'[14]
Conversely, TheGamer's Bella Blondeau gave Cookstar a 4 out of 5. She praised the game's variety and amount of content, as well as the 'nuance' to mastering the mechanics. In addition, she praised the game's photo mode and Yoko Nishino's 'charming' performance as Mama, stating that the character felt 'like a tangible, adorable dork of a mother.'[17]
PETA, the American animal rights organization, praised the game for including a vegetarian mode. [18]
References[edit]
- ^ abNinFan (February 24, 2020). 'Cooking Mama: Cookstar could have been delayed until April'. iGamesNewsl. Retrieved April 28, 2020.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
- ^'Cooking Mama: Cookstar – Release Details'. GameFAQs. Retrieved April 29, 2020.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
- ^Smith, Alex (April 13, 2020). 'Where to buy the elusive new Cooking Mama: Cookstar game for Nintendo Switch'. Android Central. Retrieved April 28, 2020.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
- ^rawmeatcowboy (March 26, 2020). 'Cooking Mama: Cookstar was available to download for a short time today, but has since mysteriously vanished'. GoNintendo. Retrieved April 29, 2020.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
- ^O'Connor, James (August 11, 2019). 'Cooking Mama: Cookstar Brings Both Vegetarian Meals And Blockchain Technology To Nintendo Switch'. GameSpot. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
- ^'Contact Us'. 1st Playable. Retrieved April 11, 2020.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
- ^Skrebels, Joe (April 3, 2020). 'The Cooking Mama Game for Switch That Came Out, and Then Disappeared'. IGN. Retrieved April 5, 2020.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
- ^Doolan, Liam (April 4, 2020). 'Cooking Mama's New Game Has Been Pulled From The Switch eShop And Nobody Knows Why'. Nintendo Life. Retrieved April 5, 2020.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
- ^https://store.playstation.com/en-us/product/UP3763-CUSA25355_00-GAMECOOKSTARUS00
- ^Teuton, Christopher (April 5, 2020). 'Cooking Mama Cookstar Rumored To Mine Cryptocurrency, Pulled From eShop'. Screen Rant. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
- ^Doolan, Liam (April 4, 2020). 'Cooking Mama: Cookstar Cryptocurrency Saga Takes Yet Another Turn As Publisher Blames Coronavirus'. Nintendo Life. Retrieved April 8, 2020.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
- ^O'Conner, James (April 14, 2020). 'Cooking Mama Owners Is Pursuing Legal Action Against Cookstar Developer'. GameSpot. Retrieved April 14, 2020.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
- ^'Cooking Mama: Cookstar'. Metacritic. Retrieved April 21, 2020.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
- ^ abNorthup, Travis (April 15, 2020). 'Cooking Mama: Cookstar Review'. IGN. Retrieved April 17, 2020.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
- ^Vogel, Mitch (April 9, 2020). 'Cooking Mama: Cookstar Review'. Nintendo Life. Retrieved April 21, 2020.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
- ^Green, Steven (April 13, 2020). 'Cooking Mama: Cookstar (Switch) Review'. Nintendo World Report. Retrieved April 21, 2020.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
- ^Blondeau, Bella (April 15, 2020). 'Cooking Mama: Cookstar Review: Millennial Mama'. TheGamer. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
- ^Doolan, Liam (August 23, 2019). 'Random: Cooking Mama: Cookstar Receives Award From PETA For Including Vegetarian Mode'. Nintendo Life. Retrieved April 5, 2020.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
Congratulations to the winners of the Cookstar Dance Challenge.
Each winner will received a new Nintendo Switch console and copy of Cooking Mama: Cookstar.
Winner of Week 3 – Malachi
@thepandaninjas
Winner of Week 2 – Poncho
@_ponchoglez
Winner of Week 1 – Gwen
@phantomgwen
Chop, slice, flip,
fry, and mix!
There are so many ways to help Mama in the kitchen! Create surprise dishes, explore the mini games, and sharpen your skills… Cooking Mama, now plated for you on Nintendo Switch!
Realistic and Fun Motion Controls
Use your Nintendo Switch™ JoyCon to cut, chop, slice, dice, mash, mince, flip, and filet your way to fun.
All New Vegetarian Mode
Vegetarian Mode offers creative meatless solutions to your favorite recipes.
Potluck Party Mode
This new co-op mode lets players compete or work together to play fun and amazing games.
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