Cooking Mama Sweet Shop Review

Daft puns aside, Cooking Mama Sweet Shop is more Cooking Mama for better or worse. The core gameplay loop and its recipes remain unchanged. With a different setting, why don’t we start to dish up.

Using a rinse and repeat formula, the game doesn’t do much to change how it's played. Which when reviewing the game for six hours straight, my wrist started to hurt from the repetitive stylus motions, and the weight of my 3DSXL with its armor plating case in the other hand. Which in fairness was my own undoing, but I think it hits home on what type of game this is and the main demographic. This is a game first and foremost for casual gamers.

Something every 10 year old aspires for. No, just me?

Mechanically it’s very simple, with the minigame aspect lacking some form of cohesive to warrant leaving it on the side. The sweet shop aspect does little to make you want to visit it, other than just unlocking more pretty pictures and icons. Requiring you to sit down and play it by serving customers the sweets/puddings you’ve made. Other aspects of the game like the mini games left little to the imagination, reminding me of those old phone games you’d have installed on a flip phone.

The weird campiness of Mama’s voice helped lighten the mood, but in terms of difficulty the game lacks it. Often requiring you to mess up because you accidently over whisked your latest meringue or tapped the screen too much to open that can of fresh fruit. Although in the process of making it, I started to really crave sweet and sugary goods. As well as bake my own goods, which honestly wasn’t a bad idea all things considered. Since I finally found out that the mythical pudding that I thought was called pudding, is called creme caramel so huzzah!

The one upside is the no cleaning after baking!

But, what would have made the experience better would be different playstyles. Joystick for stirring and button prompts to make certain things. Because from a playing perspective, not everyone can hold a 3DS in one hand to play the game. Which before straining my wrist, playing on a commute is not ideal. Especially when playing and you accidently spill the flour everywhere, it made blowing on my 3DS very awkward - to say the least...

Something to really make Cooking Mama a stand out though in my eyes would have been a tournament system. I’m not just talking about making multiple dishes, but having to time manage as well as meet a brief (basically Great British Bake Off). Imagine going toe to toe with your friends in a 20 minute session of baking, having to time and construct specific deserts to a brief. Or even testing your knowledge on baking, throwing you a dessert to make and giving you all the necessary ingredients. But through your knowledge and skill, you know what colour the mixture should be at (through visual cues) and how long it needs to be baked or rested. But sadly, that’d probably be too much for a Cooking Mama game.