Majesco's sarcastic letter to Gamespot for bad Cooking Mama review

by Alexander Sliwinski { Apr 15th 2008 at 4:30PM }

When Majesco's lifeblood depends on the Cooking Mama franchise, it's pretty easy to see how the company might get defensive when their cash-cow is threatened. Former Gamespot reviewer, Alex Navarro, learned just how defensive the company could get late last year when a Majesco employee sent him an email dripping with so much sarcasm that, if it were ever printed, the acidity of the words would burn through the paper.

Navarro shared his email from last December (found after the break) with PassiveAgressiveNotes. Here's a taste from Majesco's corporate Cooking Mama defense force: "With the first Cooking Mama DS 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." Can cars run on passive aggressiveness?

Tags: alex-navarro, cooking-mama, cooking-mama-2, cookingmama, cookingmama2, majesco

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Yourself @ Apr 15th 2008 4:37PM

Ahahahahahahahahahaha

I think I better go read the Gamespot review. Maybe Navarro was being a dick?

Yourself @ Apr 15th 2008 4:42PM

Not really any worse than a typical game review, though poorly written as has always been Gamespot's style. This sentence made me ???: "Little to nothing has been futzed with formulaically, with just a couple of half-baked mode additions and some lame customization elements rounding out the package."

The Majesco employee also took some things out of their context: the review states "But if you played last year's game and prefer a bit more forward progress from your sequels, you can safely leave this one alone" vs. just "you can safely leave this one alone."

Fernando Rocker @ Apr 15th 2008 4:46PM

My wife has both Cooking Mama DS games, and the value for the price ($20 dlls), its good.

It has enough content, good controls, and nice graphics. Its a lot better than nother shallow shovelware minigames.

This games are not sholveware... both Cookinng Mama are above average casual games... 8/10.

BananaBoat @ Apr 15th 2008 5:12PM

Is your wife a life sized Miyamoto blow up doll?

(Had to do it)

Neowyrm @ Apr 15th 2008 5:13PM

Hey, I've got one of those!

rv @ Apr 15th 2008 5:55PM

So what if it sold a million copies? Madden does every year. That doesn't mean it doesn't suck.

Kouheikun @ Apr 15th 2008 7:58PM

Fernando wouldn't stick it to Miyamoto ...

... he'd take it.
(so sorry)

mr mobius @ Apr 15th 2008 4:38PM

Burn.

Srayer @ Apr 15th 2008 4:38PM

I like how the Majesco employee misspelled the name of his own game on the subject line.

Chase @ Apr 15th 2008 7:00PM

Majesco: 0

Literacy: 1

WorMzy @ Apr 15th 2008 7:15PM

lmao, nice catch. I missed that completely. XD

randomguy132 @ Apr 20th 2008 12:05AM

Heh, was going to comment, but see that you beat me to it.

Fernando Rocker @ Apr 15th 2008 4:38PM

Nice =p

Van Faulk @ Apr 15th 2008 4:39PM

wow...that's the bitchiest letter I've read. I kindof want to play the game now...but then I remembered its cooking mama. unless I'm beheading people with a beam sword, i can't begin to care anymore.

Maverick Saturn @ Apr 15th 2008 4:42PM

All I can say is: Roflamo

Princess Skittles @ Apr 15th 2008 4:48PM

This is so awesome.

These little boys that play nothing but giant, 'roided up army solider games really need to stop reviewing games that aren't meant for them. Nobody hires a seven year old girl to review Tom Clancy's Super Solider Warfare 8, so why should TimmyExtrmeBallz666 get paid to review Cooking Mama?

It makes no sense.

Curtis the Claw:XBL - supapaypamawio @ Apr 15th 2008 4:52PM

Maybe not an 8 year old girl, but they did hire that lame girl team...what was their name again? All I can remember is "Yay, weapons of mass destruction!" and "Alright! World War 3!".

Liquid Ocelot (call me Liquid) @ Apr 15th 2008 4:56PM

Wrong. There aren't many "casual" gamers on websites like Gamespot and IGN. They rate games based not on how much of a diversion they can be, but how FUN the yare. Somehow i doubt anyone at GS and IGN think that Cooking Mama is more fun than Metal Gear Solid.

Curtis the Claw:XBL - supapaypamawio @ Apr 15th 2008 4:56PM

The Frag Dolls! They truly do suck.

Curtis the Claw:XBL - supapaypamawio @ Apr 15th 2008 4:58PM

Liquid is right, it wouldn't make sense for some 8 year old to review cooking mama for a magazine. Casual gamers don't seek out any kind of review or advice when getting a game. That is how things like Carnival Games, Mario and Sonic Olympics, and pretty much every other wii game sell so well.

Shmil (Brawl Code 2621-2310-1994) @ Apr 15th 2008 5:05PM

A 7 year old would think any game is fun. Kids are usually dumb and have little to no taste in good games. This explains why Ratatoullie (fuck that spelling) sold so well

samfish @ Apr 15th 2008 5:05PM

"Liquid is right, it wouldn't make sense for some 8 year old to review cooking mama for a magazine. Casual gamers don't seek out any kind of review or advice when getting a game."

Of course they don't. There are no gaming magazines gears toward anybody buy males age 12-24. Why would they read it?
That doesn't mean those magazines should consider expanding, though. Lord knows that with the way the publishing industry is dying off, especially gaming magazines, expanding their audience probably won't be a bad idea.

Mr Khan @ Apr 15th 2008 5:17PM

However, people who aren't jaded elitist pricks should be selected, which is how a lot of critics (of all genres of media, really) wind up

el serpiente @ Apr 15th 2008 6:03PM

So, anyone who doesn't like tossed-off mundane mini-games = elitist prick?

Microswirl @ Apr 15th 2008 6:04PM

@Mr Khan

Agreed. That's why Rolling Stone Mag doesn't tell me what music to listen to and Roger Ebert doesn't tell me what movies to watch. These establishments, like Gamespot, just can't see the forest through the trees anymore.

Sir Fidlious Wong (Zeon Defense Force) @ Apr 15th 2008 6:53PM

Sorry, skittles. Have to disagree. Why? Well, look at one of IGNs old reviews on a Dora the Explorer game. Don'r remember which one, fucks sake, all license games tend to blend together after a while anyway. But that's beyond the point. The point, my dear lady, is that this review was written with fairly high marks and stating several times in the review that it was a damn fine game for younger gamers. Despite the fact that this reviewer was a roided jacked gunfest affictionato, he was able to give the review a fair shake.

Now, look about these reviews...
http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/ds/cookingmama?q=cooking%20mama

You'll notice IGN and Gamespot pretty much agreed on Cooking Mama, and not suprisingly enough, I agree as well. The game lacked any form of direction or progress, it was simply make this, unlock recipes. There wasn't even a true feeling of accomplishment as the most you would get is a "good job" and back to the menu system you go. Facing facts, even for a casual game, Cooking Mama was subpar as you'll notice Yahoo Games, and outlet which preachs about casual experiences said the same thing.

Now, because these games are not targeted to gamers, does this mean we should leave the reviews up to the nongamers? After all, a nongamer would be fucking dazzled out their skull at blowing on the screen to cool down some coffee. Us? We've seen it. And non gamers typically do not know what bad games and good games are. Let me tell you the danger inherent in this situation.... my mother. She's a recent DS owner and has, to date, bought 8 games. If not for the fact that I direct her what games to buy now, she would have sold her system. Most casual games prey on consumer ignorance and, frankly, casual games should be held up to the same standards as non casual games. After all, Gamma Wave and Brain Training are the same price, one is only slightly stupid, the other is pure liquid ass. Just because the game is casual does not give it the excuse to be bad.

Abscissa @ Apr 16th 2008 12:05PM

@Shmil: That's more of a statement against the parents. "Lil' Joey likes this movie, so the game is probably good." Dumbasses.

Donald @ Apr 15th 2008 4:49PM

That's awesome. I liked Cooking Mama.

Von Dozier @ Apr 15th 2008 4:51PM

I've played Cooking Mama 1 and 2 for DS, and they're just about the biggest wastes of time ever. You do the same mini-game over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again.

It's kind of a game that shouldn't be made.

Princess Skittles @ Apr 15th 2008 4:52PM

All you do in Call of Duty is shoot soldiers over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over.

Different games for different people.

It can't be THAT hard to understand, can it?

Shmil (Brawl Code 2621-2310-1994) @ Apr 15th 2008 5:00PM

Hey now that's not true.
Sometimes you call in airstrikes

Lonecow @ Apr 15th 2008 5:29PM

If they are such wastes of time why did you feel the need to pick up the sequel when you didn't like the first time?

Shmil (Brawl Code 2621-2310-1994) @ Apr 15th 2008 5:34PM

Lonecow used Logic
It's super effective!
Von Dozier fainted!
Lonecow gained 142 EXP!

rv @ Apr 15th 2008 5:57PM

ENEMY UAV IS AIRBORNE!

Slaziman @ Apr 15th 2008 7:39PM

This reply chain is dripping with win and lulz.

Tim The Enchanter @ Apr 15th 2008 7:42PM

Enemy helicopter on the way.
Enemy helicopter on the way.
Enemy helicopter on the way.
Enemy helicopter on the way.

rv @ Apr 15th 2008 8:33PM

We are in danger of losing this battle comrades!

hvnlysoldr @ Apr 16th 2008 1:38AM

Slaziman said reply chain.
If hybrids can run on smug then cars can run on passive aggressiveness.

dannah @ Apr 15th 2008 4:55PM

Oh look at the time, Majesco as to run and be passive-agressive and shitty on the internet. BRB

Liquid Ocelot (call me Liquid) @ Apr 15th 2008 4:57PM

Wrong again. Cooking mama is somer crappy minigame repeated. Call of Duty 4 takes strategy. You have to know WHEN to shoot people, WHAT gun to use, WHERE to shoot them, and ACCESORIES (grenades, rocket launchers) to use. Cooking Mama is sh*t, get over it.

bm @ Apr 15th 2008 5:05PM

lol oh man

The internet should have an age verification.

Liquid Ocelot (call me Liquid) @ Apr 15th 2008 5:14PM

I don't think I like your tone....

WiiFTW @ Apr 15th 2008 5:19PM

@bm: I second that.

@Liquid Ocelot: Have you ever played Cooking Mama? You realize that there is an audience for every game, right? Like CoD4 is for males 13-25ish. Cooking Mama is for many ages because it is casual. You may not understand the concept, but some people who happen to play videogames occasionally have something else to do other than chug Mountain Dew and play CoD4 for 50 hours straight.

undrssthemachine @ Apr 15th 2008 5:25PM

Call of duty 4 takes about as much strategy as getting dressed in the morning, though I understand both actions might be perplexing to you.

Lijik @ Apr 15th 2008 5:25PM

And I don't think I like yours, "I'm too lazy to come up with a good nickname so I'll just use the same name as a character from MGS4". Nothing Princess Skittles said (who I'm assuming the comment was directed at since she's the only you've called wrong thus far) was wrong if your post was any indication. Everything you said sans lobbing grenades IS "Shoot other guy". It may be "Wait before shooting other guy", but it still includes "Shooting", "other", and "guy" with the end result being the other guy gets shot.

I know she has this disease called "Difference of Opinion" where she finds games you might not like awesome and vice-versa, but thats not any reason to come up with strawman arguments as to why she's wrong. Just grow up, accept other people may think a game is "the shit" while you may think its just plain "shit", realize that theres nothing wrong with this, and move on.

Fernando Rocker @ Apr 15th 2008 5:30PM

I think I´m in love... Princess Skittles beated Liquid =)

Shmil (Brawl Code 2621-2310-1994) @ Apr 15th 2008 5:38PM

@fernando
Its just "beat", not beated. I understand english is your second language, and I just thought you may like to know. Lord knows I don't know how to conjugate verbs in spanish anymore. Also "has beaten" is acceptable.

Fernando Rocker @ Apr 15th 2008 5:45PM

Thanks Shmil... I like english suggestions =)

I like Princess and I like Skittles too... =p

Liquid Ocelot (call me Liquid) @ Apr 15th 2008 5:54PM

I must admit that i haven't played Cooking Mama, but i've seen it, and it's upsetting someone took the time to put it together. Maybe my example wasn't great, but still COD4 is "kill kill kill" is as good an explanation as basketball is shoot ball in hoop. defend ball from going into hoop. repeat." As for my name....f*ck you. :)