Joystiq E3 hands-on: What's Cooking? With Jamie Oliver

by Alexander Sliwinski { Jul 21st 2008 at 7:50PM }

We aren't ashamed to say that one of the only things that even remotely caught our eye in Atari's booth was What's Cooking? With Jamie Oliver for the DS. The gameplay takes The Naked Chef's recipes and places the player in a more realistic Cooking Mama simulation. Actually, it's everything we ever wanted from Cooking Mama: Going through the process of making recipes on the DS and then actually making the same items in real life. Yes, the recipes in the game translate to the real world.

Atari was completely unprepared for our interest in the game, as we couldn't get specific details on how many recipes are in the title, but we were told that there were over 100. Furthermore, the way Atari presented the game was as if someone had never played Cooking Mama before, which was obviously the case with some worthless Nintendo of Europe execs we scared off, who were too busy appearing posh and asking inane questions. Once they were gone, we got some time to actually test out the game and some of its features.

Gallery: What's Cooking? With Jamie Oliver

The gameplay in What's Cooking? takes place in a kitchen across approximately seven easy to navigate stations. There is a menu bar on the top of the DS's lower screen to transfer the player between the stations. At the beginning, the game will lead the player through the recipes and have them chop, fry, season and do all the other we've gotten used to in the Cooking Mama franchise (minus the cartoony graphics). Meanwhile, the game will play voice clips of Jamie Oliver giving positive reinforcement. The best way to think about What's Cooking? is that it's not so much a "game," as it is an interactive cookbook.

After playing certain levels a couple times, it's very possible to actually memorize a recipe and want to try it out in the real world. What's Cooking? also features an interactive cookbook, mobile shopping list and recipe sharing. The shopping list and recipe sharing are ridiculous features. Walking around the supermarket with DS in hand seems silly and sharing recipes is probably far more efficient by these things called the e-mails. One feature we thought would be in game, but wasn't, would be the ability to write up your own recipe levels to share with friends. It seemed like a natural extension of the game and what we thought "recipe sharing" originally meant.

Atari is currently testing this first What's Cooking? game with Jamie Oliver. If the title is successful, the What's Cooking? brand may be used on other celebrity chefs. We can imagine -- these were absolutely not confirmed -- What's Cooking? Rachel Ray, What's Cooking? Anthony Bourdain, and guarenteed geek hit, What's Cooking? Alton Brown. The Brown version would be a day one purchase for any self-respecting geek with a modicum of cooking ability.

What's Cooking? With Jamie Oliver should be available this October for $30. The game isn't exactly "fun," but it is a nice training tool. We imagine it being played by someone who wants to learn new recipes, perhaps during their commute into work during the week, and then memorizing at least one recipe that might be worth cooking for that special someone in their life over the weekend. We're certainly curious to see how What's Cooking? does at retail and seeing if the franchise expands.

Tags: atari, e3-2008, hands-on, jamie-oliver, joystiqfeatures, whats-cooking, whats-cooking-jamie-oliver

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Mr.ESC @ Jul 21st 2008 7:57PM

so...IT'S A COOKBOOK!

(Neat)

ComradeTrotskii @ Jul 21st 2008 8:00PM

I wasn't sure if this was a joke or not when I read the headline. I'm still not sure.

I have to ask, what with all this (hard)core vs casual gamer furore, where Joystiq stands in it all?

Considering myself a hardcore gamer I sure as hell don't care about a Jamie Oliver interactive cookbook for the DS and I don't imagine most of the rest of the people who read or comment on Joystiq do either. This kind of application certainly has a place in the DS market, and I'm sure it will sell more than a lot of 'proper' games but is it really necessary or desirable for Joystiq to report on this sort of stuff (however much your tongues may be in your cheeks)?

Mr.ESC @ Jul 21st 2008 8:15PM

Actually I play whatever I think is cool and I can see myself playing this as long as the gameplay is good. At the end I just want to play a good game.

Also at some point everyone should at least learn how to make a decent meal .I just hope the recipes are actually good and none of that overrated pseudo-fancy food, fusion, Zen or tex-mex dishes. I hate those.

I really hope they include classic French, Italian and some Mexican recipes. Maybe Chinese and Japanese recipes and some from Spain, that would be good.

If you ask me most players are actually mid-core.

(I know it as Zen but is like a mix between Japanese and Chinese food that is really expensive and the flavor is nothing especial and at the end is a rip-off)

PSN & GAMERTAG: jorojoserojas - Wii FC: 0749-8609-3752-6926 @ Jul 21st 2008 8:20PM

I don't know about all this hardcore/casual/midcore stuff. I play what interests me.

ComradeTrotskii @ Jul 21st 2008 9:15PM

Jorojoserojas: I respect that you are a free thinking individual that will not bow to peer pressure on the matter. However the point I was trying to get at, and it's not necessarily related to Jamie Oliver, is that the the video game market is a very different beast to what it was even a few years back.

We are seeing a diversification of the demographics who enjoy video games hand in hand with a vastly different array of styles of video games/interactive entrainment and by all estimations this is only going to intensify. I have no immediate problem with this, the diversification can only be good and it shows that video games are moving toward the same kind of acceptance that cinema, books, television and music have achieved.

Within these mediums there is something for everyone. There are plentiful supplies of books aimed solely at children, books for people who like cooking, books for people who like to read about the lives of others, book for intellectuals etc etc. There will inevitably be an overlap between some of these distinctions but for the most part each carries a particular identity. Again, this is how the games industry will continue to develop, with something for everyone. In 5 years time I imagine every celebrity chef will have his or her own DS (or whatever) game in the same way that they have their own cookbooks. Similarly there will be many more games aimed solely at children, games for older people, games for girls, games for child girls, games for people who want to learn to sew or speak French. The video game system will become almost ubiquitous, little different from a DVD player now (though I don't imagine it will be single format) we won't be defined by being video game players but by what type of video games we play in the same way that film preferences define us now.

As such (online) communities will be built up around these vastly different game style preferences. Joystiq at this time can certainly be considered a 'core gamer' blog/community, I'm fairly sure that is not a contested comment. What I wonder is whether it is necessary for Joystiq now or in the future to be reporting on Jamie Oliver, Dora the Explorer, Barbie Hairdresser or Knitting Warrior 2 games. This type (of largely made up but inevitable games) aren't really relevant to the community or our interests. In the same way that I wouldn't expect a review of the latest Vin Diesel film when I'm on a world cinema discussion site I don't really need to read about casual gaming on a core gamer blog. I'm not trying to define what Joystiq is or does and I'm certainly not trying to be an elitist hardcore gaming snob, I'm just curious.

I'm going to stop right there because I'm pretty sure I'm descended into incoherency and lost sight of whatever point I'm trying to make, but that's generally how I feel and you can call me whatever you want because of it, as I'm pretty sure I've been called much worse.

Kizzle @ Jul 21st 2008 8:10PM

I saw Jamie Oliver on TV once at 4 am when I was home late from a concert and drunk out of my gourd. I've never seen him on TV since. And now he has a DS game.

There's no point to this story. Just sharing.

Korova of the highlands @ Jul 21st 2008 9:51PM

lol, thanks.

Henry @ Jul 21st 2008 8:11PM

Fork off.

Churchy @ Jul 21st 2008 8:33PM

The fact it actually has the actual recipes and whatnot is actually interesting. Now if only it came with someone who got angry at me when I failed making said recipes in real life.

Epic @ Jul 21st 2008 8:37PM

I consider myself a hardcore gamer and i'm also a huge cooking fanatic. Its an important life skill. Gook well and you eat well, not to mention the impressiveness factor when the ladies are 'round.

I think that it would be great to see a game like this take off with the same gusto as brain training did. Brain training only really helps the user, this game could end up benefitting not only the user but their children, perhaps with the cooking skills and knowledge being passed down the line, resulting in a richer food culture and healthier lifestyles.

None of what I have just said is forced to come true but I think the potential is a huge and I believe that Jamie Oliver is one of the most deserving chefs to have fronting this game considering the work he's done already.

Personally, i'd like to see a Gordon Ramsay version, though I imagine that one may have a hard time getting through the BBFC ;)

Drew @ Jul 21st 2008 8:42PM

What about "Cooking Guide" to be released in November? Sure it's not as fancy with a 'game' part, but as an 'interactive cookbook' it looks pretty schnazzy.

And for those who complain about titles like these for the DS, I actually really like these things because not only does it expand the DS's use, but for those non-male, non-13-30-year-olds, this provides some utility to an entertainment device. Plus look at all the uses the DS is getting in Japan whereas it's still just a 'game device' everywhere else.

Benny @ Jul 21st 2008 8:47PM

It came out over here (UK) a while ago, and got quite a lot of marketing. Seems pretty good, though I hear the voice recognition can be a little wobbly.

Sora @ Jul 21st 2008 8:45PM

I agree with this article; Nintendo of Europe execs ARE useless.

Benny @ Jul 21st 2008 8:48PM

Will the recipe for Turkey Twizzlers be included?

Cal @ Jul 21st 2008 8:50PM

Turkey Twizzlers.

otaking241 @ Jul 21st 2008 9:09PM

Honestly, this really fixes what I always hated about Cooking Mama: no translation to real life. When I first saw that game I was stoked to be able to practice through complicated recipes before trying them in the kitchen. As silly as this seems, it is the first real evolution in the way recipes are presented since somebody figured out how to number the steps.

And those of who you leave your basements 1 day a week to get more Hot Pockets and Mountain Dew might think that toting your DS to the market sounds absurd, it's not nearly as ridiculous for daily commuters who have stuff like with them all the time.

eNrique @ Jul 21st 2008 9:45PM

i like pie

Korova of the highlands @ Jul 21st 2008 9:55PM

That actually sounds pretty good: You play through making it, go shopping list in hand, make it and ...

that's where the real game starts:

do you eat it?
do you chuck it?
do you give it to the cat? neighbor?

hmmm.. .

Mr.ESC @ Jul 21st 2008 10:02PM

Or shove it in your ass to stimulate your prostate.
The possibilities are endless.

(This is the worst reply I have ever post but I just returned from /b/ )

Superstar90 @ Jul 21st 2008 10:51PM

Mr. ESC get out of /b/ it will ruin your life!

Mr.ESC @ Jul 21st 2008 11:01PM

It already did son,it already did.

Now to draw some delicious cake and fap to whatever is on in the front page.

ThornedVenom (Harley Quinn Defense Force) @ Jul 21st 2008 11:17PM

I'm not a casual gamer, but the fact that you can learn real-life experience from it makes this game very appealing. They should really market on that.

A Gupta @ Jul 21st 2008 11:24PM

what's cooking? with gordon ramsay.
make it "M" rated, pl0x.

Shaq-Fu @ Jul 22nd 2008 1:19AM

Hmmmm. Since this is a shamless rip-off of something Nintendo already did (Cooking Navi: Cant decide what to Eat?), this game has to be published by Ubisoft.

*Checks article* ATARI?!?!?!! What. The. Fuck. I thought Harrison was going to bring all these new and fresh ideas to Atari. Apparently, the only idea he has is "lets do what Ubisoft failed at doing, and somehow cock it up even more". I understand they're all that separates you from Euro 3rd Party dominance, but give me a fucking break. A few more of this and Alone in the Dark and he is officialy going to sink the SS ATARI.

Maybe this is all part of Sony Europe's secret plan to dominate the market?

xxHughesxx @ Jul 22nd 2008 10:15AM

Unless it gives an option for killing Jamie Oliver with random kitchen devices then this game deserves the zero sales its going to receive.

His most well known saying: "pucker", close to what comes to my mind whenever i see him...just one letter off...

Judge @ Jul 22nd 2008 11:44AM

An Alton Brown cooking-related game would sell absolute bajillions. Makes ya wonder why there's not one already.

Korova of the highlands @ Jul 23rd 2008 1:27PM

Every time someone says "it will sell bajillions", it really means they will buy one and they dont think its weird to buy it, so everyone else will think so too.

But it may very well BE weird and then:

bajillion = 1

But it this case, since I agree with you, it will sell 2 bajillions.