Cooking Princess
Get on itch.io Store"Cooking Princess" is a single-player game where you help Princess Peach become the best pastry chef in the kingdom. With an intriguing story, fantastic game mechanics, perfect visuals, and a splendid soundtrack, players must surpass cooking-based time attack levels to make the largest amount of toads happy with your bakery. Despite some grinding and buggy aspects, the game offers amazing replayability. Note: this is an unofficial rom hack of Paper Mario , created for a modding jam, and requires an N64 emulator with 8MB RAM and disabled register caching to play.
Nintendo 64
Reviews
- Overcooked is a chaotic and fun couch co-op game that tests teamwork and communication skills.
- The game features creative level designs and a variety of challenges that keep gameplay fresh and engaging.
- It's a great way to bond with friends or family, often leading to hilarious moments and memorable experiences.
- The game lacks online multiplayer functionality, limiting play to local co-op only.
- Single-player mode is frustrating as it requires controlling two characters, making it less enjoyable.
- Some levels can feel unbalanced, with difficulty spikes that may frustrate players, especially in smaller groups.
- gameplay318 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Overcooked is characterized by its chaotic, fast-paced co-op mechanics that require teamwork and communication to succeed in cooking various dishes under time constraints. While the controls are simple and easy to learn, the game presents increasingly challenging levels with unique mechanics that keep the experience fresh and engaging. However, some players noted frustrations with certain level designs and the lack of online multiplayer options, which can detract from the overall enjoyment, especially in solo play.
“You'll enjoy four to six hours of increasingly challenging gameplay with a plot that'll knock your socks off.”
“As players progress, the game presents evolving mechanics and a plethora of levels to complete, ensuring a varied and engaging gameplay experience.”
“The gameplay is simple enough to pick up, but the challenges of efficiency, timing, and cooperation give the game an incredible amount of replay value and enjoyment.”
“Some mechanics, such as riding the icebergs in the ice levels, are a little janky.”
“However, there are not enough levels and the later ones introduce gimmicks that don't really mesh well with the gameplay and are just bothersome.”
“It's very frustrating that they're all designed for 4 players from a gameplay perspective, and completely screw over 2 players.”
- humor221 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -1 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is consistently praised, with players highlighting its chaotic and hilarious nature, especially during multiplayer sessions. Many reviews mention the laughter that ensues from frantic gameplay, mistakes, and absurd situations, making it a perfect choice for parties and family gatherings. Overall, the game is described as a source of endless fun and laughter, often leading to memorable moments of joy and camaraderie among friends and family.
“One of the few games that has made me struggle to breathe from laughing so hard.”
“My sister and I had to pause the game so many times because we were laughing too hard.”
“It's a wonderful game to play with friends, at parties or meetings, very funny and challenging.”
“The game tries to be funny, but it often misses the mark.”
“I found the humor to be more crazy than actually funny.”
“It's a mad game, but the jokes just don't land.”
- graphics132 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a charming, cartoonish style that enhances its appeal, with vibrant colors and cute character designs. While some players note that the visuals may appear simplistic or somewhat outdated, they effectively complement the game's fun and engaging gameplay, making it a delightful experience for co-op play. Overall, the graphics are well-received for their ability to create a whimsical atmosphere, despite occasional technical issues.
“The graphics are lovely - it's like playing a functional children's book.”
“Extremely fun, cute story, great graphics.”
“The visuals for this game are very cute, and the music is well suited for the pace of the levels.”
“The story of the game is so bad you wonder why they even bothered including it and the graphics are a bit dated, but it's still lots of fun.”
“If you plan to buy this game, beware: some levels are quite demanding on graphics card, so make sure you can play this game on a PC with quite a good graphics card.”
“The game didn't run well even on the lowest graphics settings.”
- story115 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally described as simplistic and lighthearted, revolving around a quest to defeat the Onion King and save the world from a giant meatball monster. While some players find the narrative cute and entertaining, many agree that it serves primarily as a backdrop to the gameplay rather than a compelling plot, with most of the experience focused on cooperative cooking challenges. Overall, the story is seen as a fun but forgettable element, with the gameplay taking precedence.
“You'll enjoy four to six hours of increasingly challenging gameplay with a plot that'll knock your socks off.”
“The entire game is also pretty cute: the graphics, the characters, the storyline, and the little bus you drive around in the minimap.”
“The story is wacky where you travel back in time and across the onion kingdom and in space to save the world from the beast aka the great and terrifying ever peckish, a being similar to the flying spaghetti monster.”
“The story of the game is so bad you wonder why they even bothered including it.”
“The attempt at a storyline is laughable, but no one is playing this game because of the story.”
“Overcooked does have a story that you can follow if you want, but it's 98% gameplay and only 2% story.”
- music87 mentions
- 52 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its charm and ability to enhance the atmosphere, with many reviewers noting its whimsical and catchy nature that fits well with the gameplay. The soundtrack effectively balances lightheartedness with moments of urgency, making it a standout feature that many players find memorable and enjoyable. While some mention a degree of repetitiveness, the overall consensus is that the music significantly contributes to the game's fun and engaging experience.
“The music is charming and whimsical, and it keeps the environment light without being obtrusive.”
“Each world has a unique soundtrack that is well composed and fits perfectly with the gameplay.”
“The music is great, gameplay is fun, and graphics are simple; however, without multiple co-op partners it's too hard.”
“Lazy story, lazy controls on keyboard, lazy UI, even lazier music.”
“The worst point is the music, so repetitive, but it takes its function.”
“The lobby soundtrack never sounded more melancholic, especially after failing the same stage multiple times with your friends.”
- replayability38 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is generally praised, particularly in co-op and competitive modes, with many players noting that playing with different friends can significantly enhance the experience. However, some reviews indicate that once the campaign is completed, replay value diminishes, and the lack of online multiplayer options is a drawback. Overall, while the game offers a variety of modes and social interactions that contribute to its replayability, it could benefit from additional content or features to sustain interest post-campaign.
“It is addicting and extremely rewarding with great replayability by simply switching who you play with.”
“Replayability is very high even after the story mode is complete due to arcade mode and versus mode.”
“The gameplay is simple enough to pick up, but the challenges of efficiency, timing, and cooperation give the game an incredible amount of replay value and enjoyment.”
“This game is very poorly optimized, the forums are dead and overall has no worthy replayability.”
“Once you complete story mode however, there isn't much replay value.”
“The game doesn't really offer any replayability after completing it either.”
- optimization14 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players noting significant performance issues such as lag, freezes, and stuttering, particularly on less-than-ideal connections. While some aspects of the game are polished and enjoyable, the overall optimization is considered poor, detracting from the experience and replayability. Despite these challenges, players find satisfaction in mastering tactics and achieving high scores, indicating that the core gameplay can still be fun when performance issues are manageable.
“Once you have optimized your tactics on each level, can you attain the elusive 3 stars.”
“The control scheme is simple and it's mostly about coordination and optimization.”
“Played as a single player game, it is mostly a dull (albeit stressful) exercise in task optimization.”
“This game is very poorly optimized, the forums are dead and overall has no worthy replayability.”
“Its a fun game but it runs pretty heavily; Overcooked 2 is more optimized.”
“Performance can be tuned a little bit, but I experienced some FPS drops every half an hour or so.”
- grinding13 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 85 % negative mentions
Overall, reviews indicate that while some players find the game enjoyable, it can become grindy and tedious, particularly in later stages where progression relies on collecting stars. Many players noted that the repetitive nature of certain levels and missions detracts from the fun, especially in single-player mode. However, some appreciated the lack of excessive grinding compared to other titles, highlighting a balance between fun gameplay and occasional frustration.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“It can be a bit grindy sometimes.”
“I found it to be tedious instead of fun.”
“It gets tedious and stressful having to repeat missions until you get more stars to keep going on, and to me it's not really worth the stress.”
“Incredibly tedious in single player.”
- stability13 mentions
- 8 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 92 % negative mentions
The stability of the game is mixed, with many users reporting significant bugs, glitches, and lag, particularly in online multiplayer, which can disrupt gameplay. While some players experienced smooth performance and enjoyed the graphics, others encountered frustrating issues like input lag and level restarts due to glitches. Overall, the game is deemed playable but not without its stability challenges.
“It's bug-free, it's fresh, and it has nice local co-op gameplay.”
“Online multiplayer is a broken, buggy, laggy mess.”
“This is annoying, because there are a lot of glitches and input lag due to the software being pretty much just a remote admin tool.”
“Occasional glitches forcing you to restart a level.”
- emotional11 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game elicits a wide range of feelings, from intense stress and frustration to laughter and satisfaction, often leading players to tears. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to create chaotic yet wholesome experiences, particularly when played with friends, while also acknowledging the emotional toll it can take during challenging moments. Overall, it strikes a balance between heartwarming and heart-wrenching, making it a memorable experience.
“This game is truly a beautiful, hearty, wholesome meatball.”
“This game made me feel things! It was the first quote after a five-minute hysterical crying attack brought on by the intense stress of cooking burgers and chopping lettuce.”
“This game has made me cry with laughter - but if you think this is playable as singleplayer, this is not for you.”
- atmosphere5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, with a catchy and fitting soundtrack that enhances each level's mood. Players appreciate how the frantic pace during time constraints adds to the overall experience, making it engaging and immersive, particularly in co-op gameplay.
“The music is so fancy and fits the atmosphere of each level very well.”
“The soundtrack is really catchy; it really suits the atmosphere of this game!”
“Overcooked has a great atmosphere, and my other half and I were immediately hooked.”
“Until you start running out of time on a level, then it gets more frantic, which adds to the general atmosphere.”
- character development3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Character development is noted for its fun and whimsical designs, reminiscent of Jim Henson's creations, which adds a humorous touch to the overall experience.
“The level designs and the character designs are fun.”
“The character design looks like Jim Henson muppet rejects, which is hilarious.”
“Fun character design.”
“The character development feels shallow and uninspired, making it hard to connect with anyone in the game.”
“I was hoping for a rich backstory, but the characters are one-dimensional and forgettable.”
“The lack of meaningful choices in character progression left me feeling like my decisions didn't matter.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy has received criticism for promoting a single-player experience while failing to adequately consider its implementation, leading to dissatisfaction among users.
“But thumbs down for advertising a single-player experience and not putting any further thought into it.”
