| Food Network: Cook or Be Cooked! | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Red Fly Studio |
| Publisher(s) | Bandai Namco |
| Platform(s) | Wii |
| Release date(s) |
|
| Genre(s) | Simulation, minigame |
| Mode(s) | Single player, multiplayer |
| Rating(s) |
|
Food Network: Cook or Be Cooked! is a cooking simulation-styled minigame compilation developed by Red Fly Studio and published by Bandai Namco Games. It was released in North America on November 3, 2009, and is the first video game to use the Food Network license.[1][2]
Cook or Be Cooked contains twelve different meals to prepare; the player must go through recipes and complete the meals by completing minigames correctly. The game features a single player mode, a "pass and play" mode allowing up to four players to prepare one meal, and a multiplayer cook-off mode between two people. Cook or Be Cooked garnered mediocre reviews from critics upon release, who noted a lack of content in the game. As of August 2010, Cook or Be Cooked has received compilation scores of 53% and 64% from MetaCritic and GameRankings respectively.[3][4]
The game places the player in a kitchen and tasks them with cooking meals to be judged upon completion.[5]
Controls are done utilizing the Wii remote and motion controls to cook and prepare food.[5] Meals consist of multiple dishes which must be served at the same time; the game requires the player to manage their time while cooking. The game gives feedback to the player while they're cooking through pop-up messages and in-game commentary, which note problems in players' cooking styles or timing. Players are scored based on their performance during cooking.[5]
The game was first publicized by a press release on April 29, 2009, in which the game's title and the partnership between Namco Bandai and the Food Network was announced.[6][7] The game was released on November 3, 2009.[5]
Cook or Be Cooked garnered mediocre reviews from critics mainly for its lack of content; it received compilation scores of 53% and 64% from MetaCritic and GameRankings respectively.[3][4] GameSpot's Shaun Mcinnis noted that though the gameplay itself controlled tightly and was fun, it held little replay value because of the lack of dishes to create. David Wolinsky of the A.V. Club described the game as immersive when it worked, but felt the game's small selection of recipes made the fun short-lived.[1] 1UP.com's Mike Cruz stated that the game could be finished in one sitting.[8]