Order Up!!

Order Up! Is a cooking simulator, based around a variety of mini-games. The title has been released for Wii, Android, iOS, Playstation 3, and Nintendo 3DS that was released initially in 2008. The title developed by SuperVillain Studios, and published by Zoo Games, Chillingo, and Funbox Media found moderate success among gamers, but special recognition on the Wii platform. There the game was figured as one of the “Best Wii Games of 2008”, “Most Discussed Wii Game of 2008”, and “Most Shared Wii Game of 2008”.

Homemade Dishes

Order Up!’s highest appraisal comes from its ability to entertain players. The title is a fun, and fast-paced experience that keeps players engaged at every moment. This is what a cooking-simulator, mini-game project, that has a limited budget should look like. Visuals, mechanics, controls, performance, and every aspect of the title are delivered at least at a satisfactory level, which is exactly what you would expect from a game like this.

The game functions on a challenge, goal-oriented style which pushes players to try and achieve five-star performances, either by unlocking recipes, impressing critics, or delivering special and custom dishes to returning customers. Order Up! Shines brightest on the Wii, because of the motion controls that are used to cook the meals, which aside from the Playstation Move, is a feature unseen on the other versions of the game.

Chef’s Journey

Players assume the role of a rookie chef with a burning passion for cooking that arrives at Port Abello, one of the most prestigious culinary locations known. After initial struggles to learn the essential cooking skills at a fast-food joint, this chef goes on to purchase a diner. Here players will expand and augment their business by purchasing and managing new restaurants. The game also has a chef’s competition called Fortified Chef Competition, which is a challenge that comes around town and defies the best chefs in the area to prove their abilities in an important culinary stage.

Overall, the title focuses on a more fast-paced, resource management, and logistic aspect than some of its counterparts. These mini-games, test the player’s ability to manage up to four restaurants with excellence and encompass non-cooking mini-games to ensure that the restaurants function properly and smoothly.

Ultimately, the game only has multiplayer modes available on Wii, and Playstation 3, while the other versions offer only single-player mode. The motion controls also make this game way better than its other versions, and a great soundtrack developed by Robb Mills wraps this title up.

Conclusion

Those who like these mini-game titles, which aren’t necessarily cooking-related will enjoy this game. A title such as Cooking Mama, Diner Dash 2: Restaurant Rescue, or Overcooked will provide fans of these games a lot of enjoyment as well, this is overall a simple, fun, and entertaining game.

PROS:

• Very Fun
• Simple Mechanics
• Varied Mini-Games
• Fast-Paced Action
• Accessible Challenges

CONS:

• Low Replayability
• Only Four Restaurants To Manage

Begin your cooking adventure and claw your way to the top of the culinary ladder in Order Up! This cooking simulator sees you starting at the bottom as you learn the ropes of the food world and apply it to your own business in hopes of success. Develop recipes, practice your skills, and even open up your very own restaurant in this fast-paced arcade-style title! Not only will you get hands-on time by whipping up your favorite foods, but you'll also manage the ins and outs of owning a diner on a daily basis. Order Up is a game that will challenge your time management skills, memory, and cooking expertise, so be sure you have what it takes before you step into this kitchen.

Main Game Features

• Envelope yourself in the thrill of competitive cooking
• Make delicious meals in cooking mini-games
• Own and manage multiple restaurants

Story

Order Up focuses on you, a rookie chef living on the exotic island of Port Abello. With a tropical atmosphere, plenty of tourism, and some of the best ingredients around, Port Abello is one of the premier eating locations in the world. Eager to learn the culinary trade, you are air-dropped into a job at a local fast food joint, where you'll be grilled on the basics before your true quest begins. Once you've become familiar with your duties as a cook, it's time to break free of the training wheels and purchase your own diner. Now, you'll have to attend to special guests, manage inventory, and make sure that all the meals get out on time.

Told through animated cutscenes with a fun and silly vibe, the story in Order Up is simply the backdrop for your personal cooking adventure. There are a few characters to help you during your journey, and you'll see many goofy-looking patrons walk through the diner doors. As you make your way through the many stages of the game, your cook will grow in experience, slowly becoming a true chef. This development isn't very apparent in the game, but you'll surely feel a sense of accomplishment as you get better and better. The cheerful and jokey tone of the story is a good boost in motivation as you work your way through the game.

Gameplay

Order Up is comparable to other mini-game focused cooking games, like Cooking Mama, but with elements of Diner Dash as well. At first, you'll start off in a basic fast food place, serving as a line cook during lunch and dinner rushes. When customers come in, it's your job to note the order and begin cooking, preparing various elements of a specific dish at a time. This makes simple orders, such as a cheeseburger and french fries, a bit more hectic. You'll need to ensure that the oil is properly heated, chop up vegetables correctly, and more. Some dishes will also require special adjustments, pushing the preparation to even more precise levels. The game supports both motion controls and traditional gamepads, adding a further layer of immersion.

There's more than just cooking in Order Up, as you must also work on upgrading your diner to 5-star fame. You can't do everything yourself, so you can hire extra chefs, purchase new recipes, and adjust the menu as needed. Once you've mastered the art of the diner, you can move on to other additional restaurants, each with unique foods to make and clients to please. This management aspect helps break up the mini-game heavy style of the cooking gameplay, giving you more ownership over all aspects of the restaurant business.

Conclusion

Order Up is a surprisingly addictive cooking simulator that does more than just let you fry up some basic dishes in the kitchen. Combining management aspects, multiple tasks at once, and long-term progression, there's a lot of features to get wrapped up in.

Pros

• Lots of different cooking mini-games
• Multiple restaurants to master
• Funny and cheerful tone

Cons

• Imprecise motion controls
• A few repetitive recipes
• Some characters are annoying to listen to