Nintendo recently reached out to me, saying, “Hey, Chef Blogger Dad, you are the most awesome cook ever, and probably don’t even need help in the kitchen, but how would you like to review America’s Test Kitchen: Let’s Get Cooking for the Nintendo DS?”
Well, that’s not exactly what they said, but you get the idea – awesome chef daddy blogger reviewing a game.
Problem is, that while I am a Master Chef, I rarely cook anything which involves a whole lot of preparation, beyond ‘open box and insert into microwave.’ In other words, if I reviewed the game, I’d actually have to cook. A real meal. With like steps and stuff.
Oh crap.
The game, though I’m not sure it’s really a game so much as an interactive cookbook on steroids, offers 300 recipes tested by the cooks at the TV Show America’s Test Kitchen.
- So, was the game all it was hyped up to be in the press release?
- Or is Nintendo going to wish they never sent me the game?
- Would I cut off a body part?
Keep reading, friend.
Tonight’s meal : Pasta Caprese and Grilled Lemon Chicken
America’s Test Kitchen: Let’s Get Cooking walks you through the preparation of the meal, via the voice of a man, presumably a chef, who instructs you while pleasant mall-type music plays in the background. My wife danced, jokingly, which caused my three year old son, E, to crack up. As I fumbled through the cutting of tomatoes, the game waited. As you complete each step, you can either tap the screen or verbally tell the game to move on.
The only downside to the verbal cues is that if your game is too close to you or the kitchen is too loud, it picks up on noises, which will cause the chef to ask, “hmm?”
For instance, my cat came into the kitchen in attempt to trip me as I was navigating a minefield of bowls, pans, and utensils. I told the cat to get out of the kitchen using words you probably shouldn’t use in front of kids, or cats, for that matter. To which the chef asked, “hmm?”
Cooking Together
Some people like to cook with their families. I call these people crazy. I’m the type of person who prefers an empty kitchen, or preferably an empty house, when I cook. The kitchen is My Space and I guard it jealously when I’m in there.
However, I can see the appeal of using the game to cook with your family. America’s Test Kitchen allows you to assign tasks to each family member. When setting up chef profiles, you can let the game know whether or not the chef is able to use knives or hot surfaces, so children will get only safe duties.
Cool Stuff
America’s Test Kitchen: Let’s Get Cooking has a ton of recipes which you can browse or search for by keyword. It even offers meal suggestions for holidays, via its calendar.
But one of the coolest features for a picky eater like me is that you can tell the game which ingredients you don’t eat, and it will narrow your search results and menu options to only foods which don’t contain those items.
Another cool feature is the series of videos which show you various kitchen basics like how to clean a cutting board, the correct way to use a knife, and other informative things which I found very useful. Prior to watching the video on knife use, I held my knife like a ninja, or sometimes, Jason from the Friday the 13th movies. Which, as it turns out, is not the correct way to use a blade.
Does the idea of cooking scare you a bit? Don’t worry. The game is packed with information! My wife has tons of kitchen utensils that I don’t even recognize, let alone know how to use. Fortunately, America’s Test Kitchen has helped me figure out what most of these things do.
Find a standard cookbook that can do that!
Drawbacks
I only have two complaints regarding the game, and they are minor ones.
Firstly, it seems like the chef can only coach you through one meal at a time. If you’re trying to make two or more dishes at once, which is not unheard of, you’ll have to exit out of the menu and go back and forth. Fortunately, the game does save your progress, making this an easy enough thing to do. However, I’d love it if you could combine meals and cook them all at once.
Secondly, while the game includes calorie information, it doesn’t include other nutritional values of the meals, such as sodium, fat content, and other things people may want to know.
Overall Impressions
America’s Test Kitchen: Let’s Get Cooking is a surprisingly fun and useful interactive cookbook. Packed with lots of great recipes and even more relevant information, this is a must-have game for anyone who wants to learn to cook or simply wants to make dinner time more fun for the family.
The Good
- easy-to-use interface
- allows you to create a shopping list based on your chosen recipes
- great video tutorials
- selection of 300 recipes
- calendar and suggested menus
- ability to add notes
- can delegate cooking instructions to others
- can share recipes while cooking if someone else has a Nintendo DS
The Bad
- can’t cook more than one recipe at a time without pausing
- no nutrition information other than calories
Item: America’s Test Kitchen: Let’s Get Cooking for the Nintendo DS (all sizes)
Cost: approximately $19.99
Overall Score: 90 out of 100
More information: America’s Test Kitchen page at Nintendo.com
Final impressions: The meal
As for the meal, it was great. While I don’t normally eat vegetables, there’s something about cooking a meal myself which makes me a bit more inclined to try new things. The whole family loved the meal (though E did ask me to put marinara on his pasta). The only downside to the meal was that it was so good that my wife now wants me to cook. Every night.
All in all, a great experience. Of course, after I looked around at the pile of dirty pots, pans, and dishes, I was looking for a different game, America’s Test Kitchen: Cleaning Up the Mess.
(Note: I was compensated for this review. However, Nintendo placed zero restrictions on my review. Well, they did ask me not to cook naked, but I think that was just a safety precaution. I’ve been thoroughly honest about my experience and opinions of the product, because that’s how Blogger Dad rolls. Got any questions or comments about America’s Test Kitchen: Let’s Get Cooking? Leave them below.)
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So what would you have to do if they asked you to review GrandTheftAuto?
I dunno, but all my gangwear came back from the cleaners all messed up.
LOL! Great review. Glad to see you didn’t burn down the kitchen or lose a hand. Americas Test Kitchen seems like a great cook book.
Sarah – Thanks. Yeah, no calls to the fire station yet. Of course, the week isn’t over.
Alright, Blogger Dad, that was awesome.
I read the review yesterday, then went to Walmart where they didn’t have the game, but I then I kept hearing you in my head saying the game had a ton of great recipes and that it was a must-have for anyone who wants to learn to cook. My wife and I are both TERRIBLE. We’re a box and can type of family.
Anyway, I got home and Amazon had it. And even better, it was only $17! So thanks again, I already told my wife it was coming in the mail and she’s really excited!
Jake – Thanks. You know, I used to think my wife was a good cook, but not a great baker as she tends to burn things when an oven is involved. So, last night, I baked apple tarts, and wouldn’t you know, I burned them! So, maybe it’s not my wife, but rather the oven which sucks. Which is good, because ovens are a lot easier (and less expensive) to replace.
I’m just baiting Blogger Mom with that one.
Oh yes, an oven would be much less cash (alimony, child support, therapists) and much less difficult (joint custody, restraining orders) to replace.
BloggerDad is so funny. He he. Ahem.
The apple turnovers were okay, they were burned (oven, of course), but pretty tasty.
I’m still waiting on another great meal. The child and I have been eating PB & J the whole week (made MY way) to stave off hunger. BloggerDad, can we have another home cooked meal?
*I’m pretty impressed with the cooking game as well…it showed BD how to cook a meal and it was a really delicious one, too. They’re not just teaching you how to boil water. Good stuff.
First of all you should never, ever be nude in the kitchen. Not just you, nobody, ever. This is my issue and I’m happy enough to push it on everyone.
This does sound like it might be fun to do with my older kids although to be honest, I’m not sure what they’d think if I brought this home instead of Sonic. On the other hand, if I did get it for them, I think they’d probably be very eager to try out cooking something right away.
I do love America’s Test Kitchen recipes for the most part.
Tracy – Well, ever since the court stepped in, I no longer cook naked. I suppose you’d have to bring home a game in addition to the cookbook, just in case your kids revolt. Of course, if they get to eat the cool stuff they’re making, maybe that’s incentive? I dunno how I would’ve reacted when I was a kid if my mom got me a cooking game.
In any event, the recipes are a far cry better than those cow brains in a can and other weird foods you have on YOUR blog!
I think I redeemed myself very nicely with the Elvis, thank you very much.
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This sounds like a lot of fun and a great motivator to actually get in the kitchen and cook. We have a Nintendo DS around here somewhere, I might just have to give this one a shot. Thanks for the great review, and for not cooking naked which might totally freak Tracy out.
.-= Jen´s last blog ..Before I Was A Mom =-.
Jen – Thanks. Who knew video games would get people in the kitchen? Of course a video game with naked cooking might even be more awesome! I’ll pitch that to the folks at Nintendo.
Great review, indepth yet not boring
The last DS game I played was Cooking Mama, addictive yet not so great at increasing my actual cooking skills!
I’ll definitely look at picking a copy of this up in the near future.
Danny – Thanks. I was actually in the game store the other day looking for other Nintendo DS titles and saw the Cooking Mama game. While I haven’t tested that game, judging from the box, America’s Test Kitchen is way better.
Where does this game take place? I mean, does this game need to be hooked up to your TV? In which case, wouldn’t you need a TV in the kitchen? ‘Cause my TV isn’t in the kitchen. It is in the living room and I would have to run into the living room every time I wanted to interact with the game. And then I’d trip on the carpet and face plant into the sofa and my bowl of whatever I was in the middle of mixing would go flying across the room and then I’d yell “Oh F*(&%%$” and then the chef would go, “Hmmm?”
.-= Margaret (Nanny Goats)´s last blog ..Do You Call It Soda or Pop? =-.
Margaret – The game is for the Nintendo DS, which is a portable gaming system. It has two screens, no TV involved. Though your version sounds entertaining! Maybe they have it for the Wii, I dunno.
Ha! You have proven yourself competent in the kitchen. It is on! Blogger Mom will be making requests and what a great model for “E” to see Papa Bear making the porridge. Lovin’ it. Can’t wait to get a taste of the game. Count me in.
Ha! You have proven yourself competent in the kitchen. Now Blogger Mom will be making requests and Baby Bear “E” will have Papa Bear to model how to make porridge. Can’t wait to get a taste of the game. Count me in Nintendo.
Man, this looks FUN!
If they come out with a software version of this, I would totally buy it. And maybe even use it. $20? For 300 menus? And a talking and possibly judgmental chef? I’m all over it.
Thanks for the review. I’ll be keeping my eyes open for a non-Nintendo version.