PlayStation 2 Curry House Simulator Rated

Thanks to NTSC-UK for its review of PlayStation 2 sim Curry House CoCo Ichibanya, explained as "essentially a simulator of how to work in a curry house." The Japanese-only title, in a similar vein to the previously mentioned Yoshinoya Beef Bowl videogame, makes a game of meal construction: "An order for a person can consist of as little as rice and curry, or can be as complex as rice, curry, chilli sauce, topping and a side order. Each component of the meal requires a certain task to be completed." The reviewer enjoys the title, but notes that there may be "not quite enough to keep you playing", quipping: "In real life, if you get bored you can play 'Which customer will notice the fingernail in their meal', but this virtual simulation obviously doesn't let you do it."

Odd Concept

[polyp2000]

While this game may or may not be something to be desired one can hardly accuse Sony of releasing un-original games. Quiet the opposite in fact I have come accross many unusual titles for PS2.

Only a few days here on Slashdot we had Katamari Damacy

http://ps2.gamezone.com/gamesell/p24539.htm

Of course who could forget The Eye Toy

and what about something for the ladies ? (rez vibrator!)

http://www.gamegirladvance.com/archives/2002/10 / 26 /sex_in_games_rezvibrator.html

Re:Odd Concept

[orangesquid]

Hmm.. what about BurgerTime? Although, BurgerTime was slightly different in approach, but, very similar in flavor...

Re:Odd Concept

[DAldredge]

The eye toy isn't any thing different than the software that came with some of the first intel webcams. And that was back in 1999-2000.

Japan, not in decline.

[Taulin]

Interesting, and very niche, games like these are coming out everyday in Japan, never leave their shores, and then we Americans think Japan's gaming is in decline [slashdot.org]?

I am happy to see these types of games getting more exposure, even if the original purpose of this thread was to poke a little fun at it.

While I lived in Japan, I bought every game like this, and had tons of fun because it wasn't the same old shooter or key hunt.

Re:Japan, not in decline.

[Anonymous Coward]

To the contrary, an increase in niche games is a bad sign as it means that the mass market isn't lucrative enough to bother competing for. This can also be applied for anime.

I wonder if they captured the perkiness

[foidulus]

of the staff in this game. When I was in Japan, I was just amazed at how interested the people actually seemed in their job, versus McDonald's in the US where not nearly as many people seem to be enthused to work at a McDonalds(and after 3 years there, I know why)
Damn, do I miss Japanese curry....
Yay off-topic!

Re:I wonder if they captured the perkiness

[Taulin]

Luckly, my Japanese wife can make it with the best of them! The best type can be made with those cubes you melt into hot water, and can be bought here in the states.

Speaking of McD, while living in Japan, i went there, and asked to add lettuce to my hamburger (which sell for 30 yen!). The lady turned around, and asked her manager, who then replied 'No'. Pengiuns at their best.

Nothing new... a two decades old idea, in fact!

[Stormwatch]

Activision's Pressure Cooker [atariage.com] for the 2600, anyone? ~_^

Re:Nothing new... a two decades old idea, in fact!

[dstillz]

Or BurgerTime, or Tapper.

I found the most amusing such game to be the Monolith Burger sequence from Sierra's Space Quest 4, in which the main character works a stint at a fast food restaurant to get enough money to advance in the game, building burgers piece-by-piece as the conveyer belt that brings them to him becomes ridiculously fast. The Monolith Burger game eventually made it into a collection of Space Quest mini-arcade-game sequences such as (Ms.) Astro Chicken.

Vanity Game

[bugbread]

Note that this is a vanity game, made by CocoIchiban, and (as far as I've seen), only for sale at CocoIchibanya.

20 years too late

[stu_coates]

Surely the best cooking sim of all time is Mr Wimpy [emuunlim.com] on the Spectrum.

Betty's Beer Bar

[ggambett]

They copied our game [mysterystudio.com]!

Ob. PA

[meta-monkey]

Hey, I think I saw this game at E3 last year! [penny-arcade.com]

Japanese only?

[dbirchall]

That chain has locations in Honolulu, or did when I was there a couple years ago. They should release an English version.

(Or better yet, an "Engrish" version. :)

Tales of Symphonia

[DavidLeblond]

I didn't RTFA but this sounds just like a mini-game in Tales of Symphonia.

Too bad

[Lord_Dweomer]

You know, I see all these titles for cooking games, and they turn out to be little more than shoddily made promos for companies.

As a geek who loves to cook, I would absolutely LOVE for someone to make a good simulation of cooking. It would have to be incredibly involved, and I don't know how they could score it, but I really would enjoy it.