cake-mania posts (Subscribe to this feed)

Update: That's it, folks -- the contest has come to a close! Keep an eye on your email's inbox to see if you won!

In our latest Joyswag, we're hooking one lucky reader up with a pair of new Majesco DS titles: Cooking Mama 3 and Cake Mania 3. Keep 'em to yourself or pass 'em along as a gift this holiday season. See how you can enter to win below:

• Leave a comment telling us whether you prefer to bake or cook
• You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec)
• Limit 1 entry per person per day
• This entry period ends at 2:59PM ET on Tuesday, November 10
  
• At that time, we'll randomly select one winner to receive Cooking Mama 3 for the Nintendo DS ($30 ARV) and Cake Mania 3 for the Nintendo DS ($20 ARV)
• For a list of complete rules, click here

Welcome to the first edition of the new Bury the Shovelware. We're going to shake things up a bit in the interest of keeping it fresh. Instead of simply timing the games, we're going to explore the titles in five specific areas. They are:

1. Pedigree - The background of the developer, publisher, and franchise.
2. The Critics Said - A brief overview of what the critics said.
3. Rap Sheet - The main glaring flaws of the game.
4. Silver Lining - Redeemable qualities found (if any).
5. Our Deduction - The final word on the title.

We hope you enjoy this new approach. Let us know what you think in the comment section. Our first swing at this new format will take a look at Cake Mania.

Pedigree

Cake Mania is a restaurant simulation based around baking -- you guessed it -- cakes. The franchise is relatively new but is featured on several other systems, including the PS2 and PC. It's published by Majesco Games, a company which walks a thin line between quality titles (Nanostray, Cooking Mama) and shovelware (Nacho Libre, Fish Tycoon). Plus, we're totally angry at Majesco for canceling the remake of A Boy and His Blob. Developer Digital Embryo is relatively green in terms of games produced, as Cake Mania makes up 25% of its entire catalog. Other games developed include the shudder-inducing titled Puppy Luv Adventures.

Americans won't be fixing pipes in their PC Store update. Instead, they'll get their hands on a series of wallpapers and themes, some even cake-related! Who doesn't like cake?

• Cake Mania: Baker's Challenge theme
• PSP Wallpapers Series 1 wallpaper (x3)
• Hot Shots Golf Open Tee 2 wallpaper (x2)
  
• Cake Mania: Baker's Challenge wallpaper (x3)

Today's cheap deals post is brought to you buy the letter "o," and, uh, the word "costc." Get it? Costco?

Now that we've sufficiently subjected you to the horrors of our evening humor (or lack thereof), those of you who are Costco shoppers might be interested in some of the games the retailer is offering for $10.99 thru 6/22:

• Puzzle Quest
• Sonic Rush
• Dragon Quest: Rocket Slime
• The New York Times Crosswords
• Disney Meteos
• Namco Museum DS
• Cooking Mama

This sale is somewhat "your mileage may vary," since the listed games are not necessarily going to be in stock at your local Costco. These are just some games that we've decided to highlight, though. Check after the break for the full list, as compiled by CAGgers.

Nintendo has added a new set of DS demos to the Wii Nintendo Channel, which in general is a happy development. However, the particular titles that Nintendo has chosen to advertise may not be of interest to you, with one possible exception. Without a doubt, the highlight of this week's offerings (online until June 8) is a Worms: Open Warfare 2 demo. Try it out right now, and if you like it, you can pick it up for $10 at Gamestop!

We're personally interested in the Cake Mania 2 demo, but other than that, it's Disney's show. If this were TV and you were 12, that would be great, but in terms of DS game content? Not so awesome. Hit the break for the full, fully underwhelming list.

Sandlot Games' Cake Mania franchise is coming to the Wii for the first time via Majesco, as Cake Mania: In the Mix! The new Wii game combines the time-management-based gameplay of the first Cake Mania with the storyline of the sequel, and adds waggle to the baking and serving action in new minigames.

Other new features include an unspecified "Shop Rating" feature that enables unlocks and a phone system that enables even more orders to come in.

Majesco expects to release Cake Mania: In the Mix during this holiday season. It will be distributed by Codemasters in Europe for an early 2009 release. We're always interested in seeing how the PC casual games audience crosses over with the Wii casual games audence, and this is a perfect test case.

Clearly we're dinosaurs. "Traditional" gamers like us are so out of touch with the tastes of the newly expanded audience that we can't seem to tell the difference between an awesome casual game and an incredibly tedious, ugly timewaster. Case in point: Cake Mania, which apparently sold "over 280,000 units worldwide."

Co-publishers Majesco and Sandlot Games and developer Digital Embryo are, of course, preparing a sequel on the DS, featuring new kitchen upgrades, wacky new settings and an "endless baking" mode. There's even a branching storyline with six different endings! All of which are "cake is delicious." A Wii version is also in the works, but no details have been released yet. Expect Cake Mania, but on the Wii. We've embedded the official press release after the break.

Stuck at home while every one else is out shopping, reaping the savings of Black Friday deals? Or maybe you just didn't want to deal with the crowds, afraid that you'll end up in a fist fight over the last Gold Nintendo DS Lite bundle? No need to worry -- there are a few sales you can still take advantage of online!

Amazon

• New York Times Crosswords - $9.99

Circuit City

• Cake Mania - $9.99
• Cooking Mama - $9.99

EB Games

• Konami Classics: Arcade Hits- $9.99
• New York Times Crosswords - $9.99

[Via CAG]