Cooking Mama Games

September 18, 2023

People who want to discover or develop their culinary skills can have loads of fun and learn through Cooking Mama games. This serialized hit and media franchise features cooking simulation gameplay. Players perform different tasks in the kitchen following what “Mama” instructs. The objective is to cook various dishes, although the format is mainly a minigame compilation. This series, owned by Cooking Mama Limited, is made for Nintendo devices. Over the years, the developers created versions and spin-offs for a broader range of users. There are titles built for mobile devices, as well as games for Facebook and Apple Arcade. Here’s a complete list of all Cooking Mama games from the most recent release down to the classics!

1. Cooking Mama: Cuisine! (2022)

Cooking Mama: Cuisine! Is an exclusive edition for Apple device users. Office Create developed and published the game, which was introduced in July 2022. Players who have an iPhone, iMac, or iPad can run it if they have an Apple Arcade subscription. The latest mama cooking games allow the player to try different combinations of ingredients and tools, creating a unique dish.

The utensils and food items change daily, which means there’s a new dish to create every day. All recipes created are recorded in the recipe book. In addition, players can win points to spend on outfits and accessories to dress Mama.

Available on Appstore

2. Cooking Mama: Cookstar (2020)

The first Cooking Mama game developed exclusively for the Nintendo Switch is Cooking Mama: Cookstar. Published in 2020, this cooking simulation is a compilation of minigames that players must fulfill to progress through the game. What’s new in this version is the vegetarian mode, allowing more inclusive gameplay for foodies with varying diets.

This game leveraged social media, enabling players to share photos of their activities in the game. Unfortunately, this game is not available to buy as of November 2022. Still, players who have it on their home console can enjoy the game today.

3. Cooking Mama: Sweet Shop (2017)

First released in Japan in 2017, Cooking Mama Sweet Shop takes players to the world of sweet treats. This video game is a spin-off with baking as the central theme. The player’s role is to manage the sweet shop and grow the business. Every completed recipe earns points for the expansion of the store, enabling managers to learn new delicacies and perform more activities!

With 60 recipes and more than 160 minigames in the library, this game offers fun-filled gaming for hours. Like other mama cooking games, Sweet Shop has a multiplayer mode, supporting simultaneous play of 2-4 participants.

Available on Amazon and Target

4. Cooking Mama: Burger Shop (2016)

Facebook Messenger games became a thing in the second half of 2010, prompting developers to produce Cooking Mama: Burger Shop. Players become the manager of a burger joint who needs to prep and serve food, pronto! From assembling the order to handing it out, users learn to manage their time in this fast-paced game. Unfortunately, it has already been removed from Facebook.

5. Cooking Mama for d Kids (2016)

NTT DoCoMo published Cooking Mama for d Kids through the company’s wireless service for the Japanese audience. This mobile game caters to younger players featuring easy-to-follow cooking simulations. It’s available for Android and Apple devices, broadening the reach of this fun version of the beloved cooking mama games.

6. Cooking Mama: Let’s Cook Puzzle (2016)

Cooking Mama: Let’s Cook Puzzle introduces ‘Foo-Dons’, food tiles that players need to match to create dishes. The meals are then served to hungry customers at the restaurant. To progress faster, players can buy Foo-Dons at the in-game store using the coins they earned. It is currently only playable on Apple devices today.

Available on Amazon Appstore for Android, App Store and Google Play

7. Cooking Mama: Let’s Cook (2015)

The developer also created mobile versions to reach a wider audience. Cooking Mama: Let’s Cook was released in 2015 and is playable on multiple devices. The game is built for smartphones and tablets running Android, iPadOS, or iOS operating systems. In this edition, players can cook various recipes, some of which can be purchased in-game.

In this mobile app, players can customize Mama, the kitchen and other sceneries, and utensils. Since its inception, the game continues to receive updates including new recipes and minigames

Available on App Store and Google Play

8. Cooking Mama 5: Bon Appétit! (2013)

Mama cooking games got bigger with the introduction of 30 new activities in Cooking Mama 5: Bon Appétit! The game features over 60 recipes that players can learn to create following a minigame progression. There are more game modes like word and number games in ‘Let’s Study’ and ‘Cooking Dojo’ for timed challenges.

Friends can go head-to-head in the local multiplayer mode, too. Participants best each other in performing 15 cooking tasks, which are taken from the ‘Let’s Cook’ mode. Additionally, the game enables players to help Mama with household chores, as well as collect ingredients in “Let’s Help Harvest!”

Players who love puzzles can get their fill through this video game. Those who solve the puzzle with fewer moves and less time consumed can win bigger points. Overall, this game packs more excitement and variety for fans of the franchise.

Available on Amazon Appstore for Android and GameStop

9. Gardening Mama 2: Forest Friends (2013)

Gamers showed love for the first spin-off, which made Gardening Mama 2: Forest Friends a highly anticipated sequel. This gardening simulation involves more characters and to-do tasks, such as supplying new shop owners with items they need. Players must also work in the garden of Mama’s family and friends to earn tickets for purchasing at the store.

This game is the first Cooking Mama games spin-off to get developed for the 3DS. There are more than 50 plants to grow, with opportunities to play with friends thanks to the multiplayer mode.

Available on Amazon Appstore for Android and eBay

10. Cooking Mama Seasons (2012)

Another exclusive mobile app for Apple, Cooking Mama Seasons, enabled the aspiring cook to make magic in the kitchen. Taito published the game through the iTunes Store, appearing in place of Cooking Mama Lite. Players can explore old recipes from the titular game, with new dishes included. There’s an album of recipes made, and users can decorate the environment by collecting cards.

Unfortunately, this game has since been deleted from the App Store.

11. Cooking Mama 4: Kitchen Magic (2011)

The fourth in the list of titular mama cooking games is Cooking Mama 4: Kitchen Magic. First released in 2011, it challenges players to complete 60 recipes and 200 fun minigames. The game was developed for 3DS, Nintendo’s latest handheld device at that time. Users who pre-ordered it received a Mama Plush, which became a bonus for new and seasoned fans of the game.

Players can customize utensils, backgrounds, and character appearance through ‘Mama’s Gallery’. There are also other modes including ‘Let’s Play Together’ for multiplayer and ‘Let’s Combine’ that feature cooking simulation minigames. On the other hand, ‘Let’s Help’ contains non-cooking related video minigames for an added variety.

Available on Amazon Appstore for Android

12. Camping Mama (2011)

The success of Cooking Mama games spin-offs paved the way for the release of Camping Mama in 2011. This video game is an outdoor adventure simulation, wherein players get to enjoy camping in the virtual world. Ringo, Mama’s son, becomes a playable character for the first time in this edition.

Some of the minigame themes available include whipping up meals and beautifying the campsite. There are 38 fun levels and 100 minigames that will challenge every camper’s wit and speed. The refreshing scenery beyond the kitchen walls allows players to explore the outdoors of this Cooking Mama DS game!

Available on Amazon Appstore for Android

13. Cooking Mama Friends Café (2011)

Facebook users opened their shop in Cooking Mama Friends Café, the first game of the franchise built for social media. The gameplay lets them experience running a cafe, and creating recipes to serve customers. Players can visit a friend’s café and interact with some elements of the station. In-game items can be earned by fulfilling tasks or paying real money. This game was shut down in March 2013.

14. Babysitting Mama (2010)

The third spin-off, Babysitting Mama, lets players experience what it’s like to care for a human baby stuffed toy. This video game features 50 minigames, challenging babysitters to look after six babies with varying skin tones. Like all Cooking Mama games, there is a medal system to reward players for their flawless performance.

Players can also access completed activities through Memories! playbook. Each baby has a book of their own to look back on all fulfilled babysitting tasks. In addition, the game warns against shaking the baby, in reference to this action being harmful in real life.

Available on Amazon Appstore for Android and eBay

15. Crafting Mama (2010)

Crafting Mama is a spin-off of the Cooking Mama games for DS. Players follow Mama’s instructions on how to create various crafts. Like other games in the franchise, the style is a minigame compilation simulating crafting activities.

The game features a craft gallery where users can view their work. They can also choose the outfits and items they created for Mama to wear. While there’s no solid storyline, the gameplay is a great way to learn and appreciate the art of crafting.

Available on Amazon Appstore for Android

16. Gardening Mama (2010)

Published in September 2010, Garden Mama for mobile features the classic mechanic of the spin-off. Planting, harvesting, and managing resources are some of the general activities in this edition. The game had a considerably large download size since it’s a full adaptation of the original gardening gameplay. Developers decided to water it down, releasing the ‘Lite’ version in 2011.

17. Cooking Mama 3: Shop & Chop (2009)

The developer released the third of the series, Cooking Mama 3: Shop & Chop, three years after the titular game. It features two new game modes and more than 80 recipes, with a total of 200 different minigames. This cooking simulation game divides recipes into several minigames, which the player must complete to progress through the story.

In this Cooking Mama DS game, almost every character and item is customizable. There is a visible enhancement to the graphics, as well as an ‘Import’ feature for players with a Gardening Mama account. The “Let’s Shop” game mode is unique to this edition, requiring players to do their grocery shopping before doing kitchen work.

Available on Amazon Appstore for Android

18. Cooking Mama Lite (2009)

In 2009, the creators made a ‘lite’ version for iPhone, a free app that stays true to the main game. Cooking Mama Lite allowed players to create a dish following the instructions on the screen. However, there was one remarkable difference: the mobile game only had a single recipe: ‘Hamburger Stewed in Tomato Sauce’.

19. Gardening Mama (2009)

Cooking Mama Limited created another spin-off in 2009 titled Gardening Mama. It’s a minigame compilation with gardening simulation as the main storyline. Players get to plant and water their produce and dig trenches in their gardens. There’s plenty of progression to make as players can create jams and jack-o-lanterns from their harvest.

The main gameplay, ‘Let’s Get Growing’, tasks players to grow fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Other minigames include pruning plants and shooing away rodents and pests. This game supports multiplayer mode and enables players to exchange their produce through the ‘Cute Treasure Chest’ function.

Available on Amazon Appstore for Android

20. Cooking Mama: World Kitchen (2008)

The second installment of Cooking Mama games for Wii is Cooking Mama: World Kitchen. First released in 2008, the game takes players back to the kitchen to cook sumptuous dishes. Using the Wii Remote, the cook performs the required motion, such as cutting, slicing, and mixing.

Players can progress by successfully finishing each recipe. Every achievement unlocks a different meal, as well as new characters in the series. To the fans’ delight, the developer implemented character customization, allowing cooks to create their avatars to their heart’s content. Overall, the game has better controls and Cel-shaded 3D art, providing a better experience for users.

This version introduces minigames that allow players to make up for their mistakes. It also features multiplayer modes and a ‘Take Mama On’ game mode where cooks battle it out with Mama!

Available on Amazon Appstore for Android and eBay

21. Cooking Mama 2: Dinner with Friends (2007)

The second edition of Cooking Mama games for handheld devices is titled Cooking Mama 2: Dinner with Friends. This game was released in America two days before it became available to the Japanese audience. Published in 2007, it features three game modes that offer more variety for avid players of the series.

This sequel, also referred to as Cooking Mama 2, contains double the minigames of the earlier editions. It follows the same objective: perform kitchen tasks as per Mama’s instructions. The catalog has an astounding 80 recipes to try. Players garner a score out of 100 and a corresponding medal after each dish is evaluated. There’s also a special album, which users can decorate with stickers to vivify the memoir.

The game modes are ‘Let’s Cook’, ‘Challenge’, and ‘Cooking Contest’. Let’s Cook follows the original gameplay, with merits given for completing the recipes with less or no error. In a Challenge, the stakes are higher as a major mistake can cause the ultimate failure of the whole task. The Cooking Contest is a multiplayer mode of up to four users competing for the top spot.

Available on Amazon Appstore for Android, eBay and GameStop

22. Cooking Mama: Cook Off (2007)

Published in 2007, Cooking Mama Cook Off is a spin-off of the successful first run of the series. It follows a similar gameplay to the original wherein players complete minigames to progress through each dish. The number of steps to complete varies per meal or pastry depending on how complex the preparation is. In total, there are 55 recipes using various combinations of about 300 ingredients.

It’s one of the mama cooking games using Wii controls to execute each activity, mimicking real-life cooking motions. Players can slice, roll, chop, and stir virtual ingredients by performing the movement while holding the Wii Remote. The game leverages the console’s motion-sensing capabilities, including positioning, and pointing.

Players get rewarded based on their speed and accuracy in preparing the dishes. They gain points for every successful minigame completion, and a medal for each correct dish. Bonus scores are granted when chefs don’t make any mistakes on the minigame or subtask.

Available on Amazon Appstore for Android and Wallmart

23. Cooking Mama (2006)

The journey begins with Cooking Mama, the first-ever game that started it all. It introduces a cooking simulation style, requiring players to use their touch screen to fulfill different kitchen tasks. Actions are performed by using the finger or a stylus following instructions set by the titular “Mama”.

In this game, players learn to slice meat, chop vegetables, sauté, and prepare a delectable presentation for the dish. Player progression is accomplished through minigames, which represent each step of the cooking process. The cook needs to perform the task before the time expires to avoid an “angry Mama”, ultimately failing the dish.

This game received recognition, earning the “Best of E3” award by the IGN in 2006. It is published by Taito, 505 Games, and Majesco Entertainment.

Available on eBay