It’s hard to easily dismiss the phenomenon that is Cooking Mama, from its small beginnings on the Nintendo DS it has easily become a recognized staple in a hardened gaming world; the acclaimed success of the franchise has even encouraged the game’s developer to rightfully change their company name to Cooking Mama Limited in response. Next on the menu is Cooking Mama: World Kitchen, a proper sequel to last year’s Wii title that brought motion control into the mix, and while it may essentially be more of the same, nearly everything has been modestly improved for your gourmet pleasure with gaming's most lovable matron.

The formula remains refreshingly familiar, with the creation of a wealth of delectable entrees spanning across the globe, with each step and preparation done in mini-game sequences that relies on timing and a bit of luck using the Wiimote to fiercely waggle your way to victory. Whether it be chopping, flipping, or grinding recipes every activity is graded and your overall performance is rated when the meal is finally completed. A major gameplay change is that the challenges are more lenient, with the aspect of failure toned down compared to the previous title, in certain circumstances if you do make a mistake Mama will attempt to set things right through various mini-games which are pretty humorous within themselves.  Although if you decide to undertake the “Let’s Cook” mode, which has you cooking without the aid of Mama, even one screw up mean utter failure.

Dozens of new recipes, including favorites like pancakes, chocolate chip cookies, and even ratatouille help give this new cooking adventure much more heft than the previous game, and everything is simple enough to understand and in minutes you’ll be immediately engrossed in the kitchen.  As the title implies, world cusiine is the catch of the day, and what Cooking Mama lacks in actual teaching is more than made up for in fun, fresh whimsy that's easy for just about anyone to pick up and dive right in.  Explanations of what needs to be done are scarce to say the least, but things can quickly become obvious with a bit patience.  There's multiplayer modes galore to help extend this sequel's shelf life, and thanks to a host of different modes and options fans should have plenty to pick and twiddle with for some time to come.

One issue that sapped some of the spice from the original game was the use of finicky motion controls - a feat still to be perfected, but things are clearly improved in this iteration. The majority of your actions will have you mimicking whatever motion is displayed on the screen and these are fairly easy to read.  Sometime you’ll have to fight with the stubbornness of more complex movements, but his hardly ever kills the flow and with practice becomes almost negligible.

Visuals are noticeable improved with 3D graphics (a first for the franchise) and a style that's difficult to hate, no matter how you look at it.  The graphics may be on the  simple side, but are noticeably better and contain an appreciated amount of depth compared to past titles. Like always, Cooking Mama herself retains a delightful charm that never quits, perhaps it’s her blatant Engrish that will entice your curiosity and keep the kitchen lights on.

The entire premise may be served for the casual crowds, but Cooking Mama: World Kitchen certainly has enough spark to be fun and interesting in pinches and smidgens for just about anyone (myself included) to pick up and try their hand in Mama's kitchen.  While it may not break the bank when it comes to being an original sequel, the Cooking Mama franchise has proven to be an enjoyable one for most types, even this particular gamer's hardcore loving heart.  That said, with improved graphics and a winning personality its nice to see such a friendly and inviting series lead the pack in the growing field of cooking simulators, and for everyone else who isn’t nearly as cynical there's plenty to enjoy here.