Jamie Oliver Joining the Video Game Craze
Thursday, July 17, 2008 | posted by Mike
It looks like Gordon Ramsay isn't the only one who has a forthcoming video game on the horizon. According to the folks over at YumSugar:This October, British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver will be releasing a handheld cooking game on Nintendo DS. What's Cooking? With Jamie Oliver will simulate real-life cooking situations, from selecting ingredients at the supermarket to plating meals at the table. The Atari video game will have an interactive cookbook featuring 100 of the celebrity chef's original recipes, alongside photographs taken by David Loftus.
…You might remember that, in our post about the Gordon Ramsay game, the really interesting thing was the possibilities afforded by the Wii interface. Well, the Nintendo DS (which will also feature a Ramsay game) also provides an intriguing possibility or two.
The game will include a series of real-time virtual challenges that involve real-life chopping, stirring, and plating; recipe cook-offs with other players; and a timed competition against the clock.
Thanks to my long commute, I flirted with the idea of picking up a DS, which is unique in that it features two screens, one of which is actually touch-sensitive. So, you’ll be controlling your game with the usual set of joysticks and buttons, but you can also use a stylus to do things with the touch screen. Need to give that sauté pan a shake? Go ahead and do it with the stylus. The other neat feature of the DS is that it includes WiFi capability, so you’ll be able to do things like play head-to-head with friends who also have the game. The portable nature of the DS will also mean that it can accompany you into the kitchen to follow real recipes, assuming you aren’t a klutz and drop the $130 device into the sink.
No kidding…I’ve been a total disaster in the kitchen lately. Last week, I managed to splash insanely hot canola oil onto my forearm while frying up some onions. There is now an open sore the size of a quarter on my right arm. Then, last night, while honing my chef’s knife, I managed to stab the end of the knife into my left wrist, narrowly missing the assorted veins, tendons and ligaments that reside nearby. In other words, it’s probably best not to stand next to me these days.
OK, OK…I promise this is the last video game post for a while. But, I am on a slight technology kick, so check back tomorrow for a post about how you can use the technology of today to enjoy some great stuff from yesterday.
Labels: Jamie Oliver
