Cooking Guide (DS)

A cooking guide on the Nintendo DS? Why? Can’t you decide what to eat?

In recent years, Nintendo have been real innovators in terms of gaming technology, they’ve obviously had great success with the Wii, but before that came a quieter gaming tech revolution in the form of their latest handheld, the DS.

I’m constantly being surprised by the gaming styles and uses that this flexible gaming platform is being put to use, be it conducting surgery with Trauma Center or in this case utilising the Nintendo DS as an interactive recipe book - Cooking Guide DS!

Like a lot of guys, I like to think that I can cook up a storm when I’m in the kitchen…well when doing certain fairly simple, meals that I’ve picked up over the years at any rate. However, I often find that I’m bound to those regular meals because it’s easy – for instance, I can cook up a mean spaghetti bolognese on a weekly basis! Like so many things in life, doing something different takes more effort and fumbling around with recipe books while hungry and in a rush isn’t my idea of fun.

Cook Book for the Nintendo DS aims to address this problem by providing a whole database of recipes and other functions that you don’t get with a regular paper-based recipe book.

Recipe Book is largely touchscreen driven, especially in setting up ingredients, meals and schedules, but probably not recommended to be used during the process of cooking – I sure wouldn’t my DS getting covered in flour and other ingredients.

Luckily this electronic Recipe Book can be voice activated using the DS’s built-in microphone which seems to work remarkably well and I’ve been very impressed in using it – a definite preference over getting food all over your DS! – The only thing I would say on this is that I found I had to lean in quite close to the microphone for the instruction to be picked up.

Another nice function I found was if you’re someone who can be a little indecisive when it comes to your meals (I know it sometimes takes me a while to decide what to eat some nights), you can input what basic ingredients you have in your cupboard and fridge – it will then give suggestions as to what you could make – I think that’s a great way of bringing variety to your meals and your diet.

Speaking of diets, the recipes also contain nutritional information per portion that you’re making, always a handy thing to know when you’re trying to live a healthy lifestyle, particularly if you’re looking to get into shape.

I’m really quite surprised to see this released on the Nintendo DS, I definitely never imagined anything like this appearing when the DS was first released. You can clearly see that this originated in Japan; it has a certain feel to the menus and general style in operation, but it’s a fun style and it works!

Much like the Wii, the DS attracts a more mainstream gaming audience than most gaming platforms; it means it attracts an older audience with games such as the ‘Brain Training’ games as well as younger gamers such as students – who could definitely make use of this. Therefore, the potential market for an interactive recipe book is much greater and I’d certainly recommend Cooking Guide as an innovative and useful resource for your Nintendo DS – OK it’s not exactly a DS top game, but it’s still worth taking a look at!