It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...okay, so we have to get through Thanksgiving first, but I'm sure I'm not the only one who's started the dreaded Christmas shopping. A new gaming console was high on my wishlist this year, but after hitting several stores and being told they are SOLD OUT of the best buys, things are looking grim. They do have the “upgraded” packages for oh, double and triple the price, but hey...I was hoping to get one without needing to sell my body to science. It looks like I'm plum out of luck. In light of this, I think computer games are the way to go when it comes to those gamers on your shopping list this year! Luckily, there are lots of good ones out now, so stay tuned.
Back back to the games – there's two new time management games out this week, “Fashion Fits!” and “Diner Dash: Hometown Hero,” which means lots of game time for yours truly!
In Diner Dash: Hometown Hero, Flo and her Grandma are off to save their home town, starting with the local Zoo. This is the fourth game in the series, and its classic time management and waitressing fun. It started off pretty easy, but by level 10 I was replaying levels to win. It can get very frantic when you have more than 6 tables to serve! I really liked training new waiters. You get to pick who you hire, and then compete against her/him while you play. The new waiter takes over for you when you move to a new restaurant.
There are a lot of customer types, many of which we've already seen in earlier versions of Diner Dash. There's the chatty teenagers, who drive everybody crazy unless you pair off boys and girls to flirt. Then there's the screaming babies, impatient food critics, and customers with “reservations” for a specific table.
Like always, you get a bonus for matching customers with chairs of the same color, and extra points for chaining commands. There are also mood boosters, liked drinks and flowers, that help keep customers happy if you have a chance to use them.
Perhaps the best new addition to this title is the online multiplayer mode. You can compete against others to see who can earn the most money, or work together with a friend to serve the customers. You can design and upload your own restaurant, too, which is pretty cool. AND, if you don't mind spending a few more dollars, you can also buy additional restaurants, backgrounds, and outfits for Flo.
Switching topics, lets talk about Fashion Fits! It's another one of those service games, where you must help customers and keep shelves stocked. It's not perfect, but I thought it was okay. The main character moves a bit slowly around the screen, which sometimes annoyed me, but otherwise the pace is good. It's fun to get the upgrades, and to learn the customers different personalities. If you're a die-hard time management fan, its also worth the download.
Have fun serving those customers!
Lisa
