My Disney Kitchen
© 2002 BAM! Entertainment, Inc.
This open-ended cooking program offers a refreshing change of venue for PlayStation, but it suffers from some weaknesses. The format is nearly the same as the older PC verison (CSR, 11/98), except for the clumsy, spongy feeling cursor control. Children love the program's theme of cooking meals for Minnie and Mickey Mouse, and can peek in drawers and cabinets, finding ingredients and appliances, but ultimately they have no idea what to do with it all. There are suggestions for how to play in the manual, but how many preschoolers can read? One key strength is the cake decorating area where children can make cakes for the mice, plus a griddle where breakfasts can be made. There is also a box of 30 real, kid-friendly recipes -- a bit impractical unless you happen to have your PlayStation in your kitchen. Our 4 year old tester had many some control problems, including confusion on how to get away from the griddle activity. The bottom line? Bag it. The activity is too confusing and the cursor is hard to control.
$9.99, PlayStation 1
Teaches: cooking