I have spent way too long debating whether to start this review by bringing up the insane prices this game goes for on online marketplaces, making fun of the DISGUSTING cover art, or joke about how it is basically Pizza Tower released 30 years earlier. So, after thinking it over… I decided to do all three of them at once. So yeah, anyway, Panic Restaurant is basically your typical NES game that was released pretty late into the console’s lifespan, and as per usual with games released this late into the console’s life span, it now goes for a FUCK TON of money, with prices ranging from around 500 US dollars to 5,000 US dollars online, even if, judging by what the cover art looks like, you’d wanna throw that thing in the microwave so it can melt away forever. That didn’t stop it from being a rare item to get for collectors, which is without a doubt the sole reason why some may remember the game fondly to this day. But, with that being said, does the game itself make up for the insane price that you would have to pay for it? Of fucking course not, but, if you were to “legally” play the game online, would it be worth seeking out? Honestly, yeah, I’d say so. It is a pretty enjoyable platformer, which doesn’t do anything new really for the genre, but manages to provide a charming, unique, and loveable experience for the time it came out, that I’m sure any fan of the genre could enjoy, or for those who are a fan of Pizza Tower, since this game is literally that game.
The story is pretty much the exact same that one game we have mentioned several times already, where your restaurant is cursed and threatened to be destroyed by an evil man named Ohdove, who is basically just Waluigi before he even existed, the graphics are really well done, having a lot of detail and expressiveness for all the enemies and characters, while also having a nice looking style that makes you wanna keep on going to see what else you can see in the game, the music is pretty good, with the tracks themselves not being that complex or different from other games, but it is very enjoyable to bob your head to, and it aids the tone that the game is going for, the control is solid all around, with no real problems to be found, and the gameplay is a recipe that ends up creating your typical NES dish, but it is seasoned with a hint of charm and personality that makes it a joy to dig into.
The game is your typical 2D platformer, where you take control of Cookie (yes, that is his actual name), take on a set of stages themed around the places you would typically associate with the kitchen and… eating outside, I guess, taking out plenty of enemies themes after food, cooking utensils, and whatever else the game decides to throw at you, gather plenty of different weapons, coins, health items, and extra lives along the way to help you out, and take on plenty of big bosses also themed around plenty of foods and cooking utensils. In addition to all of this, there are also plenty of bonus games that you can take on as well, such as a slot machine you can spend your coins on to get more health, points, and extra lives, and there are separate minigames that can be played throughout the levels, which usually result in you only getting a set amount of points depending on how well you do, but they can be a nice distraction when you run into them.
From that description I just gave, it all seems like your stereotypical NES platformer, and for the most part, you would be right, but what makes this one so charming and enjoyable is the kitchen and food theme that the game has throughout. It isn’t necessarily an original theme for a game, a level, or what have you, but it does add a level of charm to the game that makes it so much more likable and endearing in the process, at least for me, and this is amplified more with the characters themselves. For the time it was made, and the console it was released on, Cookie himself has many different expressions, which add to the goofy tone that this game is going for, and again, makes it all that more likable, and some of the enemies also get multiple expressions as well, with the bosses in particular getting the better end of that treatment… sometimes.
As a whole, Panic Restaurant doesn’t have any real issues that hold it back, as it is a fairly solid game. Sure, it may not last that long, but then again, there is nothing wrong with a quick and easy enough game that you can run through if you got nothing better to do. I guess the only real problem I can see people having with it at the end of the day is that, despite its endearing nature, it is still extremely basic. Many other games on the system have done what this game does, and it doesn’t really give anyone a reason to play it if they haven’t already played any other similar game on the NES. There is a reason why people only know this game for the insane prices it goes for online, because in terms of gameplay, there is nothing new or unique to offer, which doesn’t diminish its quality for me, but I imagine it can definitely do that for others.
Overall, despite its lack of originality in the gameplay department, this is still a pretty decent and fun platformer for the NES that I am happy that I finally checked out, and one that I would definitely like to replay at some point later down the road, just for the sake of revisiting it. I would definitely recommend it for those who are fans of the system, or fans of platformers in general, but for those who aren’t too big into either of those, then you really aren’t missing out on much. Really, just go play Pizza Tower at the end of the day if you want something new, creative, and game-changing. Yeah, it may be unfair to compare that game with this one, but seeing as how Cookie and Peppino are literally the same character, I see no problem in this.
Game #338
The story is pretty much the exact same that one game we have mentioned several times already, where your restaurant is cursed and threatened to be destroyed by an evil man named Ohdove, who is basically just Waluigi before he even existed, the graphics are really well done, having a lot of detail and expressiveness for all the enemies and characters, while also having a nice looking style that makes you wanna keep on going to see what else you can see in the game, the music is pretty good, with the tracks themselves not being that complex or different from other games, but it is very enjoyable to bob your head to, and it aids the tone that the game is going for, the control is solid all around, with no real problems to be found, and the gameplay is a recipe that ends up creating your typical NES dish, but it is seasoned with a hint of charm and personality that makes it a joy to dig into.
The game is your typical 2D platformer, where you take control of Cookie (yes, that is his actual name), take on a set of stages themed around the places you would typically associate with the kitchen and… eating outside, I guess, taking out plenty of enemies themes after food, cooking utensils, and whatever else the game decides to throw at you, gather plenty of different weapons, coins, health items, and extra lives along the way to help you out, and take on plenty of big bosses also themed around plenty of foods and cooking utensils. In addition to all of this, there are also plenty of bonus games that you can take on as well, such as a slot machine you can spend your coins on to get more health, points, and extra lives, and there are separate minigames that can be played throughout the levels, which usually result in you only getting a set amount of points depending on how well you do, but they can be a nice distraction when you run into them.
From that description I just gave, it all seems like your stereotypical NES platformer, and for the most part, you would be right, but what makes this one so charming and enjoyable is the kitchen and food theme that the game has throughout. It isn’t necessarily an original theme for a game, a level, or what have you, but it does add a level of charm to the game that makes it so much more likable and endearing in the process, at least for me, and this is amplified more with the characters themselves. For the time it was made, and the console it was released on, Cookie himself has many different expressions, which add to the goofy tone that this game is going for, and again, makes it all that more likable, and some of the enemies also get multiple expressions as well, with the bosses in particular getting the better end of that treatment… sometimes.
As a whole, Panic Restaurant doesn’t have any real issues that hold it back, as it is a fairly solid game. Sure, it may not last that long, but then again, there is nothing wrong with a quick and easy enough game that you can run through if you got nothing better to do. I guess the only real problem I can see people having with it at the end of the day is that, despite its endearing nature, it is still extremely basic. Many other games on the system have done what this game does, and it doesn’t really give anyone a reason to play it if they haven’t already played any other similar game on the NES. There is a reason why people only know this game for the insane prices it goes for online, because in terms of gameplay, there is nothing new or unique to offer, which doesn’t diminish its quality for me, but I imagine it can definitely do that for others.
Overall, despite its lack of originality in the gameplay department, this is still a pretty decent and fun platformer for the NES that I am happy that I finally checked out, and one that I would definitely like to replay at some point later down the road, just for the sake of revisiting it. I would definitely recommend it for those who are fans of the system, or fans of platformers in general, but for those who aren’t too big into either of those, then you really aren’t missing out on much. Really, just go play Pizza Tower at the end of the day if you want something new, creative, and game-changing. Yeah, it may be unfair to compare that game with this one, but seeing as how Cookie and Peppino are literally the same character, I see no problem in this.
Game #338