Game review: Gardening Mama

Published on Thursday 14 May 2009 14:56

(DS, £19.99)

THE sequel to the hugely popular Cooking Mama series lets players try their hand at creating and tending to their very own garden through an expansive collection of fun mini-games. It's a perfect game for kids, with a colourful, upbeat charm and lots to see and do.

In Gardening Mama you can walk around your empty garden lot and pick spaces to grow fruit, veg or flowers. There is also a special lot where unusual plants can grow, such as giant strawberries or star-shaped potatoes. From planting seeds to removing bugs from leaves, you must tend to each crop, making sure the plants don't wilt.

Each stage of the process takes the form of a stylus-based game, such as tracing shapes to water seeds, flicking the screen back and forth to shovel dirt, and so on. Each stage is fun, but you may often find yourself wondering what it is you have to do, as your timer quickly runs out. But eventually you'll get a feel for it.

Players can also decorate their garden with plant pots and other ornaments. There is also a range of unlockable outfits for Mama, rewards for taking good care of your crops. Gardening Mama is accessible, colourful and charming, which is refreshing in a sea of gritty, mature titles. Another great entry in what has been a consistently accomplished series.