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Cooking Mama and Science Papa Fight in Public

Added by Ryan Davis on May 16, 2009

51 comments

If my calculations are correct... my existence isn't legally actionable!

I think we can mostly agree that Activision's announcement of Science Papa, a science-themed minigame collection for the Wii and DS, is pretty shameless, yeah? The whole endeavor--the name, the gameplay format, the cartoony art style, the platforms--seems engineered very specifically to capitalize on the surprise success of Cooking Mama, a game published by Majesco. There's nothing illegal about it, apparently, but it's just kind of greasy, you know? Like, Transmorphers greasy.

Majesco, it seems, shares in this opinion. When Kotaku asked for a comment on the whole Science Papa announcement, Cooking Mama herself chose to respond, and she had some choice words for the old man.

So you want some dirt on "Science Papa" to splash on your site? I'll shovel it. We dated briefly (when he had much better hair). And now he clearly wants a piece of the best-selling pie by associating himself with an incredibly successful, and I'll emphasize, happily married, woman. Frankly, he never appreciated my cooking and I grew weary of his tedious "experiments." You want real mind-bending science, go figure out how to make Toulouse Cassoulet for your next dinner party of 20 and let me know how it goes, Papa.

My favorite part of this story is imagining the Majesco PR person furiously banging out this email, trying to slag on Activision as much as possible while still staying in character. I doubt Activision will respond in kind, but oh man, if they did? I'd much rather see fictional characters do the corporate mudslinging than CEOs.

Filed under : Science Papa, Cooking Mama

51 Comments

Discorsi
on May 16, 2009

double rowr

JarenFace
on May 16, 2009

*snap snap*

Pretty sassy there Mama, and more entertainment I've had than her games :(

Phished0ne
on May 16, 2009

Cooking Mama loves the drama....

Death_Burnout
on May 16, 2009

Man that is greasy...but i'd definitely check it out if it was anything like crocodile chemistry...but it wont be.

Nicely said Mama!

JackiJinx
on May 16, 2009

I can just imagine them getting out of this by proclaiming Papa a mute. Or deaf...er, blind. A blind experimental scientist!

Hairydutchman
on May 16, 2009

Activision knows no shame.

DoMiNiC147
on May 16, 2009

I'm starting to dislike activision more an more

Aaron_G
on May 16, 2009

What a great response from a PR person.

GHT
on May 16, 2009

I didn't make the connection until people pointed it out.

I mean, we've got tons of games that are similarly named and themed:
Street Fighter, Streets of Rage, Final Fight: Street Wise
Phantasy Star, Final Fantasy
Secret of Mana, illusion of Gaia

It seems like a convention of the medium to me.

Nasar7
on May 16, 2009

The name is where Activision goes too far; someone could easily mistake it as being part of the same series. Shameless.

Jerusahat
on May 16, 2009

Cooking Mama has SEARED Science Papa for 100 points.
Science Papa suffers from UNSATURATED POLYMER FORMATIONS for the next 2 turns.

SolidEyeSystem
on May 16, 2009

That greasy Activision...

Al3xand3r is online
on May 16, 2009

Yeah pretty shitty tactic by Activision. You'd certainly mistake it as a title by the same developers, and it stops Majesco from doing their own spin offs which they probably did plan as it will seem they're the ones doing the rip off then... Engineering Uncle? It doesn't have as good a ring to it...

CH3BURASHKA
on May 16, 2009

Cooking Mama is a spotlight-hogging bitch. Who knew?

Afroman269
on May 16, 2009

At this rate Activision is becoming the new EA. I guess thats what happens when you become too big.

SynisterSpacer
on May 16, 2009

Papa just got owned.

That was amazing :D

Mercanis
on May 16, 2009

Cooking Mama's PR is the best.

BananaKid
on May 16, 2009

I want Activision to buy Majesco and then make a crossover game with Science Papa vs. Cooking Mama in a fight to the death. This should all be viral marketing.

PlasmaBeam44
on May 16, 2009

Activision are a bunch of tools. Blizzard and Infinity Ward need to get away from them and fast.

artofwar420
on May 16, 2009

Mama cooks, papa does science... how deliciously sexist.

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