Cake Mania 2 - Two Stories, One Game 

 

There's no end to time-management. Either those games are created with the blink of eye, or the new sequels come out. And here it is - the long-awaited second version of the game that was considered N1 in casual gaming industry last year. Cake Mania 2 by Sandlot Games.

 

 

Of course, the gameplay is almost the same - you(or Jill, a title character) are to bake cakes and decorate them with different toppings on your customer's demand to meet the daily money goal and earn enough to improve your business.

 

So, title character and game mechanics are the same. So, what's new and different in the second version? Oh, there's a lot.

 

1. Storyline. And this is the main point. In the second version of Cake Mania features non-linear storyline. While Jill has settled on her own problems and her business runs smoothly, she's got twice more problems from her family and friends. Jill's brother, who owns an aqua-park and submarine bakery cannot manage such a great rush in his bakery and desperately needs Jill who has acquired a good hand at cake-baking to help him sort things out. On the other hand, Jill's schoolmate Risha who was crazy enough to buy a downtown bakery in a big city needs professional help from Jill. So, in the beginning of the game(as well as upon each level completion) you will be able to choose whom to help and thus, you'll be playing 2 episodes. Your progress in each of them will be displayed in the world map.

 

2. Upgrade Shop. It became traditional for every game to setup a shop for upgrades, which makes the gameplay more various. For your earnings you'll be able to get new cake and cookie ovens, a TV to entertain your customers while they're waiting for their orders.    

 

3. New customer types.

 

It's time to get out of suburb bakery and start big city life. Of course, you will be encountering new customer types(there are 18 all-new types).

 

While working for your brother in underwater bakery, you'll have to encounter different customers like police, people with radiation meters. In Risha's cake shop you'll meet with authorities, magazine-cover girls, rock-stars and babies.

 

4. And of course, cake toppings. They are different from those presented in the first version and vary from chocolate froting up to unthinkable tutti-fruity ones.

5. Plus, cake styles. Of course, just like in the prequel You've got to bake a simple cake and cover it with the frosting. But as you play on, your customers will order more complicated cakes(say heart-shaped cake+round caker covered with lilac-colored frosting)

 

The game can be played in two modes - Cake Shift and Endless Mode where you'll be serving customers endlessly and with no time challenge. 

 

Anyway, Cake Mania, brought to life by Diner Dash-driven stream has its own customers. This game may seem too slow for the fans of the crazy pace. But its original idea and cute heroine hit the big time and found scores of fans last year. What happens this time?

 

Personal opinion: this second version of Cake Mania 2 looks really fresh due to the complicated storyline(two game plots, just like in real life!) and multiple new customer types. Tastes like a delicious home-made cake that your mother bakes all the time, but this time it is with a brand-new exotic icing. Will anybody resist trying?

 

 

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