Diner Dash Review: Hectic Fun

Platforms:	iPhone, iPod Touch
Publisher(s):	Play First
Genre(s):	time management
Release Date:	Current Version: March 6, 2010
Price:	12+

Time management games (sometimes called resource management games or “dash games”) are extremely popular on the App Store. One of the grand dames of the genre, and a title that has made its way across many gaming platforms, is Diner Dash, from Play First. Diner Dash for iPhone recently got a facelift and fine tuning in anticipation of the release of the iPad (and a new Diner Dash game), and the improvements have really polished off an already great game.

The story follows Flo, an overworked, underappreciated businesswoman who decides to quit the corporate world and open up a world-class restaurant. That takes a lot of work, though, and so it’s your job to help Flo work the tables and earn enough money to realize her dreams. Once you’ve succeeded in one restaurant, it’s off to a second, and then a third, and finally a fourth (and a fifth with the add-on pack).

Diner Dash falls squarely in the time management genre, though it has underlying puzzle elements that make it more interesting than some other games. Game play is a bit frantic, but rarely exasperating. It’s all built around a single pattern—seat the guest, take their order, deliver their food, bring them the bill, and clean up afterwards—but as the levels progress, more tables, more guests, and more options (like coffee and free crab sticks) complicate matters nicely. Each table also has to be kept happy, or they’ll leave, and you lose money.

This is pretty easy at first, as you’re only trying to please a standard customer type, but eventually you must deal with slow seniors, impatient businesswomen, and even squalling kids. At higher levels, the game truly begins to feel like a chaotic and busy diner. The game never stops being fun, though. You also score extra points for creating chains—that’s the puzzle element I mentioned—and as the levels get harder it becomes increasingly difficult to set them up properly. This element really adds to the fun factor.

Visually, the game looks good. I have never played Diner Dash on another system, so I can only compare its most recent look to screenshots online, but the game seems to have gotten quite a good makeover. The current graphics are well done, very flavorful and clean with simple but effective animations. The audio is simple and incidental, not adding much to the experience.

Diner Dash is clever and fun, but never engrossing or immersive. I never reached a point with Diner Dash where I was eager to keep playing or reluctant to turn it off, nor did I spend any time thinking about playing the game or the strategies I might use to beat it. In fact, to be honest, the game gets repetitive after a couple of levels. But if you put the game away and pull it out a few hours later, it’s fun again … for a couple of levels. Diner Dash really plays like fast food—quick, fun, but not memorable.

If you’re a fan of time management games, then you’ll probably want to pick up Diner Dash, if you haven’t already. It’s a solid 4 out of 5 stars.

Diner Dash is available for $0.99 in the App Store. (App Store)

About the Author

Writer@Large Brian P. Hudson is an educator and freelance writer currently living in Dearborn, MI.

 

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