Stand O'Food 3 Review

I've not had the pleasure of playing a Stand O'Food game before this instalment. I greatly wish I had though if they are anything like this latest episode! For the time management fan, Stand O'Food 3 is an excellent purchase indeed.

As an easy explanation of how addictive it is, I ran out of battery on my iPhone numerous times. I don't generally do this with games unless they're a bit special (I'm looking at you Final Fantasy III). Stand O'Food 3 might seem like a pretty typical time management game but it's the game's ability to get everything just right without messing up that makes it a cut above the rest.

Much like Supermarket Mania and other titles made by G5 Entertainment, there's a fairly loose story told as players progress through the stages. They're attractively displayed a bit like a comic book but it's the same old story as always. Still, it's not like the Time Management genre is particularly renowned for its storytelling ability so it's no great loss.

Three game difficulty levels are available encompassing all skill levels. All elements of the game are gradually introduced across the 75 levels (not forgetting the 12 bonus levels) ensuring that everything feels constantly fresh. While players might start out flipping burgers, it's not long before other food types appear with levels centered on creating lasagnes, desserts and salads too. It's a small touch but it keeps things interesting. 90 recipes in all can be created with accompaniments also available such as French fries, coffee or sodas.

As is often the way with such games, a series of upgrades can be purchased. These can be something as simple as a speed boost for the main character or a box that means customers can takeaway their meal and, more importantly, there's no need to pick up the items in the correct order thus shaving valuable time off the clock and increasing the odds of an expert ranking.

It's simple stuff but compelling. It's very satisfying to achieve a perfect score after serving numerous customers correctly and efficiently in a row. Controls are responsive and accurate with only a couple of minor blips in terms of layout. Upgrading the plates at the bottom of the screen can be a little fiddly with the upgrade text seemingly not as responsive as other areas. I kept mistapping. A similar problem occurs when customers move down the line and their request is obscured by the adding up of how much money has been made from the previous customer.

These are minor problems though as overall Stand O'Food 3 is an excellent Time Management game. With plenty to do, players will certainly feel like they have excellent value for money. It's a pleasure to play.