I have not really tried these types of games before, but I rather enjoyed it. There were some glitches that were annoying, like it would show that she had a plate, but it wouldn't give it out. It wasn't all the time, so it just annoyed now and again. Overall it was not too bad. :)

#9 Karen, I'm running Windows 7 and found that with the previous wrapper, I could browse to the setup within the zip file right in Windows Explorer and run it without actually unzipping. Windows acts like it's unzipped, but it isn't. With the new wrapper, I have to right click on the zip file and say to extract all the files, then run the extracted setup. There's now a second file that the setup needs to find, and it needs to be unzipped to find it. Could that be your problem? Try extracting the files and see if it works better for you.

I downloaded, installed, and ran this game fine. I appreciate the ability to run in windowed mode with no music and low sound effects. It was a little confusing what to do because I went into settings right away, and after configuring, I didn't know which button to select to play. I obviously picked the wrong one because I got no tutorial. Had to exit and go back in to get it.

Time management games aren't my favorite, but I'll keep it around for variety. My only disappointment was that when I try to quit in the middle, it says my game will be lost. I can't always devote long periods of time to playing so would rather have the ability to save my progress.

Thanks Alawar and GGOTD!

Game downloaded and installed with no problems on Windows 7. Game play is very good and graphics is great. You do need to be a fast reader to ready some of the bubbles otherwise they go by so fast and then your guessing at what to do for the bonuses. It does get harder with each level/day that you play. You can play in two different game modes. The first is career, which is the day to day mode. In this mode you have a goal and an expert goal that you can achieve. The other mode is Survival where you just play an endless game. Not sure how the sound is as I have been playing it with the speakers muted. All in all it is a good game to play.

I can't install it on Vista x64
The key icon program just runs , asks for UAC permission , and nothing happens after that..

Not to beat a dead horse, because I wrote too much in my review to begin with, but 2 things have just occurred to me: 1. A clarification. One of the things that would improve the feel would be a more gradual increase in difficulty. Not saying it's too hard, but "jumps" in difficulty are jarring to the player. 2. Perhaps move the bonus chain to under the counter. Then players could concentrate on it without having to move their gaze all the way down to the left hand corner, and thus they'd still be able to keep an eye on customers.

Although I have not downloaded this game, this game seems to remind me of a game given away back in 2007 called, Stand of food. It seems to me anyhow that the concept is pretty much the same.
I'll post a copy & paste of Whiterabbit's thoughts on that game as well as a link to it.
Just keep in mind the game review I am posting is for a different game but the concept is pretty much the same in my opinion.
If a moderator feels I shouldn't of posted this info or links, feel free to remove this post.

Wow, it’s nearly 11am and there are no thumbs down and all the comments (12 of them) are positive. Nice one Alawar and the game giveaway team.

As Nancy comment #3 said this is becoming one of the fastest growing genres in the arcade gaming world apart from match three or more games and hidden objects. All three genres are excellent for some relaxation therapy, although I personally don’t play the food type games as I find them too stressful, lol (only kidding)

The download contains the usual activation and set up modules, so for those new to this giveaway project, click on the activate icon first and wait until it says activation successful before you set the game up.

For plenty of screenshots follow the link below (over 3000, lol):

http://images.google.co.uk/images?hl=en&q=Stand+o%27food&btnG=Search+Images&gbv=2

There are two game modes, meal quest (for the faint hearted) and lunch rush (for those already in stressful jobs) :) AT the start of a game there is a simple tutorial that once worked through (it only takes a few minutes) the cookery book will be unlocked. This shows you the best condiments to use on the sandwiches you can prepare. As you progress through the game the cookery book should increase in content. There are only four sandwiches at the start of the game, but as better equipment (20 upgrades and more recipes (around 80) become available, you will have more variety to contend with. There are over 100 levels to work through so this isn’t a game that can be played in a day like yesterdays.

You have to prepare and serve food to all the customers that come in within a specified time. IF you leave a customer waiting for too long they become progressively more agitated and will leave if you don’t serve them in time; which means you lose valuable money, which you need to upgrade your equipment and buy new recipes. That’s the basics of game.

If you are anything like me, this is far too fast, lol. I prefer something more sedate like a hidden object or non times word game or even a mindless break ‘em up (except for yesterday’s lol)

I would recommend you try this game out. I think this is only the second time we’ve had a game of this genre, (although I’d lump the gardening and tycoon games in with this genre, so maybe that should be several)

I give this 7 out of 10 for all round family entertainment and replayability.

Thank you again Alawar and the game giveaway team. What a great game to start the half term off with. I’d better get this loaded up on the children’s computers as they have earned some computer time; although Emily is busy with her new pink DS at the moment.
Comment by Whiterabbit aka Stephen — October 22nd, 2007 at 6:01 am

And here is the direct link.

http://game.giveawayoftheday.com/food-stand/

Have a good day folks and I hope this may help out in some small way.

Thanks Cablady. :)

Honestly I'm not great at these games, but I kind of like them once in a while. This is a pretty good time management game, graphics are cartoony, but they don't slow down the action. Let's see, free game that I like, THUMBS UP!!

I really hate it when games don't pause for reading bubbles, and this one is no exception regarding the tutorial instructions. One instruction (about getting a bonus) went so fast I barely read the first two words before it was off the screen. I really wish all game makers would realize the need for user input on reading parts so that they aren't too quick or too long on the screen.

This is also another game that doesn't want to bring the graphics back up after I Alt-Tab away from it. I have no idea if that's the game or my graphic card, and no way of figuring it out, but it is quite annoying.

Thanks GameGOTD
Homepage of the game for Windows is http://www.alawar.com/game/amelie-s-cafe (not as shown http://www.alawar.com/iphone/game/AmelieCafe)

Some screenshots

http://images.real.com/pics/real/games/slideshow/ameliescafe_1_lg.jpg

http://images.real.com/pics/real/games/slideshow/ameliescafe_2_lg.jpg

http://images.real.com/pics/real/games/slideshow/ameliescafe_3_lg.jpg

http://images.real.com/pics/real/games/slideshow/ameliescafe_4_lg.jpg

http://images.real.com/pics/real/games/slideshow/ameliescafe_5_lg.jpg

http://images.real.com/pics/real/games/slideshow/ameliescafe_6_lg.jpg

#4 Amanda: Yes you are supposed to do the match 3 while serving the customers. You get bonuses that way to make your day easier. But, as I said in my review, that can be distracting.

I'm gonna recommend this game, with qualifications. I'm up to day 9 in the 1st cafe. I read some reviews online and most of them were mediocre. This is, of course, a time management game and most of the reviews talk about glitchiness and the user not being grabbed by the game and I can see what they were saying.
I think with a little fine tuning, this could be up with the bigger names in this type of game, like Diner Dash or Jane's Hotel, but isn't that compelling now. First the game seems to lack a consistent "feel". Because Amelie moves relatively fast and the days were short, the first 5 levels flew by, which made me say "so what". Then week 2 gets considerably harder. I played week 1 last night and started week 2 this morning, and it was like I was playing a different game. I ignored the bonuses in week 1, and found them essential in week 2, which is kind of a distraction, but that does up the challenge.
Also, things seem to happen at random. Maybe that's just me being unobservant, but, for example: The fry station on day 5 pretty much could only produce 1 set of fries and then needed cleaning, but I didn't notice that on any other day. Maybe it's randomness meant to increase the game difficulty, but maybe the player should be given a clue at the beginning of the game that such things might happen. It increases the player's involvement in the game if they know something is intentional instead of wondering if it's an AI glitch. And I still haven't figured out why customers in the beginning of a level require their orders be taken, but later just blurt out what they want. Also, the 2 items to a tray limitation, which means a customer can order a soda or something after you've delivered their order - but not have their clock reset - is a little counter intuitive.
In any case, there are 2 undeniable things which can throw you off. The first is the need for relatively precise clicking. That's probably why it wasn't too popular on the iphone votes I saw. You've got to click pretty close to dead center, which seems a little picky. Secondly, some of the upgrades are not clearly explained. I upgraded the counter in week 1. What did I get for it? More positions? Couldn't tell. More money? Maybe I was just too dense to notice. And what does upgrading the floor do?
Also, I'm not sure what good criticizing this game will do. There already a half a dozen or more Amelie games, so you would think they've heard it all and already made what changes they thought were necessary. Or ignored everything. On the other hand, it's seems that the other 3 variations may be just location changes - like Fishdom's different aquariums - so the developers may still be at the stage where some improvements would help.
I get the impression from all I've seen that this may be one of the most difficult and challenging restaraunt sims at the higher levels, so some may be attracted to that alone. I really enjoyed Jane's Hotel Family Hero, but, in the final analysis it's not very difficult.

The bottom line is I'm recommending it because it's likely challenging and includes some interesting features for the genre. But some fine tuning is needed. At least on the upgrades. The advantages on all upgrades should be clearly spelled out. Most other games do this. Also, from the explanation I thought the survival mode was just an untimed mode to get your feet wet. However, from reading a review, I've now got the impression it's a "get the highest score mode" that only ends when you have too many dissatisfied customers. But I didn't get that from the explanation box.
Explaining particulars in this type of game is a must, because it moves too fast for the player to try and figure this stuff out through observation and because players can't invest themselves in the strategy if they don't know what it is. I would also consider making the clicking range wider and trying to give the game an even progression. I say all this because I'm not sure if I'll ever go back to this game again, and a lot of the reviews I read said the same thing. It just hasn't "grabbed" me.
Finally, 6.99 seems like a reasonable price.

I have tried to ask this on the forum, but alas, 24 hours later, I'm still waiting for my emailed password to log in to actually post there. So hoping someone can tell me HERE. What has GOTD done to their installation wrapper? The last thing I was able to install from them was Around the World in 80 Days, and now everything else - either game giveaway or otherwise - all I get is an error message that says:

"Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file. You may not have the appropriate permissions to access the item." I'm running Windows 7 and since I am the only one who uses my PC, I AM running as administrator.

So can someone tell me what the trick is to install the software from here now? Or please point me to the thread in the forum (which I've looked for but cannot seem to find) that says how I can git 'er done?

Thank you!

Very good time management game very good graphics and game play. Worth trying you might like it.

Well WR, I would read them even if you didn't get the review on until dark here on the eastern seaboard of the US where I live! Miss them very much. You are a large part of what makes this site fun, its always useful but you make it fun.

Today's game downloads and runs fine although I won't keep it, not my cuppa. Got yesterday's game late but it runs fine and since a HOG will be a keeper.

Anyone who would like to see some of the fan customs from Atlanta, GA DragonCon can see my pix on my facebook page...Ann Deaver. It was great fun but no Doctor Who stuff anywhere!

And BTW thank you to this site for the games AND the comments. I check here every single weekend day and sometimes during the week just to read the page if nothing else.

CabLady

Great game! Gets faster and faster! Love the graphics and the tasking. Thanks GameGiveAway and Alaware!!

Looks like a decent game if you are into this type of gaming.
Lots of things to upgrade, lots of clicking.
A little cursing when you click too slow heh
Moody graphics and music.
Personally this is nothing for me, but still worth a test imo.

Downloaded/installed fine on Vista 64-bit.

I've never played one of these time management games before, so my first thing is that the tutorial stuff went too fast, couldn't read some of the instructions. I figured it out though soon enough. Still not sure when I'm supposed to do the match three part though. Surely not while I'm serving the customers...

So far, that's all I've really noticed: Needs a better tutorial, and instruction on when to do the match three stuff.

It's very fast, I'm having a hard time keeping up! But I like it.

The graphics are nice - colorful and simple. I like the music and the sound effects. The story is pretty good.

It's a keeper for me, and definitely worth the $6.99 they're asking.

Standard time-management/multi-tasking fare.

GGATD how about some puzzle games (similar to World Mosaics).

To fast for me, but my granddaughters will like it. Fryer goes out to often.

Reviews will resume just as soon as I can access the admin console. Sorry to those who have become accustomed to checking out the review before downloading.

Unfortunately because it takes me up to four hours to write a review, its not practical to post one until I know beforehand what the game will be. Because moderation is only occurring a couple of times during the giveaway, by the time I'd have managed to write up the game I'd have missed the morning moderation, meaning that once moderation occurred again, it would be late in the giveaway before anyone would see the review; i.e. most community members will have already visited by that time so it seems a waste of effort to bother writing reviews at this time.

Rest assured just as soon as the problem has been resolved, reviews will resume as will regular moderation.