Major League Eating: The Game

Major League Eating: The Game
Developer(s)	Sensory Sweep Studios
Publisher(s)	Mastiff
Platform(s)	Wii (WiiWare)
Release date(s)	NA July 14, 2008 JP March 24, 2009
Genre(s)	Action game
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer
Rating(s)	ESRB: E10+
Media/distribution	Download

Major League Eating: The Game is a video game for WiiWare developed by Sensory Sweep Studios, and produced by Mastiff. The first video game to be based around competitive eating,^[1] it was released in North America on July 14, 2008,^[2] and in Japan on March 24, 2009.^[3] It costs 1000 Wii Points (500 in Japan) and takes up 257 Blocks. ^[4]

Gameplay

Based on competitive eating contests held by Major League Eating, the game features eleven competitive eating professionals to compete against including Takeru Kobayashi, Joey Chestnut, Tim Janus, Patrick Bertoletti, Crazy Legs Conti, Sonya Thomas, Rich LeFevre and Juliet Lee,^[5] as well as a Kodiak bear.^[6] The Japanese release replaces LeFevre and Lee with Japanese competitive eaters Noboyuki Shirota and Hatsuyo Sugawara.^[3]

Controlled using Wii Remote gestures and likened to a fighting game, Major League Eating: The Game allows players to unleash special moves on their opponents. Players progress through a number of increasingly difficult rounds that cover twelve different types of food. Along with the single-player campaign and a competitive two-player mode, the game also features online play and leaderboards.^[7]

The developers have cited Street Fighter II, Street Fighter Alpha and Mario Kart as influences on the game.^[8]

Reception

WiiWare World gave the game a 6 out of 10, stating the game is a "unique blend of concepts wrapped around a somewhat distasteful premise and vulgar humour". They felt the gameplay was repetitive and that the use of power-ups during gameplay somewhat spoiled the core mechanic of the game, which they otherwise found to be "surprisingly fun".^[9] However IGN was more negative, giving the game a 3.5/10 and calling it "another clunky, ugly Wii game that consists of waving your arms around looking like a jackass".^[10]

Despite this, MTV Multiplayer said that players "might not want to write off Major League Eating: The Game too quickly. Sure, it’s a game based entirely on eating, but it is actually surprisingly fun to virtually scarf down quantities of food so large that the average human body would most likely not be able to digest." ^[11]

References

1. ^ Competitive eating to make its debut in video game form
2. ^ USA WiiWare Update: Major League Eating
3. ^ ^{a b} Major League Eating Coming to Japan, With New Characters
4. ^ WiiWare World - Major League Eating
5. ^ Prepare To Eat Until You Belch On Monday
6. ^ Major League Eating: Kodiak Bear Unleashed
7. ^ Joystiq hands-on: Major League Eating: The Game (WiiWare)
8. ^ Major League Eating: The Game: The Interview
9. ^ Major League Eating: The Game (WiiWare) Review
10. ^ IGN: Major League Eating: The Game Review
11. ^ Digest ‘120 Seconds’ Worth Of ‘Major League Eating: The Game’

External links

• Official website