Diner Dash
Encyclopedia
Diner Dash is a strategy video game
and time management game initially developed by New York City
-based American game development studio GameLab and published by San Francisco-based PlayFirst
. It is now owned and published by PlayFirst
. It is one of the top-selling downloadable games of all-time, available in multiple platforms such as PC, Mac, consoles, and mobile.
A Xbox Live Arcade
version of the game was released by Hudson Soft
on November 18, 2009, the PlayStation Network version on November 25, 2009, the WiiWare
version on February 16, 2010 in Japan, as well as Europe on March 26, 2010 and North America on March 29, 2010. Diner Dash later became a mobile game
when ported to mobile phone
s by Glu Mobile, given a retail release, and made available via a 100% advertising-supported download. Versions have been created for the platforms PlayStation Portable
, Nintendo DS
, and iOS
.
Diner Dash is also used to refer to the Diner Dash franchise, which has spawned numerous sequels - Diner Dash 2: Restaurant Rescue
was released in early 2006, Diner Dash: Flo on the Go
was released in late 2006, Diner Dash: Hometown Hero
was released in late 2007, and Diner Dash 5: BOOM!
was released in early 2010.
. She's tired of doing all the work and feeling unfulfilled. Flo quits her job, wishing she could work someplace else. She spots a run down old diner
, which she buys. She has to make enough money to fix up the diner. Later after earning more finance, she opens a new restaurant called Flo's Tiki Palace, when earning enough she then opens a seaside diner called Go with the Flo Seafood Dining, when finished at the seaside she opens a dazzling newer restaurant in an opening of a dark trees called Chez Flo.
After having the intuition that something special will happen Flo finishes up in Chez Flo and is immediately transported above the clouds where a Shiva Goddess welcomes her and challenges her to 10 trials inside her own restaurant, the Indian Restaurant. The goddess transforms Flo into a golden banquet goddess with 4 arms (allowing her to carry double the amount she could before), Flo completes the 10 grueling trials and is congratulated by the goddess for completing the trials. The goddess then flies away to the Indian Restaurant and Flo spots a young man below working in the same business job Flo had at the start of the story and prepares to fly down intent on turning him into a waiter just like her.
Gameplay centers around catering to customers within a time limit to gather as much money as possible. Flo can be moved around the restaurant to complete tasks. As customers arrive in the restaurant, the player must drag and drop
them onto a table, where they sit down and read menus. Then the player must guide Flo to the table to take their order, which must be taken to the service hatch. After the chef has prepared the meal, Flo must deliver the food. When the customers are finished eating they must be taken a check, at which point the customers leave a tip and their dishes on the table, departing the restaurant. The dishes must be cleared by Flo before the next set of customers can use the table. Each successful action earns the player points, performing the same action multiple times in a row earns the player a chain bonus, which is broken once a different action is performed.
Customers have a series of hearts over their heads that indicate their mood. The longer the customer is forced to wait, the more hearts he or she loses. Each type of customer has different degrees of patience and tipping habits. Flo can perform various actions, such as talking to customers or serving them drinks, to revive these hearts. When customers lose all their hearts, they leave the restaurant, costing the player points. The goal of a level is earn a certain number of points. There are also expert point totals for advanced players to achieve.
The game has two modes: Career mode, which follows the story of Flo, and Endless Shift, a survival mode in which the player must last as long as possible in a single level.
Food Critic: They are impatient. They are slow to order, but eat at a moderate speed. She tips, not by money, but by a star. However, if she leaves unhappy, that will cost you A LOT of money. First appearance.
Senior: The Senior is the most patient out of the customers, but they are very slow when eating and ordering, and they do not tip well. First appearance.
Business Woman: A middle-aged woman who is the most impatient customer in the entire game. They order and eat fast. First appearance.
College Kid: College kids, a little younger than the Young Lady, is impatient in line, but patient on the table. First appearance.
Mr. Hot Shot: Hot Shot's are in their 30-40s, and they are the "coolest" customers in the game. They are patient in line, but become impatient at the table. First appearance.
, USA Today
, CNN
, and in a variety of casual game studies, including Nicole Lazzaro's analysis of player emotions at the 2005 Game Developers Conference
. Games Magazine
gave it a favorable review, calling it "remarkably flexible".
Strategy video game
Strategy video games is a video game genre that emphasizes skillful thinking and planning to achieve victory. They emphasize strategic, tactical, and sometimes logistical challenges. Many games also offer economic challenges and exploration...
and time management game initially developed by New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
-based American game development studio GameLab and published by San Francisco-based PlayFirst
PlayFirst
PlayFirst is a San Francisco-based publisher of casual games. The company’s mission is to deliver delightful games for everybody, every day. PlayFirst was founded in 2004 by industry veterans...
. It is now owned and published by PlayFirst
PlayFirst
PlayFirst is a San Francisco-based publisher of casual games. The company’s mission is to deliver delightful games for everybody, every day. PlayFirst was founded in 2004 by industry veterans...
. It is one of the top-selling downloadable games of all-time, available in multiple platforms such as PC, Mac, consoles, and mobile.
A Xbox Live Arcade
Xbox Live Arcade
Xbox Live Arcade is a type of video game download distribution available primarily in a section of the Xbox Live Marketplace, Microsoft's digital distribution network for the Xbox 360, that focuses on smaller downloadable games from both major publishers and independent game developers...
version of the game was released by Hudson Soft
Hudson Soft
, formally known as , is a majority-owned subsidiary of Konami Corporation is a Japanese electronic entertainment publisher headquartered in the Midtown Tower in Tokyo Midtown, Akasaka, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, with an additional office in the Hudson Building in Sapporo. It was founded on May 18, 1973...
on November 18, 2009, the PlayStation Network version on November 25, 2009, the WiiWare
WiiWare
WiiWare is a service that allows Wii users to download games and applications specifically designed and developed for the Wii video game console made by Nintendo. These games and applications can only be purchased and downloaded from the Wii Shop Channel under the WiiWare section...
version on February 16, 2010 in Japan, as well as Europe on March 26, 2010 and North America on March 29, 2010. Diner Dash later became a mobile game
Mobile game
A mobile game is a video game played on a mobile phone, smartphone, PDA, tablet computer or portable media player. This does not include games played on handheld video game systems such as Nintendo DS or PlayStation Portable....
when ported to mobile phone
Mobile phone
A mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...
s by Glu Mobile, given a retail release, and made available via a 100% advertising-supported download. Versions have been created for the platforms PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
, Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
, and iOS
IOS
iOS is an operating system for iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, and Apple TV.IOS may also refer to:-Companies and organisations:* Illinois Ornithological Society, American state-based bird club...
.
Diner Dash is also used to refer to the Diner Dash franchise, which has spawned numerous sequels - Diner Dash 2: Restaurant Rescue
Diner Dash 2: Restaurant Rescue
Diner Dash 2: Restaurant Rescue is the second installment to the popular game series Diner Dash preceded by Diner Dash and followed by Diner Dash: Flo on the Go and Diner Dash: Hometown Hero. It is published by PlayFirst, like all other Diner Dash series.- Story :Flo, a successful waitress, has...
was released in early 2006, Diner Dash: Flo on the Go
Diner Dash: Flo On The Go
Diner Dash: Flo on the Go is the third installment to the popular game series Diner Dash. It is published by PlayFirst and developed by Amazon.com, like all other Diner Dash series. This game was released in October 2006.- Plot :...
was released in late 2006, Diner Dash: Hometown Hero
Diner Dash: Hometown Hero
Diner Dash: Hometown Hero is the fourth installment in the Diner Dash series of casual games. It was developed by PlayFirst and published by PlayFirst, KatGames, and Big Splash Games. it was launched on September 25, 2007. Diner Dash: Hometown Hero is a strategy game that simulates running a...
was released in late 2007, and Diner Dash 5: BOOM!
Diner Dash 5: BOOM!
Diner Dash 5: BOOM! is the 5th installment of the Diner Dash series, it also features voice-acting to give more life to the characters...
was released in early 2010.
Plot
Flo is a hard worker at a big stock market company in DinertownDinertown
Dinertown is a fictional city and the center of activity in the Diner Dash series of games produced by PlayFirst.-Major Residents:*Flo: Flo is the central character in the Diner Dash series. A former stockbroker, she quit her job and opened a diner, and has since operated several more...
. She's tired of doing all the work and feeling unfulfilled. Flo quits her job, wishing she could work someplace else. She spots a run down old diner
Diner
A diner, also spelled dinor in western Pennsylvania is a prefabricated restaurant building characteristic of North America, especially in the Midwest, in New York City, in Pennsylvania and in New Jersey, and in other areas of the Northeastern United States, although examples can be found throughout...
, which she buys. She has to make enough money to fix up the diner. Later after earning more finance, she opens a new restaurant called Flo's Tiki Palace, when earning enough she then opens a seaside diner called Go with the Flo Seafood Dining, when finished at the seaside she opens a dazzling newer restaurant in an opening of a dark trees called Chez Flo.
After having the intuition that something special will happen Flo finishes up in Chez Flo and is immediately transported above the clouds where a Shiva Goddess welcomes her and challenges her to 10 trials inside her own restaurant, the Indian Restaurant. The goddess transforms Flo into a golden banquet goddess with 4 arms (allowing her to carry double the amount she could before), Flo completes the 10 grueling trials and is congratulated by the goddess for completing the trials. The goddess then flies away to the Indian Restaurant and Flo spots a young man below working in the same business job Flo had at the start of the story and prepares to fly down intent on turning him into a waiter just like her.
Gameplay
Gameplay involves seating customers and guiding Flo around the restaurant to serve customers. If enough money is earned after each level, play progresses to the next. As the game progresses Flo updates the dilapidated restaurant she begins with and builds three further restaurants, which provide new settings.Gameplay centers around catering to customers within a time limit to gather as much money as possible. Flo can be moved around the restaurant to complete tasks. As customers arrive in the restaurant, the player must drag and drop
Drag-and-drop
In computer graphical user interfaces, drag-and-drop is the action of selecting a virtual object by "grabbing" it and dragging it to a different location or onto another virtual object...
them onto a table, where they sit down and read menus. Then the player must guide Flo to the table to take their order, which must be taken to the service hatch. After the chef has prepared the meal, Flo must deliver the food. When the customers are finished eating they must be taken a check, at which point the customers leave a tip and their dishes on the table, departing the restaurant. The dishes must be cleared by Flo before the next set of customers can use the table. Each successful action earns the player points, performing the same action multiple times in a row earns the player a chain bonus, which is broken once a different action is performed.
Customers have a series of hearts over their heads that indicate their mood. The longer the customer is forced to wait, the more hearts he or she loses. Each type of customer has different degrees of patience and tipping habits. Flo can perform various actions, such as talking to customers or serving them drinks, to revive these hearts. When customers lose all their hearts, they leave the restaurant, costing the player points. The goal of a level is earn a certain number of points. There are also expert point totals for advanced players to achieve.
The game has two modes: Career mode, which follows the story of Flo, and Endless Shift, a survival mode in which the player must last as long as possible in a single level.
Customers
Young Lady': A young women, probably in her 20s-30s, who has moderate patience. They order and eat at moderate speed and they are the "restaurant regulars." They are moderate tippers. First appearance.Food Critic: They are impatient. They are slow to order, but eat at a moderate speed. She tips, not by money, but by a star. However, if she leaves unhappy, that will cost you A LOT of money. First appearance.
Senior: The Senior is the most patient out of the customers, but they are very slow when eating and ordering, and they do not tip well. First appearance.
Business Woman: A middle-aged woman who is the most impatient customer in the entire game. They order and eat fast. First appearance.
College Kid: College kids, a little younger than the Young Lady, is impatient in line, but patient on the table. First appearance.
Mr. Hot Shot: Hot Shot's are in their 30-40s, and they are the "coolest" customers in the game. They are patient in line, but become impatient at the table. First appearance.
Reception
Diner Dash has been mentioned in The New York TimesThe New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
, CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
, and in a variety of casual game studies, including Nicole Lazzaro's analysis of player emotions at the 2005 Game Developers Conference
Game Developers Conference
The Game Developers Conference is the largest annual gathering of professional video game developers, focusing on learning, inspiration, and networking...
. Games Magazine
GAMES Magazine
Games magazine is a United States magazine devoted to games and puzzles, and is published by Games Publications, a division of Kappa Publishing Group.-History:...
gave it a favorable review, calling it "remarkably flexible".
Series
- Diner Dash
- Diner Dash 2: Restaurant RescueDiner Dash 2: Restaurant RescueDiner Dash 2: Restaurant Rescue is the second installment to the popular game series Diner Dash preceded by Diner Dash and followed by Diner Dash: Flo on the Go and Diner Dash: Hometown Hero. It is published by PlayFirst, like all other Diner Dash series.- Story :Flo, a successful waitress, has...
- Diner Dash: Flo On The GoDiner Dash: Flo On The GoDiner Dash: Flo on the Go is the third installment to the popular game series Diner Dash. It is published by PlayFirst and developed by Amazon.com, like all other Diner Dash series. This game was released in October 2006.- Plot :...
- Diner Dash: Hometown HeroDiner Dash: Hometown HeroDiner Dash: Hometown Hero is the fourth installment in the Diner Dash series of casual games. It was developed by PlayFirst and published by PlayFirst, KatGames, and Big Splash Games. it was launched on September 25, 2007. Diner Dash: Hometown Hero is a strategy game that simulates running a...
- Diner Dash 5: BOOM!Diner Dash 5: BOOM!Diner Dash 5: BOOM! is the 5th installment of the Diner Dash series, it also features voice-acting to give more life to the characters...
- Diner Dash: Seasonal Snack Pack
- Diner Dash: Flo Through Time
- Diner Dash: Once Upon A Diner
External links
, includes an online version- Official game series site
- Glu Mobile, mobile version