Overcooked Series: Which Game Should You Buy First?

The Overcooked series, developed by Ghost Town Games, is a fast-paced puzzle game where you play as chefs who have to prepare dishes for customers. The game can be played alone or with other players, but it is best enjoyed by four players. There are three main games in the series: Overcooked, Overcooked 2, and Overcooked All You Can Eat. Overcooked All You Can Eat is a compilation of Overcooked and Overcooked 2, including all their additional content. This edition offers improved graphics, new game modes, and cross-platform play. However, players have reported bugs in the online mode. The other editions of the game are relatively short, and buying the expansions can be expensive. For those who already own one of the games and want to purchase the second, it may be best to buy the games separately.

Overcooked 1 vs Overcooked 2

Overcooked is a multiplayer game that can be played with friends locally or online. The game is best played with at least one other person, and it can be a fun couch co-op game for couples. However, some people have found the game frustrating, especially if players have different gaming styles.

Overcooked 1 is the better starting point for new players. It has less mechanics overall and is cheaper. The DLC for the first game is also good. Overcooked 1 is harder than Overcooked 2, which is more generous in scoring bonus points. Overcooked 1 also has some great challenges and is more difficult overall.

Overcooked 2 is longer, with more levels, more content, and more features. It also has online co-op, arcade and versus modes, which Overcooked 1 does not have. Overcooked 2 also adds the ability to throw ingredients, which is a lot of fun and a game-changer. Overcooked 2 also has an overworld that players can drive around in as they unlock more areas.

If you plan on playing both games, it is recommended to start with Overcooked 1, as Overcooked 2 is superior and playing Overcooked 1 afterwards might feel like a disappointment. However, if you can only play one, Overcooked 2 makes more sense as it has more features and content.

Overcooked All You Can Eat

Overcooked! All You Can Eat is the definitive edition of the Overcooked! series, blending Overcooked!, Overcooked! 2, and all their additional content into one delicious package. This edition includes hundreds of levels of cooperative cooking chaos, with kitchens becoming increasingly perilous and obscure. For the first time in the series, online multiplayer has been fully integrated, allowing players to revisit their favourite kitchens from the first game online.

Both games have been remastered with stunning, enhanced visuals, making this the best-looking game in the Overcooked! series. Overcooked! All You Can Eat also introduces new levels, chefs, and mayhem, exclusive to this edition. Players can enjoy multiple modes, including campaign, survival, practice, and the new assist mode, which offers a less frantic gaming experience with slower recipe timeouts, increased round timers, and the option to skip levels.

Overcooked! All You Can Eat is accessible to all players, with features such as scalable UI and dyslexia-friendly text options. This edition is available on the Nintendo Switch, Steam, and other platforms, and has received positive reviews from critics and players alike, praising it as the ultimate Overcooked! experience.

If you're a fan of the Overcooked! series or looking for a chaotic cooking game to play with friends, Overcooked! All You Can Eat is the perfect choice, offering a vast amount of content, improved visuals, and new features that will keep you entertained for hours.

Online multiplayer

The original Overcooked! game does not have an online multiplayer mode. However, there are unofficial ways to play the game online, such as using third-party software like Parsec or GeForce Experience's experimental streaming feature. These methods require some setup and may add lag to the game.

On the other hand, Overcooked! 2 does feature official online multiplayer for up to four players. This means you can play with your friends remotely, rather than being limited to local multiplayer. To play online, one player hosts a session, friends join the lobby, and then the host sends an invitation. If your friends have local players, they will be prompted to choose whether to transfer all users or only the primary player to the online session.

Overcooked! All You Can Eat is a remastered version of Overcooked! and Overcooked! 2 that includes all additional content from both games. This edition also features online multiplayer and is available on the Nintendo Switch.

Cross-platform multiplayer

If you're looking to play with friends across different platforms, your best bet is to go for Overcooked: All You Can Eat. This is a remastered version of the first two games, with extra content, and it supports cross-platform play. This means that players on different consoles or PCs can play together. For example, a Switch player can play with someone on PlayStation, who can team up with a PC player, who can add a fourth player on Xbox.

The original Overcooked does not feature online multiplayer at all. Overcooked 2 does have online multiplayer, but this is only available within the same console family. So, for example, Xbox One players can play with Xbox Series X and S players, and PlayStation 4 and 5 players can play with each other. PC players can also play together via Steam and Epic Games.

If you want to play Overcooked 2 with friends on PC and other consoles, it is possible, but it requires some adjustments to your game settings. For PC players, crossplay is seamlessly integrated if everyone is using Steam. If you or your friends are using GOG or the Epic Games Store, you need to enable the 'Crossplay Branch'.

To do this, first, right-click on Overcooked 2 in your library and select Properties. In the Properties window, click Betas, then from the dropdown, select 'crossplay_branch' and close the window. Your game will then download an update. Once this is installed, you will be able to play with non-Steam PC friends using the Team17 in-game friend system.

Overcooked 2 Gourmet Edition

The Overcooked! 2 Gourmet Edition is a great option for those who want to experience the award-winning chaotic cooking fun of the Overcooked! 2 base game and all its additional content. This edition includes all DLCs, updates, and chef packs, providing players with a complete package.

The game takes players back to the Onion Kingdom, where they must assemble a team of chefs and work together in classic couch co-op or online play for up to four players. The goal is to save the world by mastering over 20 recipes across 130 sizzling levels. One of the key features of the Gourmet Edition is the inclusion of all DLCs, such as "Surf 'n' Turf," "Campfire Cook Off," "Night of the Hangry Horde," and "Carnival of Chaos." These DLCs offer new levels, recipes, chefs, and unique kitchen equipment, adding variety and challenge to the gameplay.

The "Surf 'n' Turf" DLC takes players to the beach, where they must cook kebab skewers and smoothies with the help of exotic parrot and island chefs. "Campfire Cook Off" adds a camping-themed twist, requiring players to chop wood and cook breakfast or toast S'mores over a campfire. "Night of the Hangry Horde" introduces a horde mode where players must use their cooking skills to fend off waves of undead ingredients, while also learning new recipes and using new kitchen equipment like the guillotine. "Carnival of Chaos" brings colourful new levels, recipes, chefs, and the introduction of the cannon, challenging players to serve combo meals to hungry customers.

The Gourmet Edition also includes chef packs, such as the "Too Many Cooks Pack," which adds five new chefs to the player's team, offering more variety and fun to the cooking experience. Overall, the Overcooked! 2 Gourmet Edition provides a comprehensive and engaging experience for fans of the series or newcomers alike, with its mix of challenging levels, cooperative gameplay, and culinary chaos.

Frequently asked questions