Ingredient X

Set in the Diner Dash universe, DinerTown Tycoon opens with a very nefarious scheme taking place. A representative from Grub Burgers is in Mayor Wimple's office, trying to bribe the mayor into allowing Grub Burger restaurants to open in DinerTown. The mayor claims that the citizens won't go for it, but the shady representative insists that they'll be lining up around the block for their new burgers with their glowing "ingredient X" sauce.

Before the mayor can turn him away, he tries the mysterious new hamburger and falls under the company's control!

Cut to three months later and folks are indeed lined up around the block! What is Flo's friend Darla going to do as the new bad boy in town steals all of her business?

The Business Side of Things

DinerTown Tycoon seems like it was made exclusively for me. While I can have a lot of fun with games like Diner Dash, I tend to enjoy the business side of things more. What may sound boring to a lot of people is the most fun and rewarding to me. I enjoy this particular universe and I think Flo's a very charming character, so I was thrilled to get a chance to run things from behind the counter for once.

As the boss behind-the-scenes, you're job will be running a successful business. Responsibilities include choosing a menu that will sell, buying ingredients when they're cheap and when they're popular, and catering to specific customer needs, as well as other things.

Being "In the Know"

You'll need to stay on top of things by reading the daily newspaper to see what's popular. Every day it will tell you what ingredient everyone is drooling over; this will be something you'll want to stock up on and probably raise the price of a little bit.

Another way to stay informed is to purchase research on your different types of customers, of which there are six or seven in all. This research will tell you what they like to eat. It's a good idea to pay for this information when you have a certain customer type that isn't bringing a lot of business.

A Different Type of Game

You may be one of those people who think that setting prices and doing market research is something only an accountant or a marketing executive would enjoy, but I implore you to keep an open mind.

What I really love about this type of game is the feeling of satisfaction I get from a job well done. This "business simulation" may not be as intricate as running an actual business, and doing well in the game isn't something you'll put on a resume, but you still have to exercise your mind if you want to come out on top.

DinerTown Tycoon is a very specific type of game. If it sounds remotely interesting to you, then chances are you'll love it. If it doesn't sound like your cup of tea, I still urge you to give it a spin. It may even inspire a career change!