If you’re looking for a challenging game to play with your significant other, look no further than the Overcooked series. This popular couch co-op game has you and your friends working together in a kitchen, trying to cook various dishes before the time runs out. It can be a lot of fun, but it can also be quite challenging if you’re not used to playing games cooperatively. What many people don’t know is that Overcooked is also an interesting example of process optimization.
What’s Overcooked about?
The Overcooked series is a popular couch co-op game that has you and your friends working together in a kitchen, trying to cook various dishes before the time runs out. It can be a lot of fun, but it can also be quite challenging if you’re not used to playing games cooperatively. The first game was released in 2016, and a sequel titled Overcooked 2 was released in 2018. Both games have received positive reviews from critics and gamers alike.
The Overcooked series can be a lot of fun, but it can also be quite challenging if you’re not used to playing games cooperatively. The games are known for their high-stress levels, which can often make or break relationships. Players need to be able to work together effectively in order to complete the various tasks that are assigned to them. If you’re not able to stay calm under pressure, then the Overcooked series may not be the best choice for you.

Playing Overcooked can be a stressful experience for some gamers, as they are challenged to complete levels as quickly as possible while ensuring that all of the food is properly prepared. However, for others, playing Overcooked can be a calming and relaxing experience. This is because Overcooked provides gamers with a sense of accomplishment upon completing each level, and the satisfaction of working together with others in order to achieve a common goal.
Beyond gaming
Six Sigma is a way to make sure that your processes are running smoothly. It’s a system for making sure that everything is working correctly and that there aren’t any problems. By implementing Six Sigma, you can minimize errors and maximize efficiency in your processes. It’s a highly effective method for improving and streamlining your operations.
So how come I mention the Six Sigma methodology for process optimization in businesses in an article about a cooking game? I completed a few Six Sigma courses in the past and thought Overcooked makes for a very interesting case. In Overcooked you can’t change your restaurant’s inventory and the layout, but you can optimize what the players do and when they do it.

This is similar to the real world, where we also can’t always change everything around us for the sake of optimization. So the reality of business is sometimes, that we can only adjust what people do and nothing else, but there is something to gain here too. Just like the strategy that a good sports team pursues, in Overcooked as well, it makes sense to survey the restaurant, check the objectives, and plan how to go about it, before the timer starts and everything gets stressful quickly.
Seeing how this is how players can succeed in Overcooked or not, I thought it would make for a great testing ground for any Six Sigma learners who are currently looking for practical examples in a gamified way – especially because you can play together with up to four gamers, errr, I mean process managers.
YouTube: Why the wedding is canceled – Overcooked 2 with Marzia (PewDiePie)
Photo credit: The images shown are owned by Ghost Town Games.