Who knew waiting tables could be so much fun? The Diner Dashpremise is very simple: You play Flo, the owner and sole waitressof a small restaurant. You must seat customers, bring them theirfood, and clean up when they’re done. Although this may sound likeit might be about as much fun as, say, blue-collar minimum-wagework, the Diner Dash series is exciting and addictive. The DinerDash series has now branched out into three main games and a hostof spinoffs with similar gameplay in different settings. The main challenge is time. The “Dash” in the title is nomisnomer; you must constantly race around as your impatientcustomers’ mood (and willingness to leave large tips) constantlydwindles. Different customer types have different needs, andwinning the game–past the first few tutorial levels–requiresconstant awareness of multiple ongoing events as customers order,eat, ask for their checks, or stand ever-more-impatiently in line.Losing even one table can make a level unwinnable. Fortunately, youcan always replay a level without being sent back to the beginningof the game. All of the Diner Dash games follow this formula, with thedifferences being different customer types and different framingstories. In Diner Dash: Hometown Hero, Flo returns to her roots,only to find that the town she remembers is decaying. The solutionis to buy up some of the failing restaurants and revitalize them,beginning with the caf? at the Zoo. With each level completed, yougain an upgrade. Some are purely decorative, such as replacing theratty-looking starting counter with one of three more attractiveones, but most are functional–such as sneakers to help Flo runfaster, or an oven that prepares food more quickly. Diner Dash: Hometown Hero Gourmet Edition requires no knowledge ofprevious Diner Dash games. It’s perfectly standalone and is not for“advanced” players, though players who have enjoyed the others willalmost certainly enjoy the new settings and options this oneprovides. In addition to “story” mode, where you help Flo revitalize thetown, there is also an “Endless Shift” mode, where you keep playinguntil you have lost too many tables, seeking to just rack up a highscore. The PC-Only “Gourmet Edition” includes over 500 decorativeor clothing options and a multiplayer mode. The game also allowsyou to buy–for real cash money–additional in-game items, such asuniforms for your custom waiter avatar or fancy restaurantbackdrops. These items are not needed to play or enjoy the game.While Diner Dash: Hometown Hero is a casual game, it is not aslow-paced one; it does not require the insane twitch reflexes of ahyperactive mongoose, but it is not a game for those who like toslowly ponder their moves. Speedy response is required, lestcustomers grow impatient and leave. Note: This link goes to the vendor’s site, where you candownload the software. –Ian Harac

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