November 24, 2009

Tips & Tricks: Cake Shop 2

20 points to simplify Cake Shop 2 for you:


1. First, it's not a difficult or demanding game, even with 155 levels.

2. Tutorials take you through the production process of new products.

3. Right at the start of a level, keep all dispensers filled with one serving: soda, popcorn, candy floss, ice-cream, coffee, cappuccino (with a tall glass - see Point 9).

Note: Milk, juices and milkshakes all use the clear tall glass.

4. Refill all dispensers immediately after serving. A time-saving way of doing this is to pick up the same container (e.g. a popcorn tub) from the conveyor belt and take it to the dispenser (e.g. the popcorn machine, which already has a full tub sitting in it), and replace the full tub with the empty tub. This saves an additional move to the conveyor belt, and keeps you from forgetting to refill.

5. This logic does not entirely apply to the juicer as the fruits appear only when a customer asks for a juice. However, save time by keeping a juice glass sitting in the juicer so that once the fruit arrives, you only have to pop the fruit in.

6. In case you complete a juice order using one of the 'Fulfil Order' bonuses and have a full glass sitting in the juicer, make sure you place it on the display shelf to have one of the customers order it. Otherwise when the next juice order comes, this will be wasted (no monetary penalty, only time and effort wastage).

7. Keep the ice-cream dispensers loaded with cones, not tall glasses (used for making milkshakes). Milkshakes are ordered much more rarely than ice-cream cones.

8. In case you have a full cone sitting in an ice-cream dispenser and a customer wants a milkshake of the same flavour, don't throw away the cone. Pick up a tall glass and click to exchange it with the full cone. Wait till the glass has the ice-cream, then switch the cone back. Take the milkshake glass to the blender to complete the order.

9. Similarly for the cappuccino machine, which can serve both hot milk (tall glass) and cappuccino (full coffee cup). Milk is ordered more often than cappuccino so keep a tall glass sitting in the cappuccino machine. In case someone wants cappuccino instead, pick up the full coffee cup from the coffee machine, click to switch with the milk glass, wait till the cappuccino is ready, then switch the milk glass back.

10. In the equipment selection list, always select the blender last so the time-consuming activity of making milkshakes is done for the least levels possible. The cappuccino machine should be second last.

11. The cakes do not require the three layers to be selected in any particular order. Only three correct layers have to be chosen.

12. There is a 'cake of the day' put on the display shelf from Level 2 onwards. The first or second customer always orders this. Use the time saved to set up the dispensers before rush hour starts.

13. Customers aggressively order items put on the display shelf. This is relevant in three critical ways:

a) Putting up a ready item saves you time from making a fresh item, which means the customer is served sooner, which means more tips

b) Putting up more complex cakes (shaped, with toppings) brings in more money (otherwise customers usually order simple round cakes)

c) This significantly controls customer orders and helps you play more efficiently

14. Use the time delays between customers (more frequent than you'd expect) to build complicated cakes to put on display.

15. Since there is no overnight wastage i.e. no money is deducted for food / drinks that remain at the end of the day, or monetary penalties for throwing away wasted items, don't be afraid to keep dispensers filled and make as complex cakes as possible for display.

16. Getting gold levels require maximising tips and selling more complex cakes than the customers would order on their own.

17. Use the advantage of serving customers by right clicking the mouse button instead of dragging the item to them - it will save you time and make your mouse pad last longer.

18. Bonuses expire and cannot be accumulated, which removes strategic planning using bonuses.

19. Use the 'Quicker Machines' bonus to re-stock the dispensers and build complex cakes rather than serve customers (unless they're getting really upset).

20. It doesn't matter which part of the shop under construction you choose to build at any point of time. All parts must be eventually selected to complete the shop.

Good luck!


This is an original Tips & Tricks written by me. Please do not distribute / adapt the text and images in any way without my written consent.