Chef it Up, the cooking-themed arcade game from Australian studio MonkeySplash Studios, is back in view after a quieter period. The project was previously tested at Dave & Busters in Orlando, shown from MonkeySplash’s small booth at IAAPA 2024 in November, and later included in the indie arcade set at MAGFest earlier this year.
Recent updates shared through its official Instagram presence indicate that development is continuing. The latest news also provides a look at control changes and the game’s first European appearance.
Chef it Up simplifies its cooking-station controls
A new promotional “how to play” video shows a version of Chef it Up that appears to retain the same core software while revising the physical controls used at each station.
The earlier build used highly specialised controls for individual cooking tasks. In the newer version, some of those have been replaced by more familiar joysticks and buttons. The oven section still has a temperature dial, although the number has been reduced from five to one. A bell for serving the completed meal also remains part of the cabinet.
These adjustments may reflect feedback from the game’s earlier testing, although MonkeySplash Studios has not stated the reason for each change. For readers interested in how different control layouts affect an arcade cabinet, the arcade machine buying guide offers useful broader context.
Comparing the newer build with IAAPA 2024
The updated video can be compared with the version demonstrated at IAAPA 2024. That earlier presentation showed the previous station controls before the move towards a mixture of standard arcade inputs and retained dedicated hardware.
MonkeySplash takes Chef it Up to the UK
In a further development, Chef it Up has also now come to the UK for a limited time. This is the game’s first appearance in Europe.
The location is Gravity MAX at Westfield Stratford. Sega Amusements has previously used the venue for pre-release trials of games connected with its FunBox arcade involvement, so this placement could represent another test for Chef it Up.
What could happen next?
The UK test may provide useful evidence about how the game performs outside Australia and North America. If Sega is involved in evaluating the title, its future in Europe or a wider Western rollout could depend on the response at the venue. For now, any such outcome remains uncertain.
The next clues may arrive through an arcade trade show or another public location test. Until then, Chef it Up remains an unusual new cooking game to watch in the developing arcade market.
Would you like to see Chef it Up at an arcade venue in Australia? Follow more developments through the RETROCADE arcade news coverage, or explore the range of upright arcade cabinets and arcade parts available for home and commercial projects.
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