Mastering Kitchen Rush Hours - Deluxe Edition

The Sandbox DAO Grant Program OPEN: Season Rewards & Game Creation
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1. Who is your team?

Field Answer
Team Name TobiNCraft
Main Contact Tobin – Lead Game Designer (Sandbox Ambassador since 2021)
Are you a known builder? :white_check_mark: Yes – 9× Game Jam Winner, multiple featured games. I’ve contributed to 90% of Smobler’s projects including ClayNation, Teletubbies, 3VEREST, and more.
Are you an existing studio? :cross_mark: No
Portfolio & Links Sandbox Profile • Twitter/X

2. Project Overview

Field Answer
Game Title Mastering Kitchen Rush Hours – Deluxe Edition
Genre :check_box_with_check: Arcade :check_box_with_check: Time Management :check_box_with_check: Simulation
Short Description
Join the chaos in Mastering Kitchen Rush Hours: Deluxe Edition, The Sandbox’s most-played cooking game, now reimagined with exciting challenges and leaderboard-driven rewards! Race against the clock, upgrade your kitchen, and rise through the chef ranks in this high-stakes culinary experience.
This edition introduces weekly challenges, a reward system, and a $2,000 SAND-backed seasonal competition.

| Do you have experience building this game type? | :white_check_mark: Yes, The original version launched in Game Maker 0.10 and delivered outstanding engagement. See metrics below.

3. Motivation

  • Why are you applying for support from The Sandbox?

    Because this game deserves a second life, one that’s bigger, bolder, and built to inspire. With your support, I want to transform it into a full seasonal experience that brings joy to players and empowers creators through shared tools, templates, and creativity.

  • Why The Sandbox?

    The Sandbox is more than a platform to me, it’s my creative home. It awakened a part of me that thrives on building, experimenting, and sharing stories through gameplay. Its tools have allowed me to turn imagination into interactive experiences. Kitchen Rush embodies the chaotic fun that belongs in this world, and I believe there’s still untapped potential in the genre.

4. Performance Highlights (Experience Link)

Metric Value
Total Playtime 12,150 hours
Total Players 52,770
Unique Players 41,671
Average Session Length 14 minutes

:white_check_mark: These numbers highlight high player retention and replayability.

5. Timeline

Phase Deliverables Deadline
Phase 1 – Planning Define game structure, monetization strategy, gameplay flow, visual references July 18
Phase 2 – Initial Asset Creation First batch of kitchen props, food models, character animations, and VFX July 30
Phase 3 – Prototype & Core Systems Implement core gameplay logic, cooking loop, test kitchen August 5
Phase 4 – Final Asset Creation Complete remaining assets including props, food, VFX, polish August 15
Phase 5 – Full Game Build Finalize scenes, integrate UI/UX, test & refine gameplay August 22
Phase 6 – Launch Preparation & Release QA, trailer, leaderboard setup, and community activation September 1

6. Team Location

  • USA (collaborators)

7. Future Plans & Sustainability

  • Post-launch Plans:
    • Seasonal updates (Halloween, Holiday Kitchen, etc.)
    • Upgrade to Game Maker 0.12 to enable progress saving and new mechanics
    • Introduce new food styles (Asian fusion, desserts, street food, etc.)
    • Release a simplified “Kitchen Creator Kit” for aspiring builders and educators
  • Monetization: :white_check_mark:
    • Limited-edition wearables (chefs, aprons, utensils)
    • Sponsored challenges and tournaments
    • NFT-based tournament entries or VIP chef passes
  • Player Retention Strategy:
    • Weekly time-limited cooking challenges
    • SAND-backed leaderboard rewards
    • recipe bonuses and random kitchen events

8. Milestone Deliverables

Phase Key Goals Aligned With Timeline
1. Planning & Initial Asset Creation Define game structure and monetization plan. Begin first batch of kitchen props, food models, animations, and VFX. By July 30
2. Prototype & Core Systems Implement core gameplay logic, cooking loop, and build first test kitchen. By August 5
3. Final Asset Creation & Full Game Build Complete remaining assets and finalize all scenes, integrate UI/UX, polish gameplay. By August 22
4. Launch Preparation & Release QA, trailer, SAND leaderboard system, and community activation. By September 1

9. Budget Overview

Category Description Amount (USD)
Player Rewards Prize pool $2,000
Game Development Logic systems, scene scripting $4000
QA & Testing Playtesting, balancing, feedback loops $1,000
Art & Asset Update Kitchen sets, animations, FX $3,500
Marketing & Trailer Leaderboard setup, visuals, teaser video $1,000
Total $11,500

10. Final Thoughts

With over 41,000 unique players and more than 12,000 hours of playtime, Mastering Kitchen Rush Hours is already a proven hit in The Sandbox. But for me, it’s more than numbers, it’s proof that a simple idea, born from passion and creativity, can connect with thousands.

This Deluxe Edition will build on that foundation, introducing rewards, challenges, and lasting value for players and creators alike.

I’m passionate about turning this into a standout seasonal experience, and with your support, we can make that vision a reality.

If you have any questions or feedback, I’d love to hear from you.

Thank you for your time and consideration!

2 Likes
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Thank you for your submission @tobincraft, I’ll do my best to have an answer for you tomorrow.

1 Like
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Hi @tobincraft, I’m leaning towards approval on this as I’d like to see your game revived and upgraded with new mechanics. I played it a good bit in 2024, and while it had it’s own charm, it needed a bit more variety and excitement. I’m curious to learn more about the updates you have planned.

Regarding 0.12, do you have access already? As it’s not released yet, I’m not sure how feasible it is to complete all the work you need to before the end of August if planning to specifically use 0.12. Though I do think 0.12 would be a good version to use given save mechanics which will help you make longer and more replayable games.

Can you give me some more info specifically:

  • What will the updated gameplay be like? What shortcomings do you wish to improve?
  • What will be involved in the player event? What is the timeline on that specifically? If it starts before September 1st, we can make sure the reward money is approved sent before this grant program closes at the end of August.
  • How does your budget line up with the milestones? The milestones themselves look okay, but I need to know what the grant distribution would be at that point.
1 Like
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Hi Alex, Thanks for your thoughtful feedback on my 2024 game! You’re absolutely right, it had its own charm but needed more variety and replayability. That’s exactly what the Deluxe Edition aims to deliver, with features like score challenges, dynamic recipes, seasonal events, and even a creator template.

Regarding Game Maker 0.12, I’ve tested build v0.12.0 (18176). If there’s a more recent internal version available, I’d really appreciate access!

In the meantime, I’ll continue development in v0.11 to stay on track, and I’m fully confident in updating to 0.12 later, especially since I’m already familiar with its new features, which perfectly aligns with my goal of making this game more replayable and persistent.

:counterclockwise_arrows_button: 1. Updated Gameplay & Planned Improvements

The Deluxe Edition of Mastering Kitchen Rush Hours will evolve from a linear cooking game into a more dynamic, replayable, and progression-based experience. Inspired in part by what works well in games like Sandwich Restaurant Tycoon, here’s what’s coming:

:white_check_mark: Planned Upgrades & Improvements:

Feature Description
Kitchen Upgrades Players will unlock new stations, tools, and recipe types as they score points (e.g., grill station, drinks bar, dessert corner, ect.).
Dynamic Recipe Challenges Orders will rotate each round with varied timers, ingredients, and difficulty.
Leaderboard Integration Weekly and seasonal high scores with visible rankings and SAND-based rewards.
Progression via Save System Players can unlock new recipes and layout styles, thanks to Game Maker 0.12’s save feature.
Visual Progression Kitchen evolves with success: better counters, equipment, decor, rewarding continued play.
Mini Events & Boosts Surprise rush hours, VIP customer challenges, and timed perks for active players.
Creator Template A remixable “Kitchen Creator Kit” will be released so others can make their own food games.

:small_blue_diamond: What will be involved in the player event?

A 4-week leaderboard competition inside Mastering Kitchen Rush Hours: Deluxe Edition, where players earn points based on order accuracy, speed, and streak consistency.

  • Top 10 scorers will receive SAND prizes
  • Bonus prizes for creative fan engagement (memes, fan art, clips)
  • Leaderboard screenshots submitted through Discord for validation

For full transparency, the 2,000 USD prize pool (equivalent to SAND) can be transferred to a separate wallet that I’ll provide, which will be used exclusively for prize distribution.

:money_with_wings: Suggested Grant Distribution (5 Phases)

Grant Stage Amount (Approx.) Trigger
:white_check_mark: Stage 1 – 20% (~$2,300) After Phase 2 Initial Asset Creation Completed
:white_check_mark: Stage 2 – 20% (~$2,300) After Phase 3 Prototype Systems + Test Kitchen Logic Implemented
:white_check_mark: Stage 3 – 20% (~$2,300) After Phase 4 Final Assets + Complete Kitchen Scene
:white_check_mark: Stage 4 – 20% (~$2,300) After Phase 5 Fully Playable Version + QA + UI/UX Polish
:white_check_mark: Stage 5 – 20% (~$2,300) Before Phase 6 Funds Ready for Launch + Player Event Execution

This phased approach keeps progress steady, ensures accountability, and secures the final reward pool in advance.

If you have any other questions or need clarification on anything, feel free to reach out, I’d be happy to provide more details. Thanks again for your time and consideration!