yo guys,
just got this game from PA. anyone of u is playing this? i find it quite hard also cos gotta concentrate 100% and ur mind cannot run away else ur pinata fell ill also u dun realise

anyway this game is fun, colourful and cute too. for those who have children u might wanna try this but err, it'll be a bit difficult to play for the kids also

Getting the game during the LAN party tomorrow from Djinn

Its time to compare pinatas! LOL

Heard that it requires lotsa micro-management.

I am just curious what kinda micro-management....micro managing as in a Sim game kinda micro? Or...say, need to control alot of stuff like a strategy game?

From a super-violent game GOW...to a super-cutey game like Viva Pinnata....

This post has been edited by PrivateJohn: Nov 17 2006, 09:50 AM

im gettin it too...hope its arrivin today

getting it from Djinn too..hope it arrives today ...

I'm getting it, but not sure if the kid will enjoy it. Will let u know. I think she's more of the Feedin' Frenzy 2 type.

Me too. If it's anything like Animal Crossing, I won't be playing anything else for the next 6 months.

LOL we need some balance...so cute + violence...and i heard u can kill ur pinatas

Anyway, micro managing as in a Sim game kinda micro from what I read..

Its Animal Crossing except you can't visit friends gardens. Which is sad actually considering the fantastic Xbox Live experience.

You can however send pinatas to your friends.

Gotta wait for my copy, even then gotta wait for a 360. But i heard you can kill your pinata with a shovel or blow it up.

Dude thats for children???

Im kidding(at least i hope i am) but the fact that you can send pinatas to friends is ultra cool

Check out the new addition to my sig. Viva Pinata!!!!!!

This post has been edited by Hitman190: Nov 17 2006, 11:48 AM

IMO, it is definitely not easy to play. need full concentration like i mentioned b4.

Hitman,
yes u can kill pinatas but sour ones. colourful ones are urs in ur own garden but from time to time, ur garden will attract sour pinatas which are in red

How does this game compare to say Mario Party series from Nintendo, is it addictive and playable?

Can't wait to chainsaw my Pinatas.

I read that you can kill ur own pinatas too

lol Rare ftw

yes u can but wat for right? if u dun like the pinata that u have,u can sell them for coins. yes u can sell them

Because....used to killing things in GoW?

And you get to see candies fall out of them when u smash them..

This is the no 1 item in my "PLS DON"T BUY IT" as my life will be darn tough if my kids get addicted with it.. so..no more chainsaw for more anymore...

u put ur chainsaw infront of ur children??? hahahahaha....u da man la
im not a dad yet....maybe i'll understand more once i become one...kekekekek

hehehe..only with my eledest 5 years old daughter..she can even say " abah..go chainchow him"....

she mean cincau him?

Hahahahahahaha....wtf? Rare teasing ps3...

this game is only for kids if you want it to be. or the most adult'ish game that could ever be, like what Luke from 1up did. the main thing you to do in this game is to breed pinata, so he manage to get the female to born a male pinata, make it bigger than ask the male pinata to "get it on" with the female pinata, a.k.a the mother. while this two in their thing, he'll sacrifice 2 more of the female pinata children so the sparrow (or something) will "do it".

so you still think this game only for children?

i still dont get it...

Ok my kid successfully got her 2 worms to mate each other this morning over breakfast. I just hope the 2 worms were male/female pair, otherwise she'll be waiting all morning for baby worm.

Edit - oh yeah .... and she shovel whacked some black and white fox-looking pinata as well ..... way to go!!! Need to rev up the chainsaw for her next.

This post has been edited by terranova: Nov 18 2006, 10:22 AM

[color=red]Ha!!!

I knew it!!!I knew you can maim a pinata with a shovel!!

I am loving this game right now

This post has been edited by Hitman190: Nov 18 2006, 10:28 AM

ok...just played my copy of viva pinata...all i gotta say.. wow in the way they re-produce..

i'll be gettin mine tonight! all thanks to yoroi!
cant wait...

Beautiful looking game.

The beginning of the game is so overwhelming. So many things to do. I'm already in love with this game.

this game is so cute, looks so colorful. also it looks much better than Resistance

it gets tough after ur area of control is getting bigger and bigger..and the amount of pinatas ur in charge with grows as well...

I cant get my Viva Pinata yet ... transaction malfunction at GH. I so want this game.

how much does viva pinata cost locally?

GH only has the collector's edition that come with the faceplate and it RM175 but im not sure sold out or not, u will have to check with Djinn.

Haha this game rocks! The making love portion of the pinatas is hilarious.

Ahhh omg this game is so addictive...

was tending to my garden from midnight to 3.30am...

need that long or not ? I also haven't started my garden yet.. just open the my disc to demo only..

Haha I wanted to stop but each time got new pinata come visit, so i go do somemore stuff to make them resident...haha...

I didn't realise how long I was playing to get some of those pinatas to mate ended up having an hmmm orgy makeout among pinatas. All in all 4 hours of it and never been so hooked on a game in quiet awhile.

Haha yeah...time flies when ur playing the game because there is jst so many things to do..

we should change this thread title to "Pinata Pimps" because thats essentially what we are..

The amount of fighting that's happening in my garden is depressing. I've sold off quite a lot of troublemakers and I'm now trying to figure a way to segregate rival species.

ok..i got bored..and started writing this so i'll post it just cause I can... bwahahaha *evil laugh*

Viva Pinata - A review by zio @ nicklwc

When I saw the interactive video on XBOX Live Marketplace, I downloaded it because it looked colourful and the concept of Pinata sounded funky enough to warrant a look. The video impressed me. A lot. The colours were vibrant and the gameplay smacked of Animal Crossing on the big screen. After much violence in Gears of War, it seems that this kiddy game from Rare is set to appear in my collection for a quick fun getaway from all the blood and gore. Oh boy, was I wrong.

The premise of the game is that you live in Pinata Island and it is where wild pinatas reside. You build a garden to attract them and make them residents of your garden. From then, you can matchmake them and they will breed more pinatas for you. Of course, you can then sell it for money and also ship them to the Factory. The Factory is where pinatas are sent to parties and they get smashed. The ultimate joy of being a pinata.

All is not rosy of course, as there are sour pinatas that bring illness and overall bad things to your garden. There are also enemies out there who do not want you to succeed in making the pinatas happy.

Published by Microsoft and developed by Rare, whose credentials include Kameo and Perfect Dark Zero, the game seemed like it was going to bypass the adult gamers. Of course, if you look at it now, most of the gamers playing it would be adults because it is just that appealing. I will get into more of that later but let's look at the game in my usual Graphics, Music, Gameplay and Misc style.

Graphics

Bright, colourful and a joy to watch. The pinatas are lively and the game looks so colourful, it is hard not to just stare in amazement at your own garden. However, it must be noted that these brand of graphics might not be everyone's cup of tea. Some might find it to kiddy especially after coming from the realism of Gears of War.

The animation of the pinatas is very well done as well. They move, they interact and the whole lot of animated activities on your garden means you won't be looking at the same thing over a period of time. On occasions, I find myself just looking at all the things going on in my garden.

Sound

The music is definitely one for the kids and it brings a very fun theme to the game. The choice of music suits the game very well and it feels very well integrated. It is like a good lounge music, where you know its there, but it doesn't intrude your space.

I can't really say the same for the voiceovers though. Although they do a great job representing the characters, I find myself tapping the "Continue" button just to get on with it. But it is a kid's game after all so it is understandable that the voice actors need to read their script slower than usual.

Sound effects on the other hand are top notch. Combined with the colourful graphics, the sounds you hear from the pinatas and surrounding environment really brings your garden alive.

Gameplay

Finally, we reach the crucial section of the game. Viva Pinata, although advertised as a kid's game, is more than that. The micro management in this game is quite vast and its easy to see kids getting overwhelmed by the things they need to do after a while. Even I find myself getting swarmed with things to control after leveling myself up. Good news is that you can pace yourself so that you can build your garden at a leisurely pace.

You control the game using a simple cursor which you can change to different items depending on what you need. The controls are intuitive and it is easy to learn. Most of the things are spelt out for you on the screen. The easy controls certainly help to move the game along considering there are so many things to learn.

And that brings us to the complexity of the game. There are so many things to do and so many things to pay attention to in Viva Pinata that I am quite surprised its being labeled as a kid's game. Although the occasional hints and tutorials help, I find myself flipping back to the journal and checking just what needs to be done. Your tasks of managing a garden do not stop at planting trees and flowers or beautifying the place. You also have to make sure the pinatas are happy, rival pinatas do not fight too often, keep sour pinatas away, and most important of all, matchmake your pinatas.

But does the complexity make the game bad? No, in fact it makes the game so addictive that you will find it hard to pry yourself away. The joy of seeing a new pinata arrive in your garden is very satisfying and even more so, when they take up residence in your garden. Without the micro management, the satisfaction factor would be lost because it would seem too easy.

Misc

Building your own garden and having your own pinatas are all well and good, but how does it work with Microsoft's amazing online experience? The verdict is not too bad, but not entirely fantastic. You have a leaderboard and you can send gifts to your friends playing Viva Pinata. You can send friendly pinatas or even sour pinatas. Hopefully you don't have a lot of enemies online. The gifts are known to the receiver until they opened it so it's a real surprise. Of course, the receiver can just send it back to you without opening it.

That is all you can do on Live, which is pretty sad considering because the potential to do more with this game was always there. I expected an Animal Crossing experience where you can visit friends' gardens but the developers certainly didn't factor that in. However, do not let this minor fact tarnish the game because it is a very good game indeed.

In conclusion, Viva Pinata is a game you would not regret adding to your collection. The game is addictive and it serves as a different option for gamers looking for something lighter, something more fun. And nothing is more fun than pimping pinatas.

nice review there zio~

Another great review from zio.

I hate you! Now I'm considering to get this game.

haha thanks..

get the game...get the game..get the game

wait until I finish insane mode for Gears of War..

then I will become a "kid" all over again while playing Viva Pinata

wah

i want my pinata also now..any shop selling it now izzit

This post has been edited by VincC454: Nov 20 2006, 02:23 PM

not sure~, that time take 15 units for the LAN 06 fest (for the priority for xbox live comunity)

but habis already... taking another batch this week.

or.. you guys know what.. it tells us something we all so old already and so slow!!!...

kids probably can do it without batting an eye-lid.. to prove it someone must let a kid play it and record the little one..

akakakakka

I've tried looking all over for the standard edition of this game but can't find it

Ermm the limited edition is only slightly more expensive than the standard ed..RM10 or so..

issit?

actually i want the standard edition is just so that the4 display case can fit into my dvd stand.. i noticed that the special ed has a weird shape..

i thought it will be wasted for me bcos like my doa4, i remove the outer box for the limited edition anyways.. :/

It has a plastic thing that will make it fit ur standard dvd stand i believe..ill try to take a picture and post it here..

ok thanks..

i need a break from violent games haha

It can get viiolent use your shovel its hilarious when you whack them...

Eh.. it's the circle of life man!!! You know how violent the game is?
The things it teaches kids...

- Canibalism
- Procreation
- InFamliy Breeding

etc. etc.

you forgot that it also teaches you that:

- no matter how important you think you are, you're just food for a bigger pinata

...
oh well...
one more violent game won't hurt...

just..

one ..

more...

*twitch* I won't go psychotic.. *Twitch*

hey tnsai, the viva pinata LE has a weird shape packaging after all. Even the plastic thing that covers it is shaped with a curve on the top. Something like this:

i was expecting it to be a metal case inside or at least a dvd case...but it turned out...sigh...

Cant wait to get mine this Thursday !!

ok wussies, get back into ur viva pinata!

gee..i gotta see when was my last played date for GoW....

drunk Fudgehog?

Looks more like Franklin the bear

Ahhh....took me so long to finally lure the squirrel to be a resident..

now my garden is out of place...i cant build my syrupent house!! and the newtgat still refuses to reside...grr...



This post has been edited by zio: Nov 22 2006, 02:22 PM

Sadly ... i will not be getting Viva Pinata anytime soon. Will be busy with other stuff. Enjoy ur garden.

Eh xeno, not getting it? Saw 1 copy reserved for xenofr3ak in Djinn shop yesterday.

I think I will be getting it la. Sounds so nice. Need some relaxing game after the stress of being owned yesterday and losses in FIFA. Sigh.....

yes yes, play Viva Pinata to relieve ur stress

I will be getting it lar .. but hate to go there alone .. tak syok. Someone supposed to go with me wan .. but he got the game early

This post has been edited by XenoFr3ak: Nov 23 2006, 11:23 AM

tsk tsk tsk.....xeno, make love not war!

Nothing with going there alone man...i go there alone all the time hahaha..

arlo guys,

for those who purchase viva pinata~ please bring your reciept to collect your Free Faceplate. thank you.

Haha its not funny

Hey guys how come wikipedia says that Viva Pinata TV seres is showing in Malaysia???

Is it true??
Cause if it is that would rock!!
Pinatas rule

is it like Barney ? lol

No its more like a 3d pokemon,

omg this game is givin me a headache n my eyes r twitching aledi . i wanna ask how to feed them something, like in order to romance, we need to feed them something, how do i do that? or like wanna feed the bat wit a jack-o-lantern, just put it there or wat?

edit: owh nvm. i think i got it. just direct those residents to those candies n such

This post has been edited by un9ku: Nov 25 2006, 04:08 PM

Guys, How do you expand ur garden. My garden is getting crowded already.

It will auto expand wan ... errr .. i think.

once on lvl 11...the other on lvl21... not sure got how many

sure got alot. u see, when u first start the game, u can see u got 3 rows out of 10 rows of land (correct me if im wrong), others are crossed out. so go figure

does any1 know how to turn a sour crowla into a resident pinata?
ive already bought the bird bath...it needs one more requirement *drink medicine*
where to find or buy?lol

Tinker with some honey (can't remember the name of shop) to get medicine.

thankewww!!..zomg...im lvl 20++ and ive never even walked into the tinkerers store...

Guys how do i lure the duck (can't remember the name) into my garden??

quackberry...get 4% pinometers of water...and corn plant...for resident get bread...

Thnks calvin.

i've done all the requirements for that duck..and yet its still not here...always fly by...

I've only just realised that when you start a new garden, you carry over your current gardener level, money, and everything you've unlocked over with you. My first garden was so cramped! So now I've started a new garden specifically for water-based creatures. Very swampy with lots of long grass.

It looks like you can have 7 or 8 gardens.

Oooo nice...but if you spend your money in the new garden, will it be reflected in the old garden?

My garden too messy already..time to specialise..

Swampy with lots of long grass maybe "The Thing" might come and hang out~

Aaaarrgh the dark side is too strong on this one.... I've succumbed and bought pinatas also.

This post has been edited by MK84: Nov 27 2006, 11:07 AM

is there a specific time that those pinatas get horny? coz all the requirements for romance is fulfilled but still no "love tag" above their head.
or maybe my garden is too crowded/full aledi?

Your garden might be too full. Try selling some pinatas off.

Not sure what you mean, but if you spend money in one garden then yeah, you won't have it in the other garden. Your garderner level is the same across all gardens, so you won't start from Level 1 when you have a new garden.

anyone here get gameplay hangs ?

Haha ok..that was what I wanted to know..if i spend money in garden 1, and then load garden 2, will garden 2 have the old amount of money or the money after i spent it

no loophole there i guess

err i only get lag during saves. other than that, no hang so far.