From day one, Microsoft's Xbox 360 had its core bases readily established: The gun-shootin', football tossin', racecar drivin' guy gamer has always had his pick of the litter on the next-gen console. But what about the girlfriend, the little brother, or even the mom? Viva Piñata is the ideal offering for those less stereotypical gamer groups, and just about everyone else.

Next-Gen Farming

Viva PinataYou play an upstart farmer on Piñata Island -- a place where all the animals resemble the paper-maché party favors from kids birthday parties. Your goal is to cultivate the land and attract all manner of piñatas to your fold. Of course, then you export them for profit, but that doesn't come until later.

The plot of real estate you start with is barely worth a drunk urinating on, so you've got your work cut out for you. With just a shovel and some grass seeds, you start the beautification process. Plant a few flowers and veggies, and the piñatas start showing up. From there, your area flourishes with ponds, trees, and all manner of weird, wavy creatures -- cute, colorful variations of everything from worms to foxes to elephants.


Freedom On a Leash

Viva PinataHow does your garden grow? It's really up to you -- in a way. Viva Piñata gives you the freedom to choose where to plant things, where to place animal dwellings, and the like. The irony is how tightly it holds your hand at first. This is definitely a game geared towards kids first, as the tutorial portions are slow and methodical. Fortunately, it also means the controls are easy and intuitive.

Over time, the plot can become a hopping piece of real estate, with you as the manager. New tools, abilities, and piñata visitors pop up with dizzying frequency. It's as if Rare took the dizzying variety that almost plagued its platformers, and stuck it into a real-time setting -- where, honestly, it works much better. Dull moments are few and far between, but when they come you'll welcome them as a time to take care of your more mundane responsibilities. It's even more addicting than Animal Crossing, as there's always something to do.

Proud Papa

You definitely feel an emotional tie to what happens on Piñata Island. When a roaming Syrupent eats your favorite Mousemallow, you'll feel remorse. If you neglect watering your sprouting hazelnut tree, you'll cringe as it wilts. The game does go easy on you, however: Plants only need care until maturity, and animals won't starve.

Kids may get a twisted version of the birds-and-the-bees from this game, as well. It's your job to play matchmaker and bring romance to your piñatas. When certain conditions are met, (fruits eaten, dwellings built, etc.), your piñatas will start to feel a little randy. Stick two together, and they'll do the ol' romance dance. From here, a simple maze minigame will bring them together, so a lucha libre version of a stork will deliver an egg.

Smash 'Em All

The piñatas themselves are likely the game's greatest asset. Graphically, they're colorful and cute, and their accompanying sound effects are definitely things that make you go, "Awwww..." Viva Piñata's paper-maché style is evident in everything from the piñata's limbs to the grass on the ground. So long as you can stomach the bright colors that resemble tie-dye vomit, it's an aesthetically pleasing game.

Viva Piñata tackles Pokemon's cuteness, Animal Crossing's fun chores, and The Sims' relationships, and comes out tasting as sweet as the candy its main characters are filled with. The game delicately balances entertaining, real-time gameplay with sandbox sensibilities. It's the kid-appealing offering Microsoft has pined after since the original Xbox launched, but ends up being so much more. Almost any type of gamer will enjoy livin' la Viva Piñata.

Article by: Justin Leeper
Video produced by: Eric Acasio

Viva Pinata get's a:


Original link: X-Play Review: Viva Pinata

this TS is just a review of VP by an X-play team, a team that review games. Yes there's a million of em but I personally like em because they tell the truth straight forward.

And i'm not him. Just a fan.

How to get Rich fast:

Go to the village in the menu, select "Costalots", and buy Chili Seeds. They cost 22 coins each. Purchase as many as you can afford, then go back to your garden. They should automatically plant themselves if you selected it. If not, go around and put them in. Once done select the watering can. Water all of them until the leaf turns blue. Do not over water them or they will die. This works better if you have the golden watering can or the glass can. Attend them until they detach from the stalk. Select them all by using the "Sell" button. Sell them all. They will sell for 100 coins each, giving you a profit of 78 coins. Do this as many times as desired for unlimited money. Note. If you put red fertilizer 3 times on them, they will grow and you can sell them for 400 coins, but this is very time consuming.

I make 2 groups of 4 close together, after planting em quickly select the red fertilizer and shower each times and water them til equal. 8 of the fertilized chili goes for 3.2k..

Or add aesthetica as ur friend and pay me RM 5 for 1k.. Hahaha.. Kidding.

This post has been edited by Aesthetica: Mar 17 2007, 07:29 PM

Nothing wrong with bumping old news.. Not everyone reads this thread from the beginning..

Look at mayat, he's freakishly broke.. Old news also yet he's not yet rich..

Hehe Your welcome mayat Merlin.. Aku skang dah ade gajah, kude, lembu, and many2 more! hehe..

Depends red.. If u play 2 hours of Pinata a day it's gonna take u 25 days..

Merlin.. I killed all of my ponies.. Lol.. I hate it when they fight with the horses. I'm lazy to put fences.. Wow u got dragon already? I'm too lazy to dig ponds.. Haha..

Hamster. Why la u keep so much gajah? Hehe..

Hmm.. If u buy a new one u'd get a Viva Pinata face plate for your Xbox.. It's nothing spectacular but better than plain white..

It's a calm game, nothing fast really, and it has the fun of collecting animals like Pokemon without the endless fights with other trainers and u don't get to plant things in Pokemon.. Lol

Alot of people say this game is gay and for kiddies but those people haven't even touch the game before. They also see it base on the cover and the characters' appearance only. So download the demo then call it gay. Lol

Hmm.. Think u can plant seeds to get em.. Or u can buy em from costolot..

Try talking to Seedos alot, he might just give u a mushroom seed but if it's ur first time seing a mushroom seed, it'll say Mysterious Seed.