Xbox 360

Viva Piñata

I think it's safe to say that Viva Piñata is a game that every Xbox 360 owner should at least check out. The concept is so simple yet the execution presents so much depth. This is a title that kids and adults can both enjoy which is a very rare thing. It truly has been a long time since I have played a game this addicting, challenging, and enjoyable.

A charming game that is a lot of fun once you get into it, backed up by wonderful visuals and an entertaining score it’s hard to see why this has failed to live up to expectations. It’s not going to be for everyone but with a little time you’ll soon fall under its spell. In a manly way.

So, whilst the rest of the world are fighting identikit drones in two-dimensional subterranean caverns, or racing around the same circuits as everyone else in exactly the same cars, those that took the plunge into the wonderful world of Viva Pinata are now completely hooked; finding plenty to let them shape their own game, with their own creations and own, completely non-linear route through Rare's vivid imagination. Absolutely essential, and without a doubt my favourite title on the 360 so far.

Conclusion: Viva Pinata is a real return to form for Rare. It is fully accessible for children, yet deep and involving for adults and hardcore gamers alike. It features gorgeous graphics and a charismatic cast. It is a game you can invest hours in, yet still have so much more to do. The achievement points are also great, ranging from the very easy, to real tough ones that encourage you to explore all of the options available to you. Don't be embarrassed by the cutesy style of the game, there are jokes for adults too, and as the game is so damn good anyway, it would be a crime not to buy it!

Viva Piñata is a daring title, taunting a user to give it a shot on a whim. All the marketing in the world wouldn't properly tell the story of this wonderfully creative effort. The best anyone can do is ask a player to give it an hour and then dare them to stop. By then, the hook is in place and the game won't leave their console.

Ook al lijkt het spel op het eerste gezicht wat kiddy, eenmaal begonnen met spelen blijf je ook spelen en lijkt een baantje als tuinieren toch meer te bieden dan enkel met je handen in de modder wroeten. Vrolijke wezentjes, aanstekelijke muziek, sfeervolle graphics, humoristische gameplay, Viva Piñata heeft het allemaal. Een teleurstellende vertaling mag de pret niet drukken, de mierzoete game ‘Viva Piñata’ is serieus "filled with fun!"

It may look like a kid's game, but Viva Pinata features more than enough action and strategy to keep even the biggest action gamer addicted for hours on end. Don't feel embarrassed buying it, this is one game you won't regret putting next to Gears of War and Dead Rising!

Microsoft hat mit Viva Piñata einen großen Coup gelandet, der durch die hervorragende Umsetzung der britischen Edelentwickler RARE bis auf einige kleine technische Mängel über fast alle Zweifel erhaben ist. Das Spielprinzip erfreut jung und alt gleichermaßen und wird in vielen Familien wahre Generationskonflikte ausbrechen lassen. Die sehr leicht zu erlernende intuitive Steuerung (die es übrigens nochmals in einer supersimplen „ein Stick und vier Buttons“-Variante gibt) schafft Raum für die eigentlichen Aufgaben im Spiel und lässt Frust außen vor.

Viva Piñata ist nicht nur für Klein, sondern mindestens ebenso viel für Groß. Ich habe immer noch viel Spaß an dem Titel, da das Spiel in Wirklichkeit komplexer ist, als es zunächst wirkt; auch wenn der Schwierigkeitsgrad recht niedrig angesetzt ist. Die Präsentation ist allererste Klasse und man findet ständig neue Wege, wie man Piñatas anlockt, Geld verdient oder ähnliche Erfolge feiert. So kindisch das Spiel auch wirken mag, werden Kinder wohl erst ab dem zehnten Lebensjahr so richtig warm mit dem Titel und sollten sich zuvor mit der Rolle als Zuschauer begnügen.

Der Mix aus Aufbaustrategie und knuddel Grafik wurde so schön von Rare in Szene gesetzt das man einfach nicht nein sagen kann. Und das Gärtnerdasein macht so einen Höllen Spaß, dass man die Zeit um sich vergisst. Das züchten der Piñatas und Ausbauen des eigenen Gartens artet zwar manchmal in Stress aus ist aber zu keiner Zeit nervig.

All in all, if you've got an Xbox 360 and are comfortable enough in your maturity to not be scared off by games packaged as kid's fare, you'll be pleased to find a game that is deep and engaging in all the right ways. If, on the other hand, you're one of those gamers who's too macho to touch anything that isn't brutally violent or horrifyingly gruesome, well by all means just go back to playing Gears of War and spending your nights weeping about your tiny, tiny pee-pee. I'm sure you'll find that very fulfilling.

Overall, though, this is a great game that really showcases the creativity and innovation that made it such a smart move for Microsoft to acquire Rare a few years ago. It’s one of the most unique strategy/sim titles to appear on a console in recent memory, and fans of those genres should definitely consider giving it a look, however old they are.

Microsoft made a lot of Xbox 360 owners nervous when they trimmed their anticipated holiday season first party releases down to a pair of new intellectual properties: Epic's much-hyped violent shooter Gears of War and Rare's return to cutesy subject matter, Viva Pinata. As expected, this Ying and Yang odd couple are not being treated equally; marketing and publicity for Gears over the past several months leading up to the recent "Emergence Day" launch has far overshadowed the pittance Viva Pinata has received. Additional exposure or not, Gears has been positioned to be a best seller for going on two years now. Viva Pinata on the other hand needs a lot of help, especially for skeptics and the pinata oblivious to toss aside Rare's recent dubious track record and no longer doubt their ability to churn out a devilishly addictive title for kids and adults alike.

Viva Piñata, then, is a game that's difficult to dislike. It oozes charm and personality from its every papier-mâché-covered pore. While it's accessible enough for those with very little gaming experience (and their children), it also has enough depth to keep any of you with a Pokemon-style "gotta catch 'em all" mentality--or perhaps a penchant for gardening--entertained for many hours.

Man kann Viva Piñata kurz in einem Satz beschreiben. Interessantes Gameplay mit viel Potenzial. Rare zeigt, dass es nicht immer ein Shooter oder Racer sein muss, der den Spieler für mehrere Stunden an den Bildschirm fesselt. Auch ein Familienspiel wie es hier der Fall ist kann überzeugen und sowohl die jüngere Zielgruppe, als auch die älteren Spieler unter uns beeindrucken. Es macht Spaß sich durch den eigenen Garten zu bewegen und seine gesammelten Piñatas zu betrachten. Man kann es hinaus zögern, aber nicht verhindern. Wer einmal anfängt zu spielen, wird bald darauf mit der Sammelsucht konfrontiert werden und vor den Bildschirm gefesselt.

"Viva Piñata" talvez seja o melhor trabalho da Rare desde que a produtora inglesa foi comprada pela Microsoft, em 2002. A temática jovem é seu maior mérito e também defeito. Se por um lado, o colorido e telas de navegação em forma de livro infantil tornam o game cativante e acessível para as crianças, causa certo desconforto aos marmanjos que vibram ao matar alienígenas em "Gears of War". Não deveria. O jogo não cai na armadilha de ser vazio para atender seu público alvo e tem méritos de sobra para prender jogadores de qualquer idade. E para quem deseja um jogo familiar para interagir com filhos e sobrinhos, "Viva Piñata" é o doce perfeito.

When it comes down to it, Viva Piñata is a pretty basic strategy game in some areas that expands the strategy concept in other areas - areas you may not traditionally expect a game of this genre to expand. First impressions suggest Viva Piñata is a introductory strategy title for kids, but it has qualities even the most advanced strategy gamer would enjoy if they are open to trying something new and different. Although it isn't exactly what I'd call strategy gaming gold, Viva Piñata is an admirable effort and proof that fun mainstream console gaming is not all about a handful of predictably executed genres. If you want to try something new for your 360, definitely give Viva Piñata a try - all the better if you have a youngin' or two in the house to share the experience with.

Als man Viva Pinata als Spiel plus begleitende TV-Serie ankündigte, läuteten all meine Alarmglocken. Meine Nüstern witterten Geldschneiderei. Ganz so, als wolle man zwanghaft ein Stück abhaben vom Pokemon-Kuchen. Jetzt dreht das fertige Spiel eine Überstunde nach der anderen in meiner 360 und ich fühle mich abgrundtief schlecht, dass dieser Gedankengang je meine Synapsen vergiftete. Viva Pinata vereint Schauwert und Spielbarkeit unglaublich lässig und schickt sich an, DAS Wohlfühlspiel dieser Konsolengeneration zu werden! Ein Spiel für Jedermann, das über seinen Humor funktioniert und zeigt, wie schön wachsende und blühende Dinge sein können.

Take a good look at the animals on this page. Cute, aren’t they? Now, picture yourself ordering these happy-go-lucky creatures to procreate. When their adorable little baby is born, you can sell it to turn a profit. Once the toddler is loaded onto the truck, it’s your duty to force the mother and father to produce another money-fetching babe. Trade in enough children for coin and you’ll have the funds needed to build a structure that will enable another species to start popping out little ones. Before long, you’ll become a soulless machine that specializes in nothing but tearing families apart for a quick buck. Shudder in fear if you will, but this is exactly how I played Viva Piñata.

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.

You'll find a lot of complaints in this review. Oddly, they mostly bubbled to the surface as I wrote it and don't seriously detract from an otherwise enjoyable game. There's much to like in Viva Piñata. It requires a lot of management and has a great sense of humor and outstanding production values. It is worth the attention of sandbox strategy fans—even those who are avoiding it because they dislike the notion of playing a "children's" game.

Kan Viva Piñata bli den julsuccé som Microsoft hoppas på? Utan tvekan är det tillräckligt bra för det, men som vi alla vet är det inte alltid det som är avgörande. Jag, som är närmare 20 år äldre än den tänkte målgruppen, hade riktigt kul under min tid med det och jag kommer att spela vidare i ett försök att bli Pinataöns mest framstående trädgårdsmästare. Jag tvivlar därför inte på att föräldrar som köper det här i julklapp kommer att få sina barns uppskattning. Innan du slår till bör du dock tänka på att det är en hel del att läsa i spelet och kontrollerna är inte heller de allra enklaste, så det är inte något för de allra yngsta.

When it comes down to it, Viva Piñata is a pretty basic strategy game in some areas that expands the strategy concept in other areas - areas you may not traditionally expect a game of this genre to expand. First impressions suggest Viva Piñata is a introductory strategy title for kids, but it has qualities even the most advanced strategy gamer would enjoy if they are open to trying something new and different. Although it isn't exactly what I'd call strategy gaming gold, Viva Piñata is an admirable effort and proof that fun mainstream console gaming is not all about a handful of predictably executed genres. If you want to try something new for your 360, definitely give Viva Piñata a try - all the better if you have a youngin' or two in the house to share the experience with.

Viva Piñata est un jeu au pouvoir addictif surprenant. Plutôt réservé à de jeunes joueurs, il ravira aussi un public plus mature en quête de rafraîchissement sur la XBOX360. Un jeu qui mériterait certainement plus de considération et un mode online plus étoffé.

Viva Piñata can be overwhelming at times, with a few stumbling blocks and such scope and depth. On the other hand, there is enough color and irreverence to maintain a light and pleasant vibe through its short life span. It seems like the kind of game a child could share with a parent, although there’s enough sugar here to please anyone with a sweet tooth, and a sour sense of humor.

Après les éternels FPS et jeux de plates-formes, Rare se risque vers des eaux plus troubles et bien lui a pris. Certes, loin des pseudos canons ludiques du jeu next-gen, Viva Pinata ne va pas s'assurer les regards des joueurs pressés. On aurait presque envie de dire heureusement. Avec une ergonomie qui lâche un peu l'affaire dès que votre jardin devient consistant, et un manque de contrôle sur la situation, mieux vaut mettre ses exigences de côté, prendre son temps, rester calme et se laisser embarquer par l'aspect plus bac à sable et "écololudique" du titre. Expérimenter, observer, rigoler et se laisser attendrir sont les mamelles de ce titre assez unique qui confirme à nouveau Rare dans un rôle de Pixar du jeu vidéo assez charmant. On attend évidemment encore mieux du studio mais ce Viva Pinata-là est déjà un véritable enchantement.

Viva Pinata is rarely exciting, but it's constantly introducing new creatures and items. As long as you keep experimenting, you'll always see something new, and the possibilities are endless. But while I found the game engaging from the start, my interest waned over time. Despite my continued success, maintaining the garden has a lot of repetitive tasks that can feel like chores over time. I really wish I didn't have to direct pinatas towards their mates or food sources, and the maze-like minigames are tiresome. I can appreciate the style of the game and its ageless appeal, but Viva Pinata doesn't have that addictive quality needed to put a game like this over the top.