Viva Piñata: Party Animals

NZGamer (8.5 out of 10)

The game has no storyline or true additions to the Viva Pinata universe, but you must keep in mind – it is a solid party game. If all you are after is a title to keep the young ones zoned out without hearing the complaints of "I WANNA TURN!" then you must take a peak at Viva Pinata: Party Animals. Four-player competitions on one console or over Xbox Live do not get any better for the Xbox 360, so saddle up on your favorite Pinata and get ready to launch out of a "Cannonata". Viva Pinata: Party Animals is here and it's filled with fun!

TeamXbox (8 out of 10)

Aside from some minor gripes here and there, it’s hard not to like Viva Piñata Party Animals. Whether you’re a kid or just a kid at heart, there’s something special about the franchise that is almost as addicting as the sugary goodness that packs every one of these creatures. The wide range of minigames almost guarantees everyone will find at least something they like in the title, and I’ve yet to find anyone who didn’t get a thrill out of the game’s fast paced racing. Despite the fact I’m still waiting for a true sequel to Viva Piñata, in order to feed my gaming sweet tooth, Viva Piñata Party Animals does an excellent job of filling in as a between-meal snack.

Daily Game (7.5 out of 10)

Viva Pinata: Party Animals is a fun family game that might be a little too easy and repetitive for adult gamers, but the kids will love it especially when you play it with them.

Digital Entertainment News (den) (7 out of 10)

For all that's flawed in Party Animals, it does two things right. First, the gorgeous presentation perfectly matches the look and feel of the first Viva Pinata game. Never is there a problem with the performance and it's generally pleasant to look at. Second, Party Animals hones in smashingly on its target audience. While it possesses plenty of annoying ticks for adults, kids are unlikely to find frustration with these issues. Genuinely amusing moments overshadow a great deal of shortcomings and even uninspired mini-games from a child's perspective. Taking Party Animals for what it is--a kid's party game--makes playing it much more enjoyable. It's difficult to overlook the flaws, but that doesn't prevent it from getting the job done.

360 LIVE (7 out of 10)

(...) Das hat einfach Charme. Wer jedoch meist allein vor der Konsole hockt, sollte sich den Kauf überlegen. Zwar werden Matches mit bis zu vier Spielern auch über Xbox Live unterstützt, trotzdem ist das einfach nicht das Gleiche. Wer jedoch mal zusammen mit seinem jüngeren Nachwuchs zocken möchte, darf zuschlagen. Langzeitmotivation für erwachsene Spieler bietet »Viva Piñata: Party Animals« leider nicht.

Cheat Code Central (3.5 out of 5)

Viva Piñata: Party Animals is a colorful and good looking game, and it's suitable for kids and parents alike. No one will get too tired of playing the game, unless the kid turns it into a daily chore! The piñata animals look great, and their smiles will make you melt. Their quirky attitudes are sometimes too much, but that's the style of the game itself; it's a humorous, modern title based on today's successful cartoons. The innocence was lost a little bit, but it's not too bad. Don't be surprised though when you hear those mischievous comments and noisy farts! The voiceover acting is good and gives the game that naughty cartoon feel we're getting used to seeing in Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network. Pecky Pudgeon and Pierre Parrybo are the hosts of the game, and sometimes their comments are hilarious. Later on, of course, you'll become tired of hearing them, especially Pierre the Parrot, with his "frenchy" accent and random "un, deux, trois!"

GamingTrend (415 out of 600)

To make sure I wasn’t judging too harshly, we invited a few friends over to have their kids sit down with this title. While they loved the look of the game along with the cutscenes and voice work, they found much of the minigames to be fun for only one or two runs. They all loved the sailboat belch race, but universally hated the Willy Wonka-inspired hoop-floating game. It just seemed as if developer Krome Studios took everything that was fantastic about Rare’s Viva Piñata and shaved half of the features off. The rest of the features were dunked in water until the paper was soggy. So much of what made the original title so fun and addicting is simply absent here. Thanks for the demo Krome, when does the full game come out?

4Players.de (68 out of 100)

Die Party Animals sind nicht mehr, aber auch nicht weniger als Minigame-Fast Food für jüngere Spieler. Das Viva Piñata-Universum mit seinem liebenswerten Figuren-Design ist wie gemacht für diese Art von Spiel. Und im Großen und Ganzen erfüllen die über 50 Wettbewerbe in sieben Grunddisziplinen ihre Aufgabe sehr ordentlich. Sprich: Jüngeren Spielern wird sowohl on- als offline kurzweilige und mit Ausnahme der etwas zu sensiblen Rennen gut zu kontrollierende Unterhaltung geboten. Um aber auch älteren Piñateros gefallen zu können, fehlen wesentliche Elemente in der B-Note, von denen der immer wieder an die Nerven gehende deutsche Kommentar noch das kleinste Übel darstellt. Wo steckt die freie Auswahl der Disziplinen? Wo die Möglichkeit, nur die Rennen zu fahren? Und wieso kann ich meine sorgsam ausgestatteten und lieb gewonnenen Süßigkeitenviecher nicht aus Viva Piñata importieren?

Console Monster (65 out of 100)

To conclude, Viva Pinata Party Animals is a fun game; easily the best party game on the Xbox 360 (there isn’t much competition though...). For kids this game will provide hours of entertainment and adults will even get some fun out of it too. It is by no means perfect but it is a polished title with no major bugs or glitches and with its budget price tag it’s worth getting, particularly if you fancy some mini-game fun for a change. The achievements are rather easy but will take some time which again gives the game greater longevity.

GamePro (US) (3.25 out of 5)

At the end of the day, this isn't the type of a game an adult would come back to repeatedly. You can putz with it for a while, rent it for a party, but unless you have munchkins running around (and don't mind encouraging them to burp at paper sailboats) you may not want to shell out full price.

GameZone (6.4 out of 10)

In a bit of an identity crisis, I’m not sure if this better as a kart racer or mini-game collection. While I would pick the mini games over the kart racing, the kart racing only needs to offer a variety of pinatas to choose from and courses to race on to improve. But overall, I think Krome Studios offers enough to entertain the little ones this Christmas, which was what Microsoft presumably wanted from Viva Pinata: Party Animals.

Planet Xbox 360 (6.4 out of 10)

With the 360 so devoid of family-friendly party games, Party Animals should have been a slam-dunk, not just slightly better than Fusion Frenzy 2. The game gets the tone and characters right, but this time the piñatas feel stuffed with quick-cash rather than candy.

Da Gameboyz (6.33 out of 10)

Fans of the original Viva Piñata game will likely be disappointed in Viva Piñata: Party Animals as the originality and depth of the first game has vaporized. This party game does have some great visuals and good sound, but the mundane gameplay stops it from being a must buy title. At best this game is a weekend rental for your kids as the party aspect will keep them busy, for a little while at least.

GameTrailers (6.1 out of 10)

Viva Pinata: Party Animals is a good first try for a party game on the 360. The Viva Pinata Universe is a creative one, and has loads of potential. Party Animals doesn’t really harness all of that, but it does provide a somewhat shaky foundation for a much better sequel.

Worth Playing (6 out of 10)

Viva Piñata: Party Animals is a graphically impressive party game. Although it may seem a bit droll and uninspired to the hardcore gamer, it does an admirable job of being a fun party game for the younger crowd. Even if you're looking to get this title for a child, the current price of $50 should give you pause. At a lower price point, Party Animals would make a decent pick-me-up for a young child or a Viva Piñata fan.

GamesRadar (6 out of 10)

We miss the delightful juxtaposition of inbreeding and pinata smashing amidst cheerful garden tranquility. Yes, as much as it pained us to smash sick Whirlms for the greater good, that's part of what set Viva Pinata apart from the rest of the kiddie crowd. Fans of the original should avoid this one - kids will enjoy it, but Party Animals doesn't have the heart or charm of its predecessor.

GameSpy ( )

As we mentioned above, Party Animals is definitely geared towards a younger demographic. It's nice to see more kids' games on the 360, but this title's limited scope makes it hard to recommend unconditionally. If a sequel comes along with a greater variety of mini-games, more playable characters, and plenty of new dialogue (the two hosts' back-and-forth conversations get old quick), we'll be happy to play it. With this one, however, you might want to wait for a price drop before joining this party.

MS Xbox World (6 out of 10)

Due to a lack of diversity and interest within the party games, the extreme shortness of the competition mode and a lack of options within the ‘options’ screen, I’d be surprised if you play this more than thirty minutes a sitting. If this is the kind of game you wish to play for about twenty minutes a time then I don’t see it worth your £40 cash. If that is so, you might as well save up for a ‘Wii’, if you haven’t already got one, or stick to your Nintendo Cube, as games on there are much more appealing and suitable for your tastes. The developers really need to step up their game, if they are to offer a fully fledged party game using the Viva Pinata license that has mass appeal.

V2.fi (60 out of 100)

En syytä suoralla sormella pelintekijä Kromea, mutta joku on tästä touhusta onnistunut karsimaan sekä Viva Pinata -idean omaperäisyyden, että sen kaikkein tärkeimmän asian tämän lajin peleissä: hauskuuden. Jokohan seuraavaa Pinata-peli lunastaisi kaikki sille asetetut odotukset... vai uskaltaakohan sitä sitten enää edes koettaa?

GameDaily (6 out of 10)

If all you own is an Xbox 360 and you want a game for kids, Viva Pinata: Party Animals will probably fill those shoes, but if you need a great party game that offers any amount of depth, this one falls well short of the mark.

Gaming Age (C+)

All together Viva Pinata: Party Animals is a decent entry into the franchise, but nothing that will keep you entertained for very long. In short bursts it can be a lot of fun, and it's kid friendly appeal will make quite a few parents very pleased.

GamingExcellence (5.7 out of 10)

Sure, Viva Piñata: Party Animals is geared for the younger generation of gamers, but it is a well-known fact that gameplay usually makes the game. While it shines with striking décor and beautiful backdrops, Party Animals fails at engaging its audience and providing a solid game experience. Nonetheless, anyone searching for a simple holiday gift for a toddler should pick up Viva Piñata: Party Animals in a heartbeat. Where it may lack the entertainment necessary for an older audience, the title suits the young’uns like a fitted glove. With that said, once the family has gathered ‘round to see the game in action, no one should be surprised when Uncle Joe leaves the room with a sigh, and grandma grinds her fake teeth.

IGN (5.6 out of 10)

To reiterate the reoccurring theme of this review: If you have a child under the age of seven then chances are you’ll be able to sit down and enjoy Viva Piñata for a short while with them, or you can just plop the little tike in front of the TV for a few hours and hope that they don’t possess superior gaming talent. If they do, they’ll be done with the game in around an hour, meaning you’ll have to go back to being a parent again only you won’t have the fifty bucks you just dropped on Viva Piñata: Party Animals.

GameSpot (5.5 out of 10)

Minigame collections and kart-racing games are two of the most obvious, thoughtless ways to cash in on a video game franchise, and considering how daring and unusual Viva Piñata was, it's disappointing to see the franchise go down this path so quickly.

Game Informer Magazine (5.5 out of 10)

Most piñatas that attend parties end up leaving in a trash bag, but not before being beaten with a stick and seeing children eat their guts. A similar fate awaits Microsoft’s candy-stuffed critters in a game that will surely suck the life out of any party. Like most games of this ilk, players compete for points in a variety of minigames. Most of these feel half-baked, and the more you play, the more they feel too similar to other events. The races, which conclude each tournament, offer smooth controls and track designs loaded with jumps and tight turns, but given how frequently players get power-ups, they end up being more of a crapshoot of who is dealt the best hand. So that makes this game a decent fit for kids who just love jamming on buttons, and a “I wish I could rewind time and do something else” type of play for everyone else.

Official Xbox Magazine (UK) (5 out of 10)

With any other characters, the game would feel soulless, but say what you will about Viva Pinata, it had charm. And that charm carries over to Party Animals, charm that'll please both adult and child alike. This is never going to be the game that sets the world alight or is a critical success - but it is far from a cheap cash in like many party games, and might just prove the right direction for Rare's misjudged franchise.

Good Game (5 out of 10)

It’s a shame because the game looks and sounds great – but the game play brings it down – it’s a five piñata chickens from me.

Good Game (5 out of 10)

I found almost all of the games simplistic and boring – whilst simple is good for kids – boring isn’t.

Kombo.com (5 out of 10)

Even little kids will probably be turned off by the lack of options – unless they don't mind literally playing the same over and over.

Gameplanet (5 out of 10)

While there’s no denying the visuals are absolutely gorgeous, Viva Pinata: Party Animals is very much like a shiny, foil-wrapped candy: it may look pretty, but there’s not a lot of substance. There’s enough variety and content to keep the young ’uns gleefully occupied for short bursts, but its repetitive nature and lack of depth holds no appeal for adult gamers whatsoever.

1UP (C)

Party Animals isn't a bad game; it's just a thoroughly limited one. It doesn't bring anything new to the table, and while its party games provide some casual fun, it relies far too heavily on the Viva Piñata license for the bulk of the entertainment. Elements of the original game shine through here and there (like the elegant pause music and sometimes clever humor), but while it's perhaps more accessible, it's nowhere near as unique or compelling. The younger you are, the more you'll enjoy it, but there's still not enough for kids to sink their teeth into. As a Live Arcade title, it might have held some appeal, but as a $50 option, Party Animals is a disappointing misstep for the Viva Piñata franchise.

Jeuxvideo.com (10 out of 20)

Ne vous laissez pas attendrir par la bouille craquante des pinatas que vous aviez mis tant de soin à apprivoiser l'an dernier. Cette triste collection de mini-jeux ne présente que bien peu d'intérêt en dehors de son aspect extérieur. Bêtes et soporifiques, les défis vous endormiront, vous et vos enfants, dès les premières parties en solo, et peineront à retenir votre attention en multijoueur. Je m'abstiens de mettre une note plus basse uniquement parce que je prends en compte le fait que ce titre se destine avant tout aux jeunes, voire très jeunes, enfants.

The Review Busters (5 out of 10)

Viva Piñata: Party Animals might not be the game we are wanting from Rare, but it will do for now. Party Animals is mainly meant for children, teenagers and young adults will most likely get sick of the game play here after an hour or so. You can easily finish this game within two hours and that is including the achievement points if you are good enough. For now I would rent this game, buy Viva Piñata and save the extra money for when Party Animals becomes cheaper.

Xboxic (4 out of 10)

Sadly for Krome Studios, they have failed. In a big way. Single players will be disgusted at the AI and lack of options and variety on offer. There’s zero substance here. Multiplayer gives a short-lived fun experience, with the mini games making players laugh for all the wrong reasons. The mini games lack imagination that we see in other party games such as Mario Party which actually has something to go back for. It’s a sad day when a promising environment created by Viva Piñata last year comes crashing back down to earth with shit like this, but it’s happened. Krome Studios need to look hard at themselves, and we as gamers must pray they don’t attempt anything like this again. Give it back to Rare; they proved they know what they are doing.

Gamekult (4 out of 10)

On a tout dit sur Viva Piñata premier du nom mais ce qu'on ne saurait lui enlever, c'est son côté OVNI : Objet Vidéoludique Non Identifié. Ce deuxième épisode, affublé d'un Party Animals, tombe de haut. Banal et redondant, il a complètement abandonné ses ambitions naturalistes qui divisaient l'opinion entre ceux qui adorent et ceux qui détestent. La licence atypique de Microsoft Games s'est muée en une soupe multijoueur au goût aigre-doux : d'un côté une sélection de mini-jeux éculés, de l'autre un Mario Kart-like prometteur mais pas assez abouti. Le monde chamarré et dépaysant des piñatas n'excuse pas tout ! Gageons quand même que ce titre ultra marketé trouvera son public parmi les fans et les jeunes possesseurs de Xbox 360.

PAL Gaming Network (PALGN) (3.5 out of 10)

Party Animals is one of the worst mini game compilations released in the past few years. The game is a sad moment for the franchise.

Eurogamer.net (UK) (3 out of 10)

Anyway, despite my initial reaction to the announcement, I imported this, and popped it into the disc tray hoping against hope that it was more than it seemed. It isn't. It's actually less. There's very little challenge or strategy, and very little imagination has gone into anything besides the visuals, which were done by other people anyway. Xbox 360 wasn't a good system for kids and families before this came out, and nothing's changed. Teach them to play Viva Piñata instead.

Game Revolution (D)

Piñatas are good when they contain candy and treats, but these so-called Party Animals only hold the broken dreams of the Public Broadcasting System. They shower the poison of lost opportunities and stink of failed marketing schemes. Look, these creatures are already made of paper. Know what else is made of paper? Effigies. Know what they do to effigies? Burn them. Can you burn a pinata in effigy? You can certainly try. It only takes a match.

Game Shark (D)

Overall, Viva Piñata Party Animals is a pretty big disappointment – the only fun there is to be had for adults are the GamerScore points, while kids didn’t enjoy the game either and would rather hit the Wii for some casual gaming. Even if your kids like the series, this is a tough game to recommend.

Xboxygen N/A

Viva Piñata : Party Animals aurait pu être un bon jeu si les épreuves de courses avaient été un peu plus fouillées et si les power-up n’étaient pas si nombreux. Il faut aussi ajouter à cette liste le manque d’originalité global des mini jeux et leur diversité quand on sait qu’un mini jeu peut parfois avoir deux ou trois variantes. Pour terminer, les menus intermèdes entre les épreuves en agaceront plus d’un de par leur longueur et les commentaires débiles des deux oiseaux qui présentent. Le jeu pourra à la limite convenir aux plus jeunes grâce à son univers mais ce sera par défaut, puisque l’autre party game disponible sur Xbox 360 (Fuzion Frenzy) ne brille pas non plus par sa qualité. A quand un bon jeu de ce genre sur Xbox 360 ?