Viva Piñata, the newest creation from the creative minds at Rare, is causing quite a spark in the gaming world. When you’ve got Gears of War and Rainbow Six Vegas releasing all about the same time, and people are still raving about Viva Piñata; you know you’ve got a gem on your hands.
Part Animal Crossing, part The Sims, and just plain fun, Viva Piñata grabs and keeps your attention. At face value, it looks like Rare created a game solely for children, but looks can be deceiving. This game is surprisingly deep, addictive, and fun for all ages. It’s not everyday when you can play a game with as much personality and charm as this.
Now what is the point of Viva? It’s simple. To try and attract as many different piñatas as possible into your garden and complete the necessary tasks in order for them to become residents of your garden. There is no final boss, there is no real protagonist; it’s just you and your piñatas.
So, we begin our journey on Piñata Island, where you start out with a proverbial wasteland. Junk items are laid out all over the yard and it’s your job to take this ugly wasteland and transform it into a beautiful, budding ecosystem. You’re greeted by a girl named Leafos, who explains the basics of the game, the controls, etc. The learning curve is nearly non-existent and the controls are not complicated. You have the choice of either a simple or advanced configuration. Neither is difficult, but everyone will be choosing the advanced configuration, as it provides more camera control and freedom.
Now, Leafos is explaining the basics and she hands you a shovel, watering can, and a packet of grass seeds. Congratulations you are now ready to make this junkyard become the stunning home for all the piñatas on the island. Just a side note, I will say that in the beginning of the game, Leafos can be a tad annoying. Her explanations and tips are most assuredly needed for the kids playing, so they will not be confused or lost, but for the adults such as myself, I just wanted to get things going. I don’t need tips and having them broke up the gameplay a bit for me. Thankfully this ended once things got rolling.
Now, you have your shovel, watering can, and packet of grass seeds. You begin removing the junk in your yard and whacking the hard soil so you can start planting your grass seeds. Once this happens you’ll start to have visitors. Why not? The whole island must be wondering what you’re doing with this ugly piece of land. Now, in order for these visitors to become your residents, residency requirements must be fulfilled. For example, a Fudgehog is required to eat two Whirlms (a worm or caterpillar-like piñata) and one thistle. When you complete the residency requirements, the piñata will change from black and white to a colorful and vibrant specimen. You can make your resident piñatas happier by providing candy, an actual home, and various other things. By doing this, it will decrease your chances of the piñatas fighting and grumbling. You see the point is to have various types of piñatas, vegetation, food, as well as ponds, in the hopes of drawing attention from other piñatas wandering outside your garden. If they come in to visit and you complete their residency requirements, you’re well on your way to making a successful piñata garden.
