Viva Piņata full of gold

Development on Rare's Xbox 360 children's game completed; gamers take their whacks on November 9.

I want you to hit me as hard as you can.

Juvenile gamers haven't exactly been given a fair shake so far with games for the only next-generation console on the market, the Xbox 360. Launch day came equipped with the colorful Kameo: Elements of Power from Rare Ltd., but since then the pickings have been very slim for games aimed at children.

Rare is once again looking to tap into the kids'--and psychedelic adult--market with Viva Piņata, a new game that is also being developed as a TV series and toy line. According to Gamerscore Blog, the official blog of the Xbox Marketing team, that time is almost upon us. The site reports that the game has gone gold and is expected to make its ship date of November 9.

In the game, players tend to a garden and attempt to attract various colorful, almost psychedelic, creatures by satisfying their needs. By keeping the garden's residents happy, the Piņatas may reproduce, bringing in even more creatures.

Viva Piņata is also expected to make full use of Xbox Live, allowing gamers to trade items and purchase new goodies for the game.

Viva Piņata is rated E for Everyone and will retail for $49.99. For more information, read GameSpot's recent preview.

47 Comments

  • sam-o-

    Posted Nov 6, 2006 8:52 am PT

    no i agree it's not a childrens game, children can play it but so can teenagers and even adults and i have already preordered the limited edition because i trust rare as they are one of the greatest game makers ever

  • Ikthog

    Posted Nov 4, 2006 4:41 pm PT

    Eh? Come on, GS, it's not a "children's game" any more than Animal Crossing was (and given how many otherwise-respectable gamers, including Gamespot writers, professed to love AC, I think it's clear that it wasn't). Lego Star Wars is cool and hip, but a pinata game is just for kids? It may be somewhat childlike, and it may well appeal to kids, but I would be surprised if the majority of its players aren't adults (even if it isn't made by Nintendo). Open those minds just a little, please.

  • Britesparc

    Posted Nov 2, 2006 7:55 am PT

    What exactly is wrong with making a game for children? The best game I've played in absolutely ages in Lego Star Wars, and that's unashamedly a children's game. Viva Pinata looks fun, and the fact is, it was always going to be a game before they added all the extra cartoon stuff on top. With this, Banjo, and to a lesser extent, Kameo, Rare looks like it might make a name for itself as MS' Sonic Team, making "mascot" games that appeal to younger gamers (but which, hopefully, have enough to them to appeal to older gamers too). I hope Rare make a ton of money from VP, and I hope they spend it on converting the original Perfect Dark to the 360

  • Maquis_UK

    Posted Nov 1, 2006 5:48 pm PT

    360 is teh kiddie console now. rare what the hell are you doing?

  • WakkaWakka55

    Posted Nov 1, 2006 3:15 pm PT

    killer Instinct 3 would be amazing. lets keep bugging rare to do it

  • CheddarLimbo

    Posted Nov 1, 2006 2:33 pm PT

    Viva Pinata is the new Masters of the Universe. My cynicism kicks into superhigh gear when I hear that an IP is being developed for a game, toy line, and television series simultaneously.

    I can't help but to see this as nothing more than a chance to cash in on a younger audience and their susceptibility to fads.

  • wild_world_girl

    Posted Nov 1, 2006 2:31 pm PT

    I'm excited because I loved Animal Crossing (obviously) and this seems to be Rare's version. Too bad I am so busy this Nov. with Bully, FFXII, and GTA VCS. What a great season!

  • LorddG

    Posted Nov 1, 2006 1:03 pm PT

    THANK GOODNESS RARE IS DONE WORKING ON THIS DAMNED KIDDIE GAME... NOW RARE CAN BEGIN (continue, hopefully?) WORKING ON KILLER INSTINCT 3

  • mikedude_01

    Posted Nov 1, 2006 12:19 pm PT

    So because it's on the Xbox, it's not going to be bashed for being "kiddie"? That would make my original statement correct.

  • sasuke55

    Posted Nov 1, 2006 12:10 pm PT

    mike dude your wrong what people say is d**** another kiddie game. See where as M$ don't do enough of them Nintendo does tooo much of them. Sony does a decent amount so their bal.
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Boycott Sony for limtiing our imports of Games let them know we won't take an infringement on games we like to play. Consumers run the market not sellars. Copy this sig to show support

  • mikedude_01

    Posted Nov 1, 2006 12:01 pm PT

    So from what I see, if it's on Xbox, "mature" people can play a game like this. On a Nintendo console though, a game like this is automatically kiddie, and the "mature" crowd surely wouldn't play such a game. Am I right? I'm not saying that this game isn't interesting though.

  • chrisdojo

    Posted Nov 1, 2006 10:41 am PT

    teh harvest moon for xbox?

  • sasuke55

    Posted Nov 1, 2006 8:45 am PT

    I am def gonna pick this up.

  • JoeSmith34

    Posted Nov 1, 2006 8:41 am PT

    I think there is a good chance that adults will like this game, too!

  • jcloverboy

    Posted Nov 1, 2006 7:11 am PT

    really want to play this game - looks neat

  • shibby360

    Posted Nov 1, 2006 7:01 am PT

    that game looks so stupid...yet oddly attractive and addictive.... definitely want it. WOW its only gonna be 50.00 most games are 59.99

  • faizali86

    Posted Nov 1, 2006 3:25 am PT

    sweet, cant wait to see what scores it gets on metacritic

  • jakeboudville

    Posted Nov 1, 2006 2:48 am PT

    neat..i think i'm gonna pick it up

  • anamnawshad

    Posted Nov 1, 2006 1:20 am PT

    Neat!
    This game looks great. Hope the gameplay will be great too....

  • pXxJoSexXp

    Posted Oct 31, 2006 8:30 pm PT

    this game looks cool

  • PerfectDark0Fan

    Posted Oct 31, 2006 8:17 pm PT

    That is great news. I wounder besides Banjo Kazzoie 3, what is Rare's next project.

  • Homsar13

    Posted Oct 31, 2006 8:13 pm PT

    Riverwolf:
    "Kids won't play this, it's some kind of weird resource management strategy ecological simulator(or whatever it is), kids want to bathe in the blood of their adversaries and curse at you on XBL. I have this on pre-order along with GoW so i guess i'll be finding out what it is pretty soon,but i bet there won't be very many kids there, they will all be embarrassing me in GoW. "

    Seeing as how this is a kids TV show and it relates extremely to Animal Crossing, i think kids are going to play it.

  • gameconniseur86

    Posted Oct 31, 2006 7:02 pm PT

    I disagree Riverwolf. This looks like it's shaping up to be one of those simplistic, yet simultaneously complex games with ubiquitous appeal to both young and old. It has been compared to Animal Crossing many times, and hey let's face it, how many of us lost our souls to Animal Crossing right along with our younger brothers/sisters. It is important not to think a game with many levels of complexity can not also be superficially entertaining. Definitely one to watch in my humble opinion.

  • BONES991

    Posted Oct 31, 2006 6:38 pm PT

    wtf is this game? seriously what is it? Sombody please tell me now!

  • eternaldragonx

    Posted Oct 31, 2006 5:46 pm PT

    awsome cant wait for xmas

  • ConManWithGun

    Posted Oct 31, 2006 5:41 pm PT

    i cant wait to actually play it because the interactive demo thingy did no justice to the game that looks so awesome

  • Riverwolf007

    Posted Oct 31, 2006 5:01 pm PT

    Kids won't play this, it's some kind of weird resource management strategy ecological simulator(or whatever it is), kids want to bathe in the blood of their adversaries and curse at you on XBL. I have this on pre-order along with GoW so i guess i'll be finding out what it is pretty soon,but i bet there won't be very many kids there, they will all be embarrassing me in GoW.

  • WmRedwine

    Posted Oct 31, 2006 4:35 pm PT

    Sounds like so much fun. I am looking forward to this one. Building stuff for weird creatures to live in sounds like a blast to me.

  • majindustin

    Posted Oct 31, 2006 4:33 pm PT

    This game looks more like it is for all ages, not just for kids.

  • drangel_jam

    Posted Oct 31, 2006 4:32 pm PT

    Is this really for kids only? Is this like open season?

  • gaming_otaku

    Posted Oct 31, 2006 4:29 pm PT

    Doesn't the description sound too much like Animal Crossing? Don't get me wrong; I don't ming: Rare has taken a Nintendo concept and made it into something extraordinary lots of times before.

  • Digital-Hero

    Posted Oct 31, 2006 4:22 pm PT

    Kameo > Viva Pinata I'm sure.

  • JusticeCovert GameSpot staff member

    Posted Oct 31, 2006 4:22 pm PT

    RivalBattousai, I think it's fair to say that the target audiences for this and for Gears of War are different.

  • RivalBattousai

    Posted Oct 31, 2006 4:18 pm PT

    yea a waste of money. It should of came out earlier not next to Gears of War

  • GTA420

    Posted Oct 31, 2006 4:14 pm PT

    At 50 bux everyone should give it a chance. Im gonna pick it up.

  • paullywog

    Posted Oct 31, 2006 4:05 pm PT

    After GS's preview which hinted it was great, a $50 price tag, unusual plot, and unique graphic style, i may just have to shell it out for this one.

  • ioioe

    Posted Oct 31, 2006 3:52 pm PT

    yay man..Im running out of cash..all these games, and now look at it. Fliping all the new Consols...D: Poor poor me

  • xbox_gamer1

    Posted Oct 31, 2006 3:49 pm PT

    Looks nice but my November is full,Gears of War & Rainbow Six.Now that its done they can hopefully make a new Conker & finish up on Banjo Kazooie.

  • supermex2109

    Posted Oct 31, 2006 3:46 pm PT

    this game sounds fun, but the target audience is 8 years old so i might just pass

  • DeadDorf Works for a game publisher or developer

    Posted Oct 31, 2006 3:46 pm PT

    I'll be picking up this game and Gears of War to keep my game needs satisfied through the holidays.

  • Zzero_basic

    Posted Oct 31, 2006 3:45 pm PT

    Another game I need to pick up in November. It's going to be an expensive month.

  • blackIceJoe

    Posted Oct 31, 2006 3:43 pm PT

    I think its good to see it is done and will be out on the ninth.

  • thorsen-ink GameSpot staff member

    Posted Oct 31, 2006 3:38 pm PT

    When Justin was playing this at the office a whole crowd of people were watching him--looks totally warped in a Pee-Wee's Playhouse sort of way.

  • comthitnuong

    Posted Oct 31, 2006 3:37 pm PT

    this game is definetly unique but i dont think it will do well

  • NeDi2004

    Posted Oct 31, 2006 3:34 pm PT

    i will rent this!

  • RunnerGunner480

    Posted Oct 31, 2006 3:34 pm PT

    They should make real-life pinatas to sell based on this game.

  • RunnerGunner480

    Posted Oct 31, 2006 3:32 pm PT

    I might get this game. It actually looks pretty good.

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