Both me and my 9yr old really like this game. Its fun to watch your Pinata garden grow and to see all of the different pinata's.
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Viva Pinata (Xbox 360)
(2006, Video Games - Simulation, Rated E, Play it on: Xbox 360)
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Is it age appropriate?
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Not age appropriate for kids under 7, age appropriate for kids over 8; suggested age 8. -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Amazing ecosystem simulation is full of eye-candy.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 8 and Up
The good stuff
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Educational value:
What to watch out for
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Violence & scariness:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of Viva Pinata (Xbox 360) was written by Jinny Gudmundsen
Parents need to know that this complex ecosystem simulation game is nothing like the animated series on Fox. The shovel can be used to whack characters; if you cause a piñata to burst by whacking it repeatedly, there are consequences. Some piñatas eat other characters, and kids may find it difficult to sell piñatas they've nurtured. The game has an online aspect for trading piñatas; parents of young kids should supervise or inactivate this feature.
Families Can Talk About
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- Families can talk about how ecosystems work. They might want to encourage kids to plant various seeds to see what happens. Why don't some piñatas live together well? How is food supply important in an ecosystem? What do you think about piñatas who leave sour candy around to make others sick? What did you do about them? How did you feel when you had to sell a piñata? What did you gain? Was it worth it?
More on Viva Pinata (Xbox 360)
What’s the Story?
VIVA PIÑATA is a rich, compelling ecosystem simulation game in which you're a gardener, and what you do with your garden will determine which of more than 60 vibrant piñatas visit or take up residence in your garden. It is a "sandbox"-type game, meaning that it's an open-ended game of exploration.
You start with a barren piece of land strewn with junk, and your cursor becomes a shovel you use to clear the ground, earn some currency, and plant some grass. As you create a garden, piñatas become interested in your plot of land -- and each arrival attracts the interest of other piñatas. As your garden grows, and more and more piñatas live there, incompatibilities will arise: Some piñatas just can't live with others, and they will fight. When a piñata "dies," it busts open to release its inner candies, and is then transported outside of the garden by a burst of light before it turns back into a black-and-white piñata to grow elsewhere.
CloseIs It Any Good?
While planting a garden to see who will visit may not sound particularly exciting, this game is fascinating. The engine behind the simulation is deep, complex, and subtle. For teens and adults, this provides a sophisticated gaming experience; you can experiment with the garden to attract rare and unusual piñatas, amass gardening achievements, and meet other in-game challenges. But the game can also provide a fulfilling gaming experience for younger children who simply want to plant a garden and revel in the vibrant creatures that come and go.
The graphics are gorgeous, and the gameplay is easy to learn. It even offers a Family Mode whenever you plug in an additional controller, allowing for cooperative play within the garden. However, the pace at which new things happen is quite fast, and at times makes you feel rushed. You will want to start numerous games so that you can try different things to attract different kinds of piñatas.
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Publisher’s Details
Released on 11/13/2006, price $50, not online enabled
ESRB rating: E (for comic mischief and mild cartoon violence)
ESRB rating: E (for comic mischief and mild cartoon violence)
Our Members Say
See all 12 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
- I rate this title on for age 6 and give it
Pinata's are fun.
- I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
palace pink lady is right!
i played this at a retailer it was verrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrryyyyyyyyy fun didn't actually show a eco system simulation the only bad i found about the game is potty humor where you burp a boat through a river
- I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
This game is fun and educational!
Viva pinata is a great game. There might be violence if you take your shovel and hit either a character or pinata. But if you do it to a character you are punished! By them taking your shovel,watering can, or they can also drop bad seeds in your garden that can make you pinatas sick.The educational part is that it's just like any other ecosystem or foodchain. If a pinata has to live in your garden you have to do certain things. Like you might have to feed them different things or let them eat an other pinata. If you are against what I am saying then you are going the whole wrong direction. It's just like our own ecosystem. I you have something against then I suggest you speak up to me. This is a great game for kids and adults!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
Amazing game that everyone can enjoy!
Viva pinata is a life simulation game in the same kind of style as Harvest Moon games. You must care for a magical garden on the mysterious pinata island and attract various species of Pinata to come and live in it. Now, this sounds pretty easy, but the game can get quite complicated. Players must meet each pinatas requirements for it to become a permanent resident, this sometimes means having to feed it a pinata that is lower down in the food chain or providing the correct environment. Players must also protect their garden from 'sours' who can completly wreck your garden. All of this may frustrate younger players (as it did my 7 year old cousin!) and it may also upset them when their favourite pinatas get eaten or get sick and get killed by the creepy Dastardos (a grim-reaper type character). There are over 60 species to attract which requires alot of time and effort! Players can also trade pinatas and other items with their xbox live friends, so it is entirely possible to get every pinata. The game looks really lovely (especially in HD) and the framerate usually keeps up with all the action. I highly recommend this game to anyone of any age who enjoys a challenge.
- I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
Fun like the Sims
I just got a 360, and i bought Project 8 as my first game. My little brother wanted something easier to play so i got Viva Pinata for him also. Even though I REALLY wanted to get Gears of War :( Its a great game for any age and even teens and adults would like it too. It is really kiddie but it takes alot of strategy and thinking.
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