Parents need to know that this great ecosystem game will appeal to both adults and children. Younger kids can play around in Playground mode without the main mode's consequences and restrictions, whereas older kids and adults will find the deep simulation compelling. The animals are actually pinatas, and while they don't "die," they can burst and disappear, leaving behind candy. Since this is an ecosystem, some pinatas eat others, and not all pinatas get along. The Nintendo DS lets players who each own their own copy of the game trade items back and forth using a local wireless connection.
Educational value:Kids learn how ecosystems work and lifeforms coexist with each other.
Positive messages:Players can whack the pinata animals with a shovel but there are consequences.
Violence & scariness:Incompatible pinatas will fight each other; when one is defeated it explodes and turns into candy. Pinatas eat each other.
This game is almost completely clean. The only reason I rate it on for 6 is because little kids will lose interest. (and, in my opinion, kids that age shouldn't already be glued to a screen for entertainment, anyway. This is our family's first gaming system, and its my sisters!) The pinatas do fight, but instead of dying, they will break and "happy sweets" will come out, hence Pinata!! Of course, this can be a little disturbing. Then, "bad" characters come, and if you don't "smash" them or turn them sweet they will smash open your good pinatas.