Viva Piñata: Pocket Paradise
By Erin Bell,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Portable ecosystem as lush as the console version.
Add rating
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this game.
Where to Play
Community Reviews
Based on 1 parent review
2 yr olds
Report this review
What’s It About?
VIVA PIÑATA: POCKET PARADISE is essentially a Nintendo DS version of Viva Piñata, the compelling ecosystem simulation that debuted on the Xbox 360 back in 2006. In the open-ended sand-box style game, the goal is to maintain a plot of land by laying down soil, grass, and water and planting various trees and vegetables in order to attract more than 60 different colorful pinatas to take up residence, interact with each other, and even mate and reproduce (tastefully and in "private," of course).
In spite of its new life on a portable device, Viva Piñata has lost none of its complexity or depth. In fact, the Nintendo DS version boasts several changes that make this version more user-friendly and easier to interact with. The DS stylus makes activities like digging soil and planting grass a breeze because players can simply drag the stylus along the lower screen to fill in turf – as opposed to the Xbox 360 version where you had to slowly point and click each spot. There's also a useful overhead map for quickly locating points of interest in the garden, and players can share items with friends through the DS's local ad hoc wireless connection
Is It Any Good?
The game features more extensive tutorials for learning how to play, and a new Playground mode that lets players simply let loose and experiment without any of the challenge or restrictions of the main mode. Another noteworthy change is that while the original Viva Piñata game bore little resemblance to the Viva Pinata Saturday morning cartoon show tie-in, Pocket Paradise references it frequently, with narration from several characters from the TV show, including Franklin Fizzlybear and Fergy Fudgehog, and 12 cutscenes taken directly from the show. While the cartoon show itself has received mixed reviews, the addition of these short video vignettes does nothing to detract from the fascinating and fun gameplay.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what piñatas are your favorite and why. How does your Viva Piñata ecosystem mimic real world flora and fauna? You can explain the difference between herbivores and carnivores? It can be sad when one piñata eats another one, but why is this necessary in nature?
Game Details
- Platform: Nintendo DS
- Available online?: Available online
- Publisher: THQ
- Release date: September 8, 2008
- Genre: Simulation
- ESRB rating: E for Comic Mischief
- Last updated: December 1, 2021
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Play
Our Editors Recommend
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate