Viva Pinata Critic Reviews

The most surprising part about Viva Piñata is that once you've gained higher levels of experience, you keep them. Even if you start a new garden. Which means you carry over all you coins and all the items you've unlocked during the course of your previous gardens, so you don't have to start that all over again. Killer!

Even though it might look like it's for kids, trust me it is for adults, too. Guys or Gals, everyone who is a gamer and enjoys games like Sims, and Harvest Moon should pick this one up. You won’t regret it.

Never have I seen a concept so perfectly implemented that a relatively tiny patch of land has me utterly captivated.

It’s simply the best kid’s game that isn’t a kid’s game that has been released in years.

The ultimate sandbox game. It gives players plenty of opportunities to experiment and explore, but it also has enough meat to really attract gamers interested in strategic play.

The game is a lot of fun because it's not as tedious as games like Zoo Tycoon or as inane as raising a puppy on your Nintendo DS. The game strikes a good balance between managing your pets and making a buck and offers lots of fun activities along the way.

An extremely impressive balance of considerable complexity, Viva Piñata provides an experience unlike any other on the Xbox 360.

One of the most entertaining and fulfilling experiences available for the Xbox 360...There are countless ways you can design a garden, and countless ways to enjoy the game.

Rare has certainly recaptured its former glory itself here, and in producing one of the most misunderstood games of the year, it has also produced on one of the finest in its history, and certainly one of the most intriguing on 360.

Tired of chainsawing Locusts? Bored of sniping Nazis? Give Viva Pinata a shot. Experiencing a vibrant world full of animals that react to every decision you make in your garden is not a typical simulation videogame.

Add in the eye-catching, and retina burning graphics, the clever use of audio cues to alert you to events and problems, the elegant control and menu interface and a design philosophy that doesn't unfairly penalize you for mistakes, and you've got a recipe for fun that's simple and enchanting.

RARE hasn’t showed as much promise on the Xbox platform as they had back in the Nintendo days, but the tide has turned, and Viva Piñata has become my sleeper hit of the year, and might very well be my personal game of the year.

The overriding feeling you'll get from Viva Piñata is one of depth. It's a far more involving and time consuming game than I expected.

A brilliant unique game that has appeal stemming from every nook and cranny. Drop any preconceptions about a game that you may have from its box-art and visual style, Viva Pinata is one of the most rewarding, refreshing and important games to find its way onto the Xbox 360 this year.

Once Viva Pinata grabs you then there is no way you can escape. A bright and vibrant world surrounds a game that is an essential purchase for everyone.

Viva Piñata is more than just a game…it’s an experience.

At the end of the day, if you’re willing to dismiss Viva Pinata on the basis that it looks a bit kiddy, then you’re kidding yourself out of a fantastic adventure that has already shaken Rare to its roots, thanks to the departure of two of its three founding members after poor sales of this game. Shame on you, shame on you.

It may look like a kid's game, but Viva Piñata features more than enough action and strategy to keep even the biggest action gamer addicted for hours on end. Don't feel embarrassed buying it.

To hear a paper deer making sounds was one of the highlights in my gaming world for a long, long time. This should tell you something about this game, which is entirely in a league of its own.

There is no other game like it and probably never will be which is a shame. It’s perfectly simple to pick up and play but also has enough depth and wonderful energy to keep you interested too.