Overview

First of all, what is a Piñata? For those who do not know, piñatas are kinds of containers, in different shapes, decorated with small pieces of colored paper that are glued to the surface. Obviously, candies, confetti and other surprises of all kinds are hidden in the Piñata that the children will then have to attack with a stick, the first to burst the creature will be able to collect all the sweets.

If you want to know the history of the island of Piñata, you will need several hours of play since the chapters of the historical book of the island are revealed as your level increases. However, we quickly learn of the existence on the island of Piñata Central, a mysterious construction in the heart of the island that welcomes the Piñatas once they have reached a certain degree of happiness. This is precisely your task since you will play a young and poor gardener who will have everything to learn about the breeding of Piñata with, first of all, an abandoned piece of land. Don't panic; the first steps are guided by Leafos who will be happy to show you the basics of good gardening in Piñata Island. Much more than a simple tutorial, these first hours of play are quite merely crucial to assimilate the functioning of the game.

Gameplay

We quickly discover that Viva Piñata is not limited to the simple construction of a garden that can accommodate our Piñatas friends. Of course, shovels will be required, as will weeding/grassing the land, setting up hedges or water points, but this is only part of the software that could be likened to the creation of our environment. A surprising number of elements to take into account and which make the game much more than a simple game for children.

It's almost ironic to overwhelm the player with too many gameplay elements, making this one far more complicated than it looks. But you should in no way shy away from the pleasure of evolving in such a rich universe, especially since the pad of the 360 ​​lends itself in the most beautiful way to the game. The player directs the cursor in the space in your garden in the simplest way with sticks. The triggers will allow you to zoom in / out on a specific point of the garden while each of the other keys will allow you to select a Piñata, access the menu, choose a tool, etc. Classic in the grip of course, but which here mainly fulfils its role. The most interesting in this gameplay lies in the behavior of the Piñatas. They don't just magically appear in your garden and take up residence moments later. Long before that, a kind of ritual is set up to which each Piñata will pass. If a cutscene warns you of the appearance of a new type of Piñata, the latter will first of all be content to roam around your garden. Just like an animal spotting places before investing them, the Piñata in question will judge whether or not your green corner deserves to enter it. Once this step is completed, the Piñata will not be yours. A simple menu of information will reveal to you the criteria necessary for the installation of said Piñata on your land. The management side that we have been talking about from the start is therefore taken into account here. Because hosting a Piñata does not mean winning the game. Then you will have to feed her, make her procreate, treat her or protect her.

Graphics

Viva Piñata shows its willingness to approach the youngest but also appeals to informed gamers. Because in addition to the design of the Piñatas, a whole colorful world is reaching out. The natural side of the software, widely used, shines by its realization with moving grass, plants and vegetables that grow visibly, a continually moving sky or even rain that will affect your camera. In short, in terms of graphic design, Viva Piñata is indeed up to expectations and correctly serves an already present playing pleasure.

Conclusion

Viva Piñata is undoubtedly an excellent game. A pleasant mixture of creation and management, it amazes by difficulty and subtlety which reach a level which can confuse more than one. Thus the youngest, having difficulty in developing their garden, risk stagnating at a certain level of the game. But young and old will still be captivated by complete gameplay and a remarkably attractive aesthetic. Evolving in Piñata Island is a real pleasure, a breath of fresh air which, despite some inconveniences, deserves to linger there.