REVIEWS
42 DON’T BEAT ‘EM, JOIN ’EM
VIVA PINATA TROUBLE IN PARADISE D FORMAT Xbox 360 PUBLISHER Microsoft Game Studios DEVELOPER Rare REVIEWED BY David Scammell
ebuting during the same period as Microsoft’s ‘other’ big franchise in the latter part of 2006, Viva Piñata was very much an unappreciated and often misunderstood gaming gem. As clued-up gamers dared to purchase the gaudy gardening-sim, cries of “It’s a kids’ game!” and “WTF are you buying that for?” emanated amongst uneducated social groups. Trust me; this writer was one of them. And yes, while on the outside VP may very well look like a Saturday morning cartoon transferred into a video game (in actual fact, the geniuses at Microsoft tried to secure its success by taking it the other way), we all know never to judge a book by its cover. Tasked with turning a dishevelled piece of land into a glorious animal homeland with only a shovel, a watering can and a handful of seeds, Viva Piñata struck a chord with gamers willing to give the game a go. Emerging two years later as more of a glorified expansion to the elements explored in the first game than a fully-blown sequel, Trouble in Paradise brings VP back into the fray with a number of select enhancements up its beautifully chic sleeve. One of Viva Piñata’s biggest new features is support for the Xbox LIVE Vision Cam, which allows players to scan in cards and use their respective feature in-game. Imagine Sony’s Eye of Judgment minus the headacheinducing stats with a sprinkle of added sweetness and you’re on the right path. The cards range from new Piñatas through to money bonuses and accessories, and the process proves to be simple and easy. The Vision Cam quickly picks up the unique scan line featured on the cards, instantly popping
the bonus in-game over the area the cursor is placed. There’s also the option for players to create their own cards using an in-game camera option, allowing them to upload a photo to the Viva Piñata website and send them on to friends. The feature is quick and seamless and adds a wealth of opportunities for players looking to swap their Piñatas further than the simple crate send of the original game. And unlike the original where the overall aim was to simply build the finest and most populated garden you possibly could, TiP adds in bonus objectives for players to complete whenever they become tired of standard gardening fare. Langston, a new character that pops up alongside Leafos and co., for example sets out challenges for the player to make various Piñatas happy,
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