Amazon Maximum Age: 20
Amazon Minimum Age: 60
Batteries Included: 0
Binding: Video Game
Brand: Microsoft
EAN: 0882224520997
ESRB Age Rating: Everyone
Feature: Huge variety of exciting mini-games
Is Autographed: 0
Is Memorabilia: 0
Label: Microsoft
Manufacturer: Microsoft
Model: 4CU-00001
MPN: 4CU001
Platform: Xbox 360
Publisher: Microsoft
Release Date: 2007-10-30
Studio: Microsoft

• Huge variety of exciting mini-games
• Engaging gameplay for people of every age
• Bright, detailed and inviting graphics
• Great online play - up to four players can play in one room, or join a game on Xbox Live

It's party time! Compete in a variety of zany battles and races in the social party game Viva Piñata: Party Animals. Control the fame, fortune, and destiny of all your favorite characters from Viva Piñata: Fergy Fudgehog, Paulie Pretztail, Franklin Fizzlybear, and Hudson Horstachio. Viva Piñata: Party Animals includes more than 40 mini-games and a dozen foot races for players to compete against one another. Collect candy and special bonuses in all sorts of exotic and hazard-filled locations. Appealing to young kids or those just young-at-heart, this unique social party game rewards and challenges all players regardless of their skill level. The game is especially designed for interaction among friends and family. Pushing the advanced capabilities of the Xbox 360, the game offers a vibrant and engaging gaming experience. It's the perfect game for parents looking for fun new ways to connect with their kids, or friends just looking to share a few laughs. Friends and family members of all ages can party together in one place or from around the world via Xbox Live, and take the party global!

Customer Rating:
Summary: Great family fun
Comment: This is one of the few family friendly games for my 360.

Pros: One for the whole family. Cartoony graphics that keep the kids interested. Fun, short, easy to play "events" to keep the kids interested.

Cons: Some of the events were a little frustrating for my 5 year old.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Broken Controls and I have no friends!
Comment: The first thing to note about this game is that the camera angles and controls are awful. I didn't try playing it with other people because I am lame and have no friends, but playing alone was rediculous and boring. If you are a solo gamer who is a fan of regular Viva Pinata games I still dont reccommend this. If you have a Wii get a Mario Party game if you want to play something with friends or your kids. If you need a party game for your XBOX 360 get Rockband instead.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Although It's Viva Pinata, It's Not That Great
Comment: What this game offers over the original Viva Pinata game is that it includes the actual characters from the Viva Pinata television series. You get variations on characters -- their alter egos, if you think about -- in both male and female versions, such as Fergie and Francine, as examples. The voices are a perfect match, and the pre-race and post-race commentary is exactly what you would expect from Viva Pinata.

This game, however, gets very repetitive, very quickly. After the first hour into the game, it became fairly obvious that there isn't much to the game. For the most part, you pick a "length", and that decision determines the number of races and challenges that you must complete. Once you complete a race, you complete one or more challenges, which are mini games that mostly involve button-mashing. Honestly, the "short" length is just the right length, with any other length getting extremely tedious. The game randomly picks the challenges, so you have no control over the sequence. In fact, during a medium-length game, I had to play the same challenge twice between two races. This gave me the opportunity to practice, of course, but the game should be able to track the challenges between races to avoid duplication and subsequent boredom.

From a control perspective, this game is a mixed bag. The races are easy to play, although my 7-year old daughter complained about the controls being too difficult for her. The mini-game challenges are a completely different story. Before each challenge, there is a summary screen that explains the controls and goals for the selected challenge. The game makes an effort, at times, to display on-screen control tips during the challenge (especially during any challenge that involves drinking soda and burping). But some of the "run and smash" challenges are difficult to control, and aiming in many of the shooting and smashing challenges is tough. At times, things are so frantic, you can't keep track of your own score and you don't even know if you're getting it right. Sometimes I'm surprised when I win the challenge.

What I like about this game are the achievements, which are quite creative and somewhat challenging to obtain. Although after an hour, you might unlock 20% of the achievements, there are quite a few that will require some creativity to unlock. It's not just about winning, all the time.

If it weren't for the multi-player (offline and online) aspect of this game, I probably would not recommend it. Fortunately, it has good replay value because of its multi-player modes. I would not recommend it for children younger than 9 or 10, since the controls are not always intuitive. It's a fun game with a few issues that make it less than perfect.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: OK Game
Comment: I honestly only bought the game to support the Viva Pinata name. I love the cartoon and I loved the fist game and I can't wait for the next Viva Pinata to drop in September. This game is all right but it gets old fast. Not much variety here. I think you will have more fun if you play this game with some people rather then playing the computer.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Fun family game
Comment: I bought this for our family for family game night. We all enjoy it and have fun. Our children find it very entertaining. Easy for my 5 year old. Sometimes he wins even though we're "not letting him win". It's also pretty funny. Children find it amusing to throw a dart on the donkey-like pinata's behind and several other minigames. My 2 year old loves watching as well as playing a couple of the easy games such as an apple eating game and anything that requires only pushing buttons. This game is fun for all ages!!!!

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