Game Review: "Viva Pinata Party Animals"

Gerard Campbell - The Press

Gaming News And Reviews; the Box : Spirit Missing

Viva Pinata Party Animals

For: Xbox 360

From: Microsoft Games Studios

Classification: G

Score: * * *

Viva Pinata was Microsoft's first real effort to attract the younger market to its consoles.

It was a fun game in which you tended a garden, which attracted a wide variety of colourful pinata that you almost formed an emotional attachment to.

Party Animals isn't based on the original game, but on the animated TV series shown in the United States, and is a collection of mini- games ranging from running races and memory games to dancing competitions and pinata-whacking events. The racing games are the most fun, with power-ups to collect that let you shoot missiles at your foes, drip honey on the track, drop water bombs on them or sprout wings and fly along the course.

While Viva Pinata Party Animals has the look of its more grown- up original, it didn't capture the spirit of its predecessor; you don't feel connected to the pinata. Also, too many of the events are similar and repetitive.

Party Animals doesn't rise above being merely average, and if you're really keen for a pinata experience, grab a copy of the original Viva Pinata. You'll enjoy it more.

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