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Xbox Live's Games on Demand has these games on sale next week
Xbox Live's Games on Demand service is getting a serious sale next week – as opposed to those funny, un-serious sales we get all the time – and Major Nelson has posted a list of the titles discounted from June 19-25.All titles will be 75 percent off, and they include Conan, Dark Void, Perfect Dark Zero, Prince of Persia and Viva Pinata Party Animals, most selling for $5. Check out the full list of sale titles below, as provided by Major Nelson:
Viva Pinata: Party Animals now party on demand
As promised, Viva Piñata: Party Animals is now available on Xbox Live Games on Demand. Before you get too excited, just remember that Party Animals is the Viva Piñata themed party game. It doesn't involve the wonderfully addicting gardening and breeding aspects of the original Viva Piñata or its sequel, Trouble in Paradise (which is also available on demand, incidentally). That said, if you're looking for a decent game for the kids, you could probably do worse. In the US of A, the game can be had for $19.99. Be sure to check Xbox Live Marketplace for the price in other regions. Shortcut: Add Viva Piñata: Party Animals to your Xbox 360 download queue (via Xbox.com) [Via Major Nelson]
Party Animals Achievements hide gamer in-jokes
We're not sure exactly where to file this story. We've got "sneaky developers" and "sneaky marketers." We're pretty sure it should go in one of those files. We're just not sure which. Microsoft has sent out a list of the achievements available in Viva Piñata: Party Animals, and they contain a few surprises for the older gamers out there. There are a few pop culture references in there, such as the "Coulda Been a Contender," "Do You Feel Lucky, Piñata?" and "Int'l Piñata of Mystery" achievements. What really surprised us, however, were the handful of gamer in-jokes. First up is the "Classic Gamer Reward" which states, "Enter the classic gamers code while on the START screen. For a hint, go right into your manual..." We can only assume it refers to the Konami Code. Then there is the "All Your Game Are Belong To Us" achievement. Then there is our favorite achievement, "So Awesome!," the text of which reads "You, the master of unlocking." A Penny Arcade reference and a Resident Evil reference in the same achievement? Wow. Considering Party Animals is aimed squarely at younger gamers, we're betting these achievements were tossed in to bring a smile to all the dedicated gaming parents out there.
Viva Pinata toys busting out of BK
In celebration of the release of Viva Piñata Party Animals Burger King is offering a collection of new kid and adult friendly Viva Piñata toys. The set of eight toys are available in BK's kids meals and include a "surprise in every piñata" where you'll find one of two possible toy options varying from flip books, to yo-yos, to a wicked cool party knocker. The eight Party Animal toys (Horstachio, Sparrowmint, Elephanilla, Fudgehog, Macaraccoon, Fizzlybear, Cocoadile and a Goobaa) are only available at BK for a limited time, so stock up, use them to decorate your desk or give 'em to a piñata'less kid in need. [Via Pinata Island, Thanks jimmcq]
Viva Pinata could be coming to the Wii next
Hot on the heels of the announcement that Viva Pinata would be gracing the DS comes whispers about the rumor mill that the franchise could also find its way onto the Wii. The source of these rumors (the latest issue of gaming mag EGM) states that due to the success of minigame compilations on the Wii, Viva Pinata: Party Animals could very well hit the console in the near future. As you all know, we honestly think the Wii needs less minigame compilations and more actual games. Like, those with a beginning and an end, preferably a plot tossed in there for good measure. Maybe some sort of conflict and resolution? Oh, who are we kidding? The Wii isn't capable of such things, apparently. [Via Game | Life]
Viva Pinata Party Animals demo now live
Ask and ye shall receive. It looks like the Viva Piñata Party Animals demo promised by Piñata Island has made its way onto Xbox Live Marketplace. Unlike the original Viva Piñata game, Party Animals makes more use of the licensed characters, endowing them with the voices and personalities that viewers have become accustomed to on the television show. As a party game, it also takes a simpler approach than its predecessor, which was arguably a little to complicated for its target audience. But, enough talk of marketing and design decisions, go give the game a try and see what you think.
Viva Pinata Party Animals demo inbound? [update]
[Update: The Viva Piñata Party Animals is now available, for more details, click here.] According to Piñata Island, the source for all things Viva Piñata, a demo for Viva Piñata Party Animals should be on the Marketplace today. Actually, according to them, the demo should be available right now. Considering that it isn't available right now, we're guessing one of two things: A) Piñata Island got some bum info or B) something has gone awry. Seeing as Piñata Island has some close friends in the Viva Piñata circle, we're betting on column B. Here's hoping we'll see it sooner rather than later. If you're unfamiliar with the title, check out our impressions of the E3 demo (which is likely the same demo being prepared for XBLM). [Thanks, xenocidic]
Party Animals demo will be available "soon"
There's a short and sweet (zing!) interview over on PinataIsland with Viva Piñata: Party Animals lead designer Cameron Davis where he talks a little bit about the game and confirms that a demo will be hitting the XBLM soon. When chatting it up about the game, who it's targeted towards, and its achievements, Davis was asked about plans for a Party Animals demo to which he responded "It should be out very, very, very soon, if not already". And after taking a look at the old XBLM and seeing no Party Animals demo available, we're going to have to hold Mr. Davis to his "very, very, very soon" answer. So, watch the Marketplace for some mini-game fun when the Viva Piñata: Party Animals demo drops "soon". [Thanks, jimmcq]
New Viva Pinata: Party Animals details, demo arriving "very soon"
The impassioned youth of PinataIsland cornered Krome's Cameron Davis, lead designer on Viva Piñata: Party Animals and beat him like a paper mache party favor until he released his sweet details contained within. Announced at E3, Party Animals is a mini-game fiesta based on the popular children's show and critically acclaimed Xbox 360 title starring the dance partners of Mario Lopez. Players will be assisting one of eight playable piñata compete in the reality show, Viva Piñata Championship Challenge, which functions quite a bit like The Amazing Race. Of those eight playable characters, two will be brand new characters to the series, set to debut in the second season of the Saturday morning cartoon. The game will be presented in a television style format and feature the color commentary of Pierre Parrybo and Pecky Pudgeon. According to Davis, we should expect to see a demo "very, very, very soon, if not already." Viva Piñata: Party Animals is due out this Winter.
13 minutes of Viva Pinata: Party Animals
Our friends at Piñata Island -- these guys -- have gotten their candy-stained hands on a thirteen minute video of Viva Piñata: Party Animals. The video was taken with the lead designer, Cameron Davis, of Krome Studios, developers of Party Animals. The video shows off several of the mini-games, as well as the races, which serve as the transition between mini-games. All of the games -- save the racing sections -- are controlled via the left stick and a single button, which Davis says should allow anyone to pick up and play the title. The game also includes drop-in / drop-out versus play, so anyone can join or leave a game at any time. Finally, Davis reveals that the E3 demo should be available on Xbox Live Marketplace in the near future. Hit the "read" link to check out the video.
Joystiq hands-on: Viva Pinata Party Animals
As a game designed to appeal to a younger audience, Viva Piñata had one fault that probably stood out the most: other than the cutesy characters, it wasn't really designed to appeal to a younger audience. The game is fairly complicated and requires some pretty intense micromanagement in later levels (at least it does if you want to advance). Furthermore, VP does almost nothing to capitalize on the children's property around which it is centered. The various piñatas, which are wacky and wisecracking characters on the children's program, are little more than grunting, mindless animals in the game. With Viva Piñata: Party Animals, Microsoft looks to take on all these problems at once. We took it for a spin at E3 to see what sets it apart.
X3F hands-on: Viva Pinata: Party Animals
As a game designed to appeal to a younger audience, Viva Piñata had one fault that probably stood out the most: other than the cutesy characters, it wasn't really designed to appeal to a younger audience. The game is fairly complicated and requires some pretty intense micromanagement in later levels (at least it does if you want to advance). Furthermore, VP does almost nothing to capitalize on the children's property around which it is centered. The various piñatas, which are wacky and wisecracking characters on the children's program, are little more than grunting, mindless animals in the game. With Viva Piñata: Party Animals, Microsoft looks to take on all these problems at once. We took it for a spin at E3 to see what sets it apart.
Viva Pinata: Party Animals brings minigames
Microsoft is bringing home family fun again with a newly announced Viva Pinata game. The game will retain the original's fantastic graphics, but will add brand new gameplay that's bound to appeal to the younger crowd. The original struggled to target an audience due to its strategy-laden gameplay that alienated the children the cartoon would have appealed to. Taking a page from Nintendo, the new Viva Pinata title will be a game filled with minigames. Viva Pinata: Party Animals will be Microsoft's attempt at providing a Mario Party experience on the 360. Will it succeed?
