Viva-Pinata
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Video: Banjo-Kazooie and Viva Pi�ata sequel info
In the above video, Rare talks with GameTrailers about the potential of a Viva Piñata sequel as the direction they'd need to take it to keep it fresh, as well as their plans for the upcoming Banjo-Kazooie game. Banjo-Kazooie 3 will be a continuation of the series so it will be a safe bet that all of your favorite characters from previous iterations will be making a triumphant return. That being said, the concept artists couldn't confirm whether Gruntilda would be showing up or not. Are you looking forward to Banjo's new gen title? How do you feel about a Viva Piñata sequel? [Via QJ.net]
Microsoft continues to support DS, but not PSP
1UP asked Shane Kim, Microsoft Corporate VP, about the possibility of Microsoft games appearing on handhelds. His answer? "We do it today. We don't publish those titles directly ourselves, we are creating intellectual property that have great appeal to customers of handheld devices. Whether you're talking about mobile or the DS -- you probably won't see it on the PSP, though."Why the Nintendo love? Well, Microsoft wants to target the kids that seem to shy away from Xbox's older demographic. Get those kids hooked on their properties on the DS, and then hope to reel them over to the 360: "Nintendo's fine. Particularly when you talk about some of our titles from Rare. A Kameo or a Viva Pinata on a DS makes a lot of sense in a lot of ways from a franchise perspective."However, wouldn't one of Microsoft's more mature properties, like Halo, fare better on a handheld that not only has better tech, but has an audience that would be interested in such a product? Unless Microsoft has handheld ambitions of their own ...
Ten rejected achievements revealed!
Sometimes developers create a huge list of possible achievements for their game, have to narrow down the list, and choose which ones they want to include in the final game. There are some that get rejected because they are either too lame, too dull, too easy, or just too impossible to attain. The guys over Game Stooge put on their detective hats and went searching. They dug up unused achievements that developers didn't put into the game simply because the achievement didn't mesh with the rest. And after looking at their handy work we know why these rejects didn't make the cut. Viva Piñata's "No Incest" achievement would have been a challenge, Blazing Angels' "Victor Over Boredom" would break down even the strongest gamer, and Madden 06's "Press 'A' Button" would be ... wait a second. Didn't that achievement make it into the final game? Anyway, did anyone un-earth rejected achievements that didn't make it into the final game? If you have, we beg you to share with the rest of us.[Via Digg]
Is Viva Piata headed for the DS?
Would you play Viva Piñata on your Nintendo DS? That's the question Microsoft may be bouncing around the corporate board room table, because Shane Kim, Microsoft Game Studios VP, thinks it would be a great idea. In an interview with 1UP Kim said that "Viva Piñata on a DS makes a lot of sense in a lot of ways from a franchise perspective". We have to agree if they can pull it off on a DS and want those little piñatas to reach mass appeal. What do you think, would it be a good idea for Microsoft owned developer Rare to create a Viva Piñata spinoff for a competing company's handheld? Or do you think it would be a much better fit on Sony's PSP?
Ahh cute, Viva Piata Valentine wallpapers
As part of Microsoft's Let's Play on Valentines Day celebration not only are they urging fellow gardeners to trade piñatas, but also posted some downloadable goodies too. Over at the official Viva Piñata website they put up a few downloadable wallpapers for you to send to your loved one or to simply spiff up your own desktop. And for those of you who are in a relationship, remember this Wednesday is Valentines Day. Forget the candy and flowers, just snuggle up for a nice romantic four hour Viva Piñata gaming session. You just can't get much more romantic than that.
Rare going to reveal wild card Piatas?
Over at the Viva Pinata Forum Rare's very own BIGsheep decided to run a poll asking fans which wild card piñata they'd like to see. And for those of you who aren't in the loop, wild card piñatas are extremely rare, randomly born, and there is no concrete formula on how to create them. Think of them as genetic screw ups that are one in a million. Anyway, BIGsheep's poll ends in roughly a week and we're curious to see what will happened when the poll ends. Is he going to be kind enough to show us what the wild card piñata looks like, maybe lift the lid on his entire wild card stash? We'll just have to wait and see what goes down with this wild card poll fiasco. And don't forget to vote![Thanks, jimmcq]
5,000 shares of Super Smash Bros? Buy! Buy! Buy!
Have you ever wanted to go to a website where you can trade video games like stocks and bonds in an effort to get filthy rich (virtually)? We thought so. Well, now you can. The Sim Exchange is a site much like the Hollywood Stock Exchange where you can bank on the fact that a game will be a sleeper, a straight out hit, or a flop, and trade accordingly.What would really make this challenging would be if you could bid on if a game would hit its release date or not. Like Duke Nukem Forever. Right now Halo 3 is sitting atop the most valuable list, and Viva Pinata heads the most traded of all time. Strange, yet true.Sign up, compete against others, and then reflect on the fact that you're playing a game which is a simulation that uses games as the nuts and bolts of the matter. It's like a Russian nesting doll that never ends.
Gates: If you want to play online, get an Xbox
var digg_url = 'http://www.digg.com/gaming_news/Gates_If_you_want_to_play_online_get_an_Xbox'; In the first part of an informative interview conducted by Mercury News' Dean Takahashi, Bill Gates responds to the suggestion that Nintendo's Wii may come out on top thanks to its unique controller and cheaper price tag. "Look at the graphics," he says. "Look at Nintendo's execution in terms of online capability. We have this thing that nobody has ever seen before. When you say to your friend, hey let's play online, you say then you have to buy an Xbox. That's what 10 million people say."When peer pressure isn't selling Xbox Live, Gates points out that endeavours like cross-platform Vista gaming and IPTV are pushing the online service forward. However, he also believes that "Nintendo did some things right," going on to mention Microsoft's acquisition of Rare and the "huge success" that was Viva Piñata. Though many critics believe the game is a return to prominence for Rare, its lacklustre sales may lead others to agree with Gates for the wrong reason -- "Nintendo did some things right" by selling the developer when they did.Be sure to check out the rest of the interview for some interesting tidbits on the Xbox 360's IPTV, the continued absence of a larger hard drive and how Sony "didn't know what they were doing" with the Cell processor.
Shipping this week: frickin' Lost Planet edition!
After a one week vacation, the world of Xbox 360 releases has returned, and no triumphant return would be complete without gifts. This week's gift isn't some crappy t-shirt hastily purchased at an airport gift shop either. No, this week is a doozy. It's a general policy that we like to have at least three titles to merit a bulleted list, but this week is special. It's the first game of the new year and it's a pretty big game to boot. As such, we present you with the combined North American/European shipping list for the week of January 8.Shipping this week in North America and Europe: Lost Planet: Extreme Condition Also worth noting, Japan will get its first crack at Viva Piñata this week (except it has been renamed Atsumare! Piñata). Let's introduce them. Japan, this is addiction. Addiction, Japan. So, who's picking up Lost Planet?
Splitsville for Rare
Two of Rare's founders have called it quits with the company, and the internet is all abuzz with talk of Rare ... and Nintendo. Microsoft bought Rare back in 2002, and the devs carried one of the most-hyped launch games for the 360, but it's still the association with Nintendo that lingers when people mention the company. So it's not surprising, particuarly with Diddy Kong Racing just around the bend for the DS, that people have begun to speculate about what happens now. All anyone knows right now is that Chris and Tim Stamper left Rare for "other opportunities." That doesn't begin to answer any of the questions about what this means for Rare and Microsoft, or Rare and Nintendo, or even just the Stampers themselves. What led to the departure? Rare's last few efforts, while at times critically acclaimed, have not exactly brought home the bacon, and the situation surrounding E3 2004, DS dev kits, and Microsoft's denials make it seem as though there might have been a disconnect between the development company and their new bosses. We'll keep an eye on this story as it develops -- if it develops -- and what it might mean for Nintendo.
Rare's brothers in charge call it quits
Two of Rare's three founders, Chris and Tim Stamper, have decided to pack their bags and head for greener pastures. While some may assume that this departure is the result of Viva Piñata's undeservedly low sales and a string of games that failed to live up to their potential -- Grabbed by the Ghoulies, Kameo, Perfect Dark Zero -- Microsoft assures the world that the brothers are "simply leaving to pursue other opportunities." Studio veterans, Mark Betteridge and Greg Mayles will take over the roles of Studio Director and Creative Director, respectively.Viva Piñata was quite an achievement, fellas. 360 Fanboy wishes the Stampers nothing but the best.[Via Joystiq]
Viva Piata, the most overlooked game this year?
Simon over at Game Set Watch wrote up an article explaining his reasons for why both the media and online communities haven't pushed Viva Piñata into the mainstream. Ultimately, Viva Piñata hasn't yet reached its mass appeal, yet garners not only great reviews, but praise from those who give it a chance. If you haven't noticed, all of us at Fanboy Towers enjoy the game and some are even mildly addicted. We feel the problem may be that Viva Piñata is just so hard to explain, hard to get its point across, and hard to market. It offers so much, has so many intricacies and appeals to such a wide audience ... it's difficult to package their gaming message into one nice box. Just another good read and if you haven't picked up Piñata, buy it with all the money you get from returning those crappy Christmas gifts.[Via Digg]
1UP hands out their gaming presents
For Christmas 1UP decided to hand out gifts to the gaming industry's most elite, selecting only gifts that suite their prospective owners. Not only is their list hilariously true, but we're a little bitter that we didn't think of doing this. Some of our favorites have to be a one year Xbox Live subscription card to Phil Harrison to show him how an online service is supposed to work, the matchmaking source code from Halo 2 given to both Cliffy B and Mark Rein, a box of Trojans to Bethesda because whoever purchased that horse armor got it up the a**, and an apology letter to Rare because first impressions aren't always accurate and Viva Piñata rocks. We agree, these are the gifts everyone should have received. Do you have any gifts that 1UP forgot to mention and who should Santa deliver them to? Make a list, check it twice, and post it for all to see.
What a deal! Viva Pinata and more only $29.99
Simply put, cheap games roxorz, especially cheap games that are good. In store at Best Buy and at bestbuy.com you can purchase Viva Piñata, Pimp My Ride, and College Hoops 2K7 for the rock bottom price of $29.99. This deal is only good up until Saturday, December 23rd and can be purchased online (thank god) for those of us who hate to deal with the holiday crowds. It's almost Christmas and retailers want your money, retailers need your money, so make them happy and at least pick up Viva Piñata, because 5 out of 6 gamers agree Viva Piñata is the cool kids crack.
Get your vote on, Gamespot's game of the year
It's the end of one long gaming year and that could only mean one thing, Gamespot has just announced its nominees for 2006 Game of the Year. Among the ten nominees there are quite a few great 360 games on the list including Dead Rising, Oblivion, Rainbow Six Vegas, Viva Piñata, and our little engine that could Gears of War. It's nice to see that so many high profile games from the 360 made the list and that Oblivion may have some of its stiffest competition yet. Visit their site, vote for who you think deserves the crown, and wait patiently for the winner to be announced. It's a difficult decision so we're totally opting for a write-in and voting for Viva Gears Rising ... that's one great game.
Viva Pinata's abhorrent behavior
Viva Piñata was designed from the ground up to be a marketing machine. Microsoft will do anything to get attention for the franchise, even splurging to make Mario López dance for us at the Santa Monica Pier. It's all good that those cute and colorful Piñata's got an E rating, but those who have played the game know that below its kid friendly E rating lies some dark AO rated themes. Faith over at The Girl Gamer, with tongue firmly planted in cheek, has unleashed a diatribe on the sins glorified in Viva Piñata. The piñata's "dance" to breed, with no gender assignment to them, and parents can "dance" with their offspring to have more piñata children. Faith says, "Is Microsoft trying to teach our kids that having relations with your family is OK? They should have made it true to real life and had the baby piñatas come out disfigured or something ... how do we know we aren't breeding boy piñatas together?" Viva Piñata is by no means the first production geared for children with underlying adult themes. Scooby-Doo's drug themes, X-Men's commentary on civil rights and prejudice, the Smurfs -- well, there's way too much subtext in the Smurfs. Viva Piñata clearly has themes of incest and let's not forget the fact that you raise these cute animals to be shipped off and inhumanely beaten to death.
Frosting-coated Xbox Live Gold for free
If the Xbox beanie for eating Pop-Tarts wasn't enough, now you can munch your way to a free 48 hour Xbox Live Gold trial. Been playing Gears of War but haven't taken it online yet? Itching to play Uno in multiplayer? All this can now be yours, a few small toaster pastries later. You'll also get a Viva Piñata music video download for free, which we know you're dying to see. Get out there, binge on sugar, and come challenge us to some gaming. Better yet, combine a Burger King value meal, Big Bumpin', a Pop-Tarts dessert, and you're all over the gaming map. Frosting optional. Just don't blame us when you can no longer see your own feet.
Holy candy Batman! World's largest piata
It looks like Horstachio from Viva Piñata has been getting around lately. With the world's largest piñata party happening a few weeks ago, this week in Mexico the Xbox team there decided to create the world's largest piñata! The construction took three weeks, over 45 constructors, 800 other helpers, and came in at a whopping 4,400 pounds (without candy filling ... we think). Congrats you silly Xbox team in Mexico, that's one large Horstachio! Now if we could just figure out how to get this guy into our Viva Piñata garden ... anyone know what the world's largest Horstachio likes to eat?
Perplexed by my quiet 360, how does yours work? [update 1]
Recently I've had some issues with my 360. I think it decided that it would rather kill itself than let me play Viva Piñata ... but that was its decision not mine. So, I sold it "as-is" and picked me up a new one locally, pretty new box and all! Though I noticed an interesting quirk after playing Gears recently. I noticed something that didn't happen on my previous 360 model. When playing Gears, throughout multiplayer (specifically when sitting in a lobby), the humming of the disc drive couldn't be heard, because the spinning of the disc actually slowed down. My previous Xbox 360 kept rotating the disc full speed, never missing a step, and never altered the spin speed ever. My spiffy new 360 must be uber smart and knows when it doesn't have to spin at 400 MPH, thus creating a moment of silent bliss. At first it startled me as I wondered why the disc quit spinning, but now it's just a welcomed surprise to hear the quiet. Does your 360 spin down when playing certain games or am I just drinking too much Pepto-Bismol?Update 1: It looks like I found the answer to my perplexion! Previously, my other console was rocking a Hitachi DVD drive (the more common LOUD version) as opposed to the Samsung model (which is known to be quieter and more rare). I checked out my new console and it looks like I have a Samsung DVD drive in my 360. This could be why certain games read differently by slowing down etc. Let's do some more investigative work ... anyone whose disc drive spins down during games (like mine) head over to Llamma's site and verify which drive you have. I'm thinking this is how the Samsung drive works, but we'll get to the bottom of this as a team. Teamwork FTW!
Viva Piata: candy coated crack
360 Fanboy blogger, Dustin Burg, laid his hands on Viva Piñata a few days ago, and my rental copy showed up yesterday. Having finished blogging for the day, I popped the game into my 360. I did nothing else for two hours straight. I only stopped because my wife came home and we were going to dinner. When we got back from dinner (coincidentally, it was Mexican food), I showed Viva Piñata to my wife. Now, we play a few games together -- mostly dungeon crawlers and puzzle games -- but for the most part, I am the gamer of the house. Still, she loves The Sims and it shares many similarities with VP. She started playing at 7:00 and did not set the controller down until nearly 11:00. The urge to do "just one more thing" is a quality that Viva Piñata absolutely nails. Whether it's meeting the mating requirements for a species, building that house, or just planting seeds, you will always have something you need to attend to. Once you've done that, you'll remember that other thing you wanted to do, and so on and so forth. So, let this be a warning for those who haven't picked this up, and those who want that perfect game for the casual gamers in your house: Viva Piñata will claim your soul and your 360. Remember that before you hand the controller over to someone else "just to try it out."
