Rare Announces Viva Pinata!

[Switcher]

Rare's next project has been announced, and while the title was thrown around as a "temp project codename" a few weeks ago, it looks like Viva Pinata really is the new Rareware title. The scoop can be seen by way of the new official site. (http://www.vivapinata.com/vivapinatacom/announce/)

Microsoft Game Studios and 4Kids Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: KDE) today celebrate the introduction of “Viva Piñata,” a high-energy, mass-appeal entertainment property created by Rare Ltd. that brings a vibrant world of living piñata animals to video games, television and beyond. The “Viva Piñata” universe showcases an engaging cast of colorful, wild-roaming piñata animals that entertain and challenge imaginations.

Full Press Release (http://www.evilavatar.com/forums/showthread.php?p=224150#post224150)
Some features include:

Discover the secrets of over 60 different candy-filled Pinata animals to see them change, fight, and even dance!
Guide a constantly evolving and vibrant world to keep your Pinata happy, and protect them from dangers threatening to break them open!
Enjoy both friendships and rivalries in a worldwide community of Viva Pinata players!!


Gamespot's developer interview (http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/strategy/vivapinata/media.html) with Jim Veevaert, executive producer for Rare, describes this game more fully.

The player's task is to restore the garden on the magical island filled with living pinatas to it's original splendor and to thus entice the pinatas into entering and living within their garden. As players gain more of the cool pinatas, further gameplay (that looks much like that found in Animal Crossing) is unlocked as you can then interact with the pinata inhabitants. As the game progresses, sours (trouble-making pinatas) will enter your garden and gameplay that involves balancing the habitat is introduced. The game will allow for trading of pinatas via Xbox Live, but will not be multiplayer.

Additionally, the children's show, that is based on the game (rather than the game being based on the show), will occassionally hint about what is taking place in the game and vice versa.

Thanks to bean19 for submitting the additional info.

Hi-Res Screenshots available in EAvatar's NEW In-House Media Forum (http://www.evilavatar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10655)

A lucid dream indeed...

[Heretic Machine]

Great... I still have no fucking clue as to what this game is supposed to be.

[Draft]

Great... I still have no fucking clue as to what this game is supposed to be.It's like animal crossing.

Anyway, a Rare game with good art? WTF is this an alternate universe?

[fndarkone]

pinata and ping pong?

[Spooky]

This has to be a joke.

...but its not April 1st...

Which means what little and I do mean little integrity they had is gone, so far gone it smells like virginity on a two dollar whore.

[Draft]

pinata and ping pong?isn't that what everyone wanted on Xbox? Quirky, weird games? Not just dark and gritty FPS?

[Switcher]

Every screen shot and every little promotion saying how this is also going to be a 4Kids cartoon show, makes me YEARN for Rare announcing Killer Instinct 3....

[Ph00p]

Rare a MS exclusive publisher eh? GREAT NOW EH XBOTS? ROFL! Oh and Rockstars EXCLUSIVE Ping Pong! ROFL!(someone else mentioned this)

Looks like Xbox 360 is a real shinning turd alright!

Oh and heres a good question whats Rare using its OWN creativity?(ie. non-nintendo IPs)
Answer: Just another over hyped lame game dev in a sea of thousands.

[eth3rton]

Microsoft is REALLY trying to win over the Japanese market.....

They like this wierd shit over there....lol.

[eth3rton]

Looks like Xbox 360 is a real shinning turd alright!



Please just go back to playing your Non-existent PS3... :rolleyes:

[tthatfreak]

Is this RARE's punishment for PDZ?

[RMan]

Honestly, although it's not my type of product, it's more intriguing than PDZ and Kameo were/are. I don't know, as crazy as it sounds, I think they're onto something here, it seems an obvious rip-off of pokemon (at least in terms of spirit and marketing) but the style and concept are very chaming. My gut says this could work well for them.

[sickfallout]

Every screen shot and every little promotion saying how this is also going to be a 4Kids cartoon show, makes me YEARN for Rare announcing Killer Instinct 3....

Killer Instinct 3 would probably get me to buy ANOTHER 360 for no reason, that's how fucking cool that would be.

[Opty]

I was confused when I opened up EA, I was like, Deja Vu? (http://www.evilavatar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10646) "Do I need to refresh? Oh, no, it's a repost."

[Switcher]

Wow, sorry about that. I swear I didn't see Bap's original post...


I thought that's what the "administration will review this post" period was for? To catch double posts?

[Liquidize105]

Too many viva pinata posts, I'm merging them.

[bean19]

isn't that what everyone wanted on Xbox? Quirky, weird games? Not just dark and gritty FPS?

I'm all for this, but I'm still secretly hoping the game lets me kill whores.

[EternalGamer]

After reading all this info, I still have no idea what this game is about. All I know is, I want it. :)

Dan

[Skjef]

Meh. I'll wait for Spore.

[RMan]

I'm all for this, but I'm still secretly hoping the game lets me kill whores.
Bah, you don't need a game's permission for that.

[Grimmjow]

wasnt this posted bout being annouced like 3 times already

[Liquidize105]

Ya know, people often say that Nintendo makes kiddy games whereas they usually make E game, but this along with the TV tie-in, is absolutely kiddish.

Looks nice though, the graphics are unique and stylized.

[Venkman]

This is Microsofts attempt at Pokemon. They bought Rare for mass marketing, not for PD0. They have the Halo franchise for that market.

[Stryfe01]

Rare a MS exclusive publisher eh? GREAT NOW EH XBOTS? ROFL! Oh and Rockstars EXCLUSIVE Ping Pong! ROFL!(someone else mentioned this)

Looks like Xbox 360 is a real shinning turd alright!

Oh and heres a good question whats Rare using its OWN creativity?(ie. non-nintendo IPs)
Answer: Just another over hyped lame game dev in a sea of thousands.

Normally i'd ignore a post like this, but you are one ignorant "turd". So because their recent games have been geared to a younger audience, they suck at making games ? Sorry pal, not every gamer out there loves blowing off limbs and poo jokes. Peopel gives Rare so much crap, but most of their games still garner decent scores. stop holding them to the one or two great titles they made from yesteryear, and enjoy what they are making now. If not, ignore it.

[TheHulk]

Fumble!!!!

[eth3rton]

Normally i'd ignore a post like this, but you are one ignorant "turd". So because their recent games have been geared to a younger audience, they suck at making games ? Sorry pal, not every gamer out there loves blowing off limbs and poo jokes. Peopel gives Rare so much crap, but most of their games still garner decent scores. stop holding them to the one or two great titles they made from yesteryear, and enjoy what they are making now. If not, ignore it.


Can we get a Hallelujah brother....

[Nessus]

This really meshes with the 360 demographic.

I really wonder about Rare these days. In my eyes they've yet to demonstrate their value to MS (at least not $250 million). They've released more games on Nintendo systems since MS bought them, and the few games they have released for MS's consoles haven't exactly been well recieved.

Had Perfect Dark 0 not been a launch title it wouldn't have even gotten the modest attention it's recieved.

Is Rare even the same company it was back when Goldeneye came out? Have they lost too many employees?

[Chameleo]

this is a great concept. have a unique pinata, and have to defend it against others trying to get the candy outta it, have it level up and change, attack other pinatas - its sounds really cool.

with graphics like that too; it looks great.

Looks like a nintendo console game on the xbox360 - which is probably exactly what MS wants.

how well received it is by the current xbox360 demographic though is a completely different matter.

[TheFlyingOrc]

Rare a MS exclusive publisher eh? GREAT NOW EH XBOTS? ROFL! Oh and Rockstars EXCLUSIVE Ping Pong! ROFL!(someone else mentioned this)

Looks like Xbox 360 is a real shinning turd alright!

Oh and heres a good question whats Rare using its OWN creativity?(ie. non-nintendo IPs)
Answer: Just another over hyped lame game dev in a sea of thousands.

As far as I know, Rare has made 3 console games based off Nintendo IPs - Diddy Kong Racing, Donkey Kong 64, and Star Fox Adventures. During the N64 days, they released 11 games. What's this I found? I think it's yours! Why, it's YOUR RETARDED.

[F3nyx]

Wow, I have no idea what this game's about, but I love the foliage in those screenshots. Just beautiful.

edit: the grass is rendered quite interestingly, too... that technique meshes well with "scales" of the pinatas, and with the overall look of the game.

[Orosco]

Well, if its a Rare game, theres a great chance you get to collect 100 (insert name here) on each lvl, also the special 8 (insert name here) in each lvl, to unlock something or other. Maybe also collect the letters to spell out (name of game character), just a hunch.

[Ajguy]

This is what I love about us gamers in general. We clamor for creativity and original games. And when Rare steps up to the plate and offers just that, people say they wished Rare would make Killer Instinct 3. Oh well.

That said. I think this has potential. Seems like a fun an quirky game. One for the kids. And that is the key. It's for kids. Still no reason everyone can't enjoy it (I mean, look at Pokemon).

[KamaItachi]

I wonder if people complaining about this complain about everything not targeted at them.

I hear that some companies even go so far as to try and tailor their products to women, children and families. God knows why as the male 18-32 demographic is quite obviously the centre of the goddamn universe.

Seriously, colourful imagery aside, if this game had good online, lots to do and some downright simple fun, I'd be all over it.

Fuck you haters Pinata crocodiles

[RandomViolence]

Fuck you haters Pinata crocodiles

Bwahahaha! Sigged.

[ElectricMonk]

these multi-platform 'brands' usually end up being turds. van helsing anyone?

i'm betting the game will be good and the tv show around mega-man the tv show levels.

[bjornbarspingvinen]

weird....
If they just add some bazookas and we´ll have a hit!
looks nice

[bjornbarspingvinen]

If this game was for Nintendo revolution , everyone would be chanting "oh Rare is so great, it´s amazing".....

[Royal Fool]

This is Microsofts attempt at Pokemon. They bought Rare for mass marketing, not for PD0. They have the Halo franchise for that market.

Doesn't change the fact that it was a horrible investment decision.

[Sl1pstream]

stop holding them to the one or two great titles they made from yesteryear, and enjoy what they are making now. If not, ignore it.

What they're making now ranges from mediocre to crap.

PDZ was awful, Kameo was fun for an hour or so, Conker was a port and Grabbed by the Ghoulies was.....not that great. Of course, there was Star Fox Adventures, let's not mention that game, ever again.

[KamaItachi]

Bwahahaha! Sigged.

My first "sigged"!

Day totally made now :D

[TKO]

If this game was for Nintendo revolution , everyone would be chanting "oh Rare is so great, it´s amazing".....
<speech=bad-italian-accent> "It's-a me! Mario-Pinata!" :D ..Would be incredibly theraputic to be able to spill his entrails all over the playfield though, no? :)

Actually, I don't know why anyone is suprised at the state of affairs so far: The people that made 007 and Perfect Dark great *left* before Perfect Dark was even completed .. that's why the later portion of Perfect Dark sucked. A mediocre to okay PDZero should be no suprise. And many of the rest of their titles were very kiddie in their nature. This new game is right along those lines, and seems a great way to give the XBox some more nintendo-like content. (they weren't getting much of that from 3rd parties, were they?) I find this an intriguing strategy, and look forward to seeing to just what degree they try to take on Nintendo head-on while Sony is busy destroying itself on multimedia devices that happen to have a bit of gaming capability. (wow, that should open me up to a few flames.) ;)

[DarkEternal]

Now, in this constantly evolving and vibrant world, all I need to do is find a baseball bat and I'll really be happy...

[bean19]

Please add this (without the intro paragraph here) to the consolidated news post as it really adds a whole lot of new information.

Gamespot's developer interview (http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/strategy/vivapinata/media.html) with Jim Veevaert, executive producer for Rare, describes this game more fully.

The player's task is to restore the garden on the magical island filled with living pinatas to it's original splendor and to thus entice the pinatas into entering and living within their garden. As players gain more of the cool pinatas, further gameplay (that looks much like that found in Animal Crossing) is unlocked as you can then interact with the pinata inhabitants. As the game progresses, sours (trouble-making pinatas) will enter your garden and gameplay that involves balancing the habitat is introduced. The game will allow for trading of pinatas via Xbox Live, but will not be multiplayer.

Additionally, the children's show, that is based on the game (rather than the game being based on the show), will occassionally hint about what is taking place in the game and vice versa.

[TheFlyingOrc]

This is not really news, except that it's Rare, which isn't really news, since Rare is a shell of the company it used to be.

People seem to think this is a big deal - it's not. 4Kids has a variety of programs - some are hits, some are timefillers. Just because this is targeting a kid market doesn't mean it will be hugely popular. There have been close to a dozen Pokemon ripoffs, and only Yu-gi-oh has done it with any REAL degree of success.

The game tie-in is also not significant. There were several Yugioh games this generation, at least one ninja turtles, something like 3 spongebobs. This is more likely BAD news for Rare as a company - them selling out to make licensed schlock is rediculous. Goldeneye is probably the best licensed product to ever come out, but the Rare of yesteryear is GONE.

Edit: And I don't think there has EVER been a truly good show based off a game. Shutup. Captain N is just nostalgia.