Viva Pinata: Pocket Paradise - Hands On Preview

Such is the secrecy still enjoyed by Rare that we nearly didn't reach their extravagant Twycross premises on a rainy Tuesday morning. Armed with a GPS our cabbie assured us we'd find it without too many troubles, before promptly taking several wrong turns and generally looking befuddled the further we moved away from Birmingham. In between his requests for a videogame for an older audience (isn't that already happening?), we eventually stumbled across the automated gates that signalled our arrival to see Rare's latest collaboration with THQ.

Sending out a bold signal that those Pinata's still have plenty of candy to offer despite a lukewarm reception to the first game on the Xbox 360 (the less said about Party Animals the best), Viva Pinata: Pocket Paradise is shaping up to offer the complete VP experience on the humble handheld format with a number of potential improvements that promise to develop upon the original concept.

Employing a more structured approach to the game then the generally vague openness of the original, Pocket Paradise features a total of 12 episodes that serve as tutorials to entice new gamers into the experience. Hudson Horstachio, Fergy Fudgehog, and other favourites from the TV series provide plenty of tips and techniques to enjoying and more importantly understanding what Viva Pinata is all about. Upon completing the initial four episodes the main garden becomes unlocked, signalling the start of the proper game.

The main game is largely an impressive carbon-copy of the sandbox game that appeared on the Xbox 360 back in 2006. We're guessing a lot of people probably missed out on the joys of Viva Pinata, so here we go. Essentially it's a gardening simulation game, where the challenge is to entice new species of Pinata's, customising your garden and caring for the residents by tending to their needs. Of course this is a Rare game, scratch beneath the seemingly shallow concept lurks a world of wonders and the depth that we've come to expect.

Controlled exclusively with the stylus (albeit with the d-pad or face buttons to scroll the screen if you prefer), Viva Pinata translates to the touch screen with the results you'd probably expect from Rare. Possibly the only area that caused us any concerns came from our inability to place fences accurately. We thought it was a little fiddly although a team member assured us that this was probably down to our own lack of stylus skills as opposed to anything wrong with the game - we're inclined to believe him, they are Rare after all!

To assist you in the job of cultivating the ideal garden, Viva Pinata's cast of helpful characters also pop up throughout the game. Costalot's shop is where you'll go to pick up new seeds, accessories, and objects to decorate the garden, Willie is back erecting new buildings and homes for your Pinatas, whilst Gretchen will track down and hunt wild Pinatas. Our adventures with this build also saw the return of Doc Patchingo, although this time he whizzes around in a helicopter, Sprinkling a helper that assists with watering the plants, and Bart who magically transforms objects like a Pumpkin into a Jack 'o Lantern. The creepy Dastardos also appeared frequently, putting sick Pinatas out of their misery in a manner that's as tragic as it was on the Xbox 360.

Romance sweets appear to play a slightly different role in Pocket Paradise, acting as the reward for the mini-missions that randomly appear throughout the game. No longer as abundant, the sweets instantly satisfy a Pinata's demands for the birds and the bees (or perhaps the Sparrowmints and Buzzlegums). Although the amusing mating ritual FMV sequences are still present we were a little surprised to find the mini-games removed. Despite seeming ideal for the DS, Rare's Paul Machacek assured us that they just didn't really work and obstructed the natural flow of the game.

Perhaps one of the most notable improvements is the increased urgency offered by a DS cartridge. Using the largest cartridge offered by Nintendo (128MB) to squeeze in plenty of FMV segments and voice work from the TV show, switching between menus, the encyclopaedia, and shops is instantaneous, throwing the slight but nonetheless annoying load times of the Xbox 360 version out of the window. The interface also cleverly utilises the top screen as a Journal to display important information about the state of the garden and the various Pinatas - a small touch admittedly, but one that VP fanatics will instantly see the benefits of. As a result it seems that the Viva Pinata experience suits a handheld format more appropriately than a home console; we still love Viva Pinata, but it's the type of game you pick up and play in short bouts as opposed to 3-hour stints.

The size of the garden (always a contentious issue) is estimated to be about 4x4 screens, although we've yet to see whether this expands in a similar way to the Xbox 360 original. Still Rare are keen to promote the idea of watching over multiple gardens, with the three save slots allowing DS gamers to nurture different gardens and target specific Pinatas. To this extent the Post Office returns from the original game, which allows you to send Pinatas, items, and chocolate coins to the other gardens or your friends via the local wireless connection. It seems a shame that Viva Pinata: Pocket Paradise won't take advantage of the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service in this respect.

Over 60 Pinatas appear in the game, 7 of which are brand new species. A handy pyramid provides a graphical representation of the Pinata's you've encountered, which should appeal to the 'Gotta Catch Em All' mentality of Pokemon fanatics. Pocket Paradise also includes a sanbox option depicted literally as a sun-drenched section of beach, which allows younger gamers to enjoy the experience without any of the restrictions or challenges of the main game.