Best Game No One Played
Viva Pinata
Publisher: Microsoft
Developer: Rare
Why It Rocked: The difficulty of describing the gameplay in Rare's recent Xbox 360 release is likely what caused consumers to pass it by. The game puts you in the role of gardener, and gives you the freedom to plant trees and flowers, build structures, dig ponds, grow grass, and generally make your plot of land a pleasant place to live for the various piñata roaming around. Based on what you've build and grown, different piñata will be drawn in. It's up to you to meet their desires so they'll become a permanent resident, then mate them with others of their kind to upgrade your gardening skills. Viva Piñata is one of those games where there's always something to do, be it call a doctor for a sick piñata, break up a fight, protect your town from malicious sours, or keep an eye on the water level of that apple tree you've been growing. It's a game with many seemingly disparate aspects, yet everything is wrapped up together so well you'll always feel like you're making progress. It's Rare's best game in a long time, and something you should definitely try out.
