Viva pinata
| Viva Piñata | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Genres | Life simulation |
| Developers |
Rare Krome Studios |
| Publishers |
Microsoft Game Studios THQ |
| Platforms | Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo DS |
| First release |
Viva Piñata November 9, 2006 |
| Latest release |
Viva Piñata: Pocket Paradise September 8, 2008 |
Viva Piñata is a video game franchise by Microsoft Studios and Rare. The series' first game, Viva Piñata (2006), was conceived as a mobile gardening game before Rare was acquired by Microsoft. It was then developed for the Xbox and ultimately the Xbox 360. It launched alongside an animated series produced by 4Kids. The game received two console sequels: Party Animals (2007) and Trouble in Paradise (2008), as well as a handheld release, Pocket Paradise (2008), for the Nintendo DS.
Rare co-founder Tim Stamper conceptualized a gardening game for the handheld Pocket PC platform around 2002. A small (three-person) team began work on a simple prototype while the Rare was still affiliated with Nintendo, prior to its Microsoft acquisition. The game's development transferred to the original Xbox and, ultimately, to the Xbox 360 for its graphics capabilities. Rare wanted its animals to have a unified style, which was how the game's concept artist arrived at the piñata concept. The idea was exciting to Rare, as piñatas were not commonplace in England. The connection between piñatas and candy-filled insides led to new gameplay directions.
The Viva Piñata team was a model for productivity and regular output within Rare and Microsoft Studios. Though compared to the 12-person teams behind earlier Rare games, the company's Xbox 360 development teams consisted of 50 to 60 people. The Viva Piñata team included about 50 people at its zenith. Microsoft also transitioned its development teams to use the company's XNA package to streamline and reduce duplication in engineering efforts. Microsoft pressured the Viva Piñata development team to keep the game's themes kid-friendly, as the parent company planned for the game and resulting franchise to increase the market appeal of their Xbox 360. In 2006, a Microsoft Games executive called the game its most important franchise. But its reception was tepid.
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