Viva Pinata announced for Nintendo DS

45 Comments by Christopher Grant Jul 30th 2007 9:30AM
Filed under: Nintendo DS

During a Viva Piñata panel at Comic-Con, Rare announced a Nintendo DS version of their well-received (but demographically incongruous) Xbox 360 title, Viva Piñata. A Rare developer answered some basic questions on the PinataIsland.info forum, quelling fears that the title would not be developed by Rare – he said, "Very definitely 'yes' on this one. We have a dedicated handheld dev team." – and that the gameplay would be different – he said, "Game play wise, yes. It's the same game ... ." Still no word on whether or not the game will take advantage of the DS' Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.

While it's not a huge surprise – Shane Kim intimated as much to 1UP – it's curious to see Microsoft publishing a title on a competitor's platform. If they can get the Pokemon crowd hooked on Viva Piñata via the enormously popular DS, then we're betting some of those kids just may grow up to be 360 owners.

[Via ShackNews]

Tags: BreakingNews, Comic-Con, Rare, VivaPinata

Source

(Page 1) Reader Comments

Jason: Jul 30th 2007; 9:35AM

Good news for this game. I think it launched a bit too early into the 360's cycle where most everybody's still hardcore.

Zertoss: Jul 30th 2007; 9:37AM

Microsoft has other games on Nintendo's handhelds too (Age of Empires, Mechassault). I don't think they count as competitors since MS doesn't have its own handheld gaming system.

Matters: Jul 30th 2007; 10:08AM

Wouldn't Diddy kong racing also be considered an MS game since it was made by Rare? That game sold pretty well even though it wasn't great (from what I've read).

I think MS is smart enough to realize that there is a lot of money to be made with DS games. They're cheap to develop and have a lot of potential for high sales.

Exo: Jul 30th 2007; 10:15AM

Not really. didy kong raceing is a nintendo game, rare may have made it, but nintendo owns and published it. though they did have to take out conker and banjo because rare owns those.

Matters: Jul 30th 2007; 10:25AM

Rare did make it and you're right about Nintendo publishing it.

But that's still money to Rare and Microsoft. They didn't make it out of kindness ;)

Exo: Jul 30th 2007; 10:48AM

Nintendo still cashes in on it, remember, they have to license it with nintendo for it to be allowed to be put out on the system. so really, they are just making nintendo more money if you think about it.

Matters: Jul 30th 2007; 11:18AM

True enough but Nintendo will make money either way. I don't think MS minds so much as long as they're making a piece of that. It's obvious that MS sees money in the DS and wants to get in on it.

Maybe what they're doing is a little bit of their embrace and extend tactic. Build up some good hand held franchises on an existing, stable platform (and make a lot of money at the same time). In the future if they could create their own hand held they could bring their established hand held franchises over as exclusives.

Or they could just play it safe and keep making money off Nintendo's hand helds. There's no reason not too right?

JodyAnthony: Jul 30th 2007; 9:44AM

cool. when I pick up a 360 viva pinata is one of the games I want to get most (along with eternal sonata and blue dragon)

AFK: Jul 30th 2007; 9:53AM

good Idea.. Kiddies play it on their DS then Bitch at their parents for the 360 version >:D

Xizer: Jul 30th 2007; 10:01AM

That's so sweet! Nintendo and Microsoft are buddies. Sony is that depressed kid sitting in the corner who is constantly failing tests.

Sweet Tooth: Jul 30th 2007; 2:47PM

"That's so sweet! Nintendo and Microsoft are buddies. Sony is that depressed kid sitting in the corner who is constantly failing tests."

Here's a post about Nintendo and Microsoft, but you had to take this opportunity to bash Sony like the fanboy that you are.

Kye: Jul 30th 2007; 10:25AM

That's deep.

Matters: Jul 30th 2007; 10:06AM

Cool. Fun game other than the crappy interface. Hopefully they'll improve on that aspect of the game and make doing some things (like digging for info) a little easier. I hated how they didn't put the names of the pinata in some areas so you had to identify them by crappy little cropped pictures or click on them until you finally find the one you're looking for.

dvdguy: Jul 30th 2007; 10:28AM

Smart move by Microsoft here.

WiNG: Jul 30th 2007; 10:35AM

"we're betting some of those kids just may grow up to be 360 owners. "

I don't know about this one. Sure 360 is doing well now, but to be around when these kids grow up? I think MS needs to rethink its machine and build something with a real 10 year life cycle.

/sarcasm

thebigfatj: Jul 30th 2007; 10:44AM

But the 360 isn't doing well now. Sales are really, really low.

This game was actually one of the biggest motivating factors for us to get a 360 (my finacee loves it). We'll probably forget the 360 entirely now, since we will be able to buy a DS instead.

bearxor: Jul 30th 2007; 10:36AM

I'll bite. I didn't pick up the 360 version, a little too involved for me. I think a watered-down pick up and play version would be right up my alley.

Jack of No Trades: Jul 30th 2007; 10:36AM

All I want is a new Conker and Banjo for the 360.

CJC: Jul 30th 2007; 10:42AM

A wider, larger, audience with a more appropriate demographic might give this game the sales it deserved.

mr nimblewick: Jul 30th 2007; 11:00AM

This was the only game on 360 that interested me in the least. Then I saw the show and quickly lost my interest. But maybe I can ignore that aspect for the DS release.

Jack of No Trades: Jul 30th 2007; 11:07AM

How can you call yourself a gamer and blog on Joystiq when Viva Pinata is the only game on 360 you were interested in? Wow.

mr nimblewick: Jul 30th 2007; 11:21AM

I don't like FPS, racers, or sports. Well, there are some FPS I have liked, but they've all been with a mouse. I can't play them with analog sticks. What does that leave on the 360 for me to play? Table Tennis? Maybe I'll get it on Wii, but not likely. Viva had a different look than anything else and what sounded like a fun concept.
Now are you saying I should be driven out of Joystiq for having game preferences?

Jack of No Trades: Jul 30th 2007; 11:29AM

No I don't think anyone should be kicked off of Joystiq because of game preference. I just thought it was crazy that you found nothing else interesting on the 360. Most people that comment on a video game site usually have a passion for games. Like I said its just a surprise to me that your not interested in Eternal Sonata, Mass Effect & Blue Dragon.

mr nimblewick: Jul 30th 2007; 11:35AM

Admittedly, I don't know very about either of the JRPGs past the screenshots, but I've found through gaming for a while that they tend to be pretty interchangeable. Mass Effect, well, a quote from IGN says "the game controls similarly to a standard third-person shooter," and really, I don't have the time to devote to a game like that.

Evan: Jul 30th 2007; 11:47AM

mr nimblewick, I know how you feel. I don't like RPGs or FPSs played with a controller, and sometimes it seems that's all anyone here cares about.

Orange Soda: Jul 30th 2007; 11:02AM

I seem to recall reading a long time ago that Microsoft was looking into a way to hook up the DS with their Xbox (Not sure how long ago it was. May have been Xbox. May have been 360.).

Diskoboy: Jul 30th 2007; 11:11AM

"it's curious to see Microsoft publishing a title on a competitor's platform"

Back in the pre-crash days, this was common practice. Atari would make games for practically every system (remember Atarisoft?), Mattel made games for the VCS (M-Network), Sega made games for Atari and Coleco, Phillips (Odyssey 2) made games for Atari and Coleco, and so on.

And somehow, everyone managed to play nice, back then. Then the market collapsed...

valisol: Jul 30th 2007; 11:12AM

I was gonna try to preempt the 'Nintendo is kiddie' response, but I think AFK beat me to it.

Anyway, I might pick this up if it controls well - it was the only 360-exclusive game that I've tried and liked (note: I don't have a 360, and I've only played Halo 2 and DDR on my friends' 360s)

GearsMaster: Jul 30th 2007; 11:18AM

This could be huge on the DS...

I've thought about getting it for the 360 but I'm not sure if I'll like it. It looks amazing and it looks fun. But I've never had the patience for leveling up things and all the micromanagement it seems you have to do in games like that.

baby sea tuna: Jul 30th 2007; 11:38AM

I'm glad to hear this. VP was easily my favorite 360 game of last year, which is really saying something. I definitely wouldn't mind a portable version with a touch screen interface (the 360 controller worked okay, but only after you memorized the too complicated layout.)

But to the 360 owners who haven't played it yet, pick up a copy on eBay for like $10. You'll be glad you did.

Evan: Jul 30th 2007; 11:43AM

This suggests that Microsoft is not planning on entering the handheld market anytime soon.

Roddie: Jul 30th 2007; 11:56AM

I definately agree..

Roddie: Jul 30th 2007; 11:57AM

"and that the gameplay would be different –"Game play wise, yes. It's the same game ..."."

WTF?

Christopher Grant: Jul 30th 2007; 12:24PM

"quelling fears ... that the gameplay would be different"

Jack of No Trades: Jul 30th 2007; 12:03PM

@ evan also

What do you expect from games these days? Hardware and controls are more advanced so it takes longer to learn the scheme. Don't be intimadated with the controls. If you think console games are to advanced then maybe you should be playing moble games. The more and more people complain about contols the faster we will have dumb-down controllers and minigames by the dozen.

mr nimblewick: Jul 30th 2007; 1:21PM

It's okay if you like complex controller schemes. I don't, and many other people don't as well.

I could never get on board with the L1 L2 R1 R2 thing. My fingers don't bend like that.

Hey, that's great if you like it, but don't expect some one who isn't a fan of console shooters to fall in love with the 360.

Evan: Jul 30th 2007; 3:31PM

I have no problem with "advanced" controls - I can pull off trick combos just fine on skateboarding and snowboarding games. I just prefer the speed and precision of a mouse for FPS games.

Andrew: Jul 30th 2007; 12:04PM

Hehe, nice one :0)

Word of the street.: Jul 30th 2007; 12:06PM

Time to buy a DS

Christopher Grant: Jul 30th 2007; 12:22PM

What's spelled wrong? "definately"? That was the Rare employees misspelling although, you are right, I should have corrected it or marked [sic]. It's been corrected.

ThornedVenom: Jul 30th 2007; 12:25PM

I've heard great things about Viva Pinata, but I've personally never played the game. But I guess that it would pike my interest if the portable version was made correctly. =)

Knoxximus: Jul 30th 2007; 12:46PM

This is what Microsoft needed to do for this title. maybe now it'll get the attention and respect it deserves by targeting its proper demographic.

jimmcq: Jul 30th 2007; 3:10PM

There is a brief Q&A about this game with a developer from Rare at http://pinataisland.info/forum/showthread.php?p=64497

Christopher Grant: Jul 30th 2007; 6:17PM

Check the Read link and the link attached to the post image. That was our post source!

JohnPalmer2007: Jul 31st 2007; 3:10AM

I was at the Rare Viva Pinata conference at Comicon and have a video of the announcement (plus some other information) on my site:
http://johnpalmer2007.googlepages.com

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