What have you played recently?

Megan Fox: Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe. And I also like to go back to a game called Viva Pinata every once in a while, which is really embarrassing. But it’s kind of addicting. You’re nursing this garden of piñatas and it’s a lot of fun.

For more on Megan’s elite gaming skills and how bad ass she is at Mortal Kombat, check out the full interview here.

September 8, 2008 – THQ Inc. (NASDAQ: THQI) today announced that Viva Piñata: Pocket Paradise is now available exclusively for Nintendo DS at major retail outlets worldwide. Based on the critically acclaimed original Viva Piñata game from Microsoft Game Studios for Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the game will allow players to utilize their creativity to develop the ultimate piñata paradise with the swipe of a stylus. Developed by Rare Ltd., the creators of the original and highly-acclaimed Viva Piñata game, Viva Piñata: Pocket Paradise is rated "E" for Everyone and is now available for the suggested retail price of $29.99.

"With the continually growing market share of the Nintendo DS, THQ is pleased to bring the cherished Viva Piñata series to the system for the first time," said Terri Schiek, vice president, North American sales and distribution, THQ. "The intuitive interface of the Nintendo DS is perfectly suited for the open-ended and customizable gameplay in Viva Piñata: Pocket Paradise. We expect the title to be a great addition to the handheld market as we head into the holiday season."

Viva Piñata: Pocket Paradise will allow players to inherit a neglected garden on Piñata Island and turn it into paradise through a number of activities including garden cleaning and decorating, vegetation growth and management, as well as piñata caretaking. As players watch their gardens grow, they will attract new piñatas, including seven brand new piñata species. A new Playground Mode will allow players to quickly create a fertile garden full of exciting and exotic piñatas, while numerous items may be shared among friends using the Nintendo DS local wireless connection. Viva Piñata: Pocket Paradise will also include 12 playable levels based on actual episodes from the hit TV show. These garden scene environments are played through with guidance from some of the popular TV series characters such as Hudson Horstachio, Fergy Fudgehog and Paulie Pretztail.

How will the new VP be accessible to non-hardcore gamers, while at the same time keep Rare’s avid fans smiling?

We’ve added a load of features for out hardcore fans. For example each piñata can now learn two tricks, this makes them more valuable but it’s also a requirement for sending some piñata off to parties. For the people who are new to piñata we have a Just For Fun mode where the game has been stripped back to a very basic version. This allows players to have a fast-forward game and see lots of new piñata quickly without them eating each other or getting into fights. There’s unlimited cash so you can go to town dressing the piñata and the garden to your own personal tastes.

How much bigger and varied are your options as a gardener now?

We’ve given the player 30ish new species, two new areas to trap piñata, a complete new challenge system and a whole heap of new tools, tweaks and improvements to make the game bigger and more friendly to play. There’s lots more to do with your piñata once they have become resident this time and our testing team have taken twice as long to play through it all. It’s a very large game if you want to see it all.

Full interview here

1) Feed a Parrybo with Candary candy and watch it swashbuckle like a pirate.

2) Unpack a triggered trap thinking it’s a Sweetle only to find a Camelo staring back at you.

3) Accidentally feed a Doenut the fir tree seed and watch in surprise as he morphs into a Moojoo.

4) Have your brother’s high-level prize piñata soundly thrashed by your humble Whilrm in the P-Factor.

5) Watch a Sparrowmint ride a train around the garden until he fills up with candy – then send him to a party!

6) Spend the night fending off the Sour Sherbat then breathe a sigh of relief as the sun rises over Piñata Central and the little pest flies off for the day.

7) Take some time to watch the Piñata Central blimp fly over the garden while the sprinkling you hired keeps all your crops well watered.

8 ) Watch a Custacean with bunny slippers on walk out of his house and down the beach in the morning light, as if they’re off to fetch the morning paper.

I’ve played through a bit of it this evening, and I can confirm from a personal perspective that it is more organized, more challenging, and far better than the original. Everything the first offered is still there so far plus much more. Either I or Banjo-Conker will have plenty more to share with you all in our upcoming review if you’re still uncertain on whether or not to purchase TiP.

Direct link here

What Viva Piñata: Pocket Paradise loses in coming second, and not having a triple-core PowerPC chip to drive its graphics, it makes up with its new, much better stylus-based interface, and Rare’s impressive feat of retaining the vast majority of the original game’s best features, in roughly the same measures. It’s still a bit too complex to work as a kids’ game (for that you might be better with the 360 sequel’s co-op mode, where you can pick up a second pad and offer a helping hand), but for everybody else it comes highly recommended.

Full Review at Eurogamer

Earlier today I stopped by Gamestop and picked up the strategy guid for Viva Pinata: Trouble in Paradise. I have no intentions whatsoever on using it to complete the game, I just like looking through the guides after the game’s completion. I did open it up however to see if it included any Pinata Cards and sure enough, it does. Nine in fact. I’ll be sure and get pictures of them taken individually so when the game releases and if you have an Xbox 360 Vision Camera, you can simply scan the cards and presto!, the pinatas are in your Garden.

Don’t forget that Trouble in Paradise releases in the U.S. on Tuesday, September 2nd and in Europe on September 5th.