rocsflight

JimElNino

Cueil

Cueil

Let's hope so

Raszor

rcarydon

thaichaiguy

This may even mean a Gears spin-off could be on the DS, just with the Unreal 1 engine.

Lord_The_Night_Knight

If the DS version gets good reviews Ill pick it up.

poematik14

javajoe96

Brilliant!

Ty4Cy

MisterGrok

Checked the link and found this:

"This is a full-size Viva Piñata game in your pocket, featuring not only the entire range of paper beasts from the Xbox 360 title but also a few new ones thrown in to spice things up for those familiar with the established cast.

You'll also be given free rein with an expanded selection of tools and tool actions, upgraded forms of the Journal and Encyclopedia, and brand new game modes such as Sandbox (for full and easy access to your favourite Piñatas) and Episodes (tying in more closely to the TV series and allowing fans of the show to spend quality time with familiar faces)."

So the DS game has MORE features than the 360 game? Uh, wow.

damon53

valhum

diablofreak

jimmcq

The fact that the 360 version was presented with such vibrant colors and in HD quality was a big lure of the game to me. I need to see more screenshots and gameplay vids of this before I pass judgement.

The 360 version really doesn't have much replay value, unless you like making different looking gardens all the time, so I might just pass on this one.

vonfaustus

pizzapizzapizza

I'll call it christmas when theres an actual sequel instead of a port. Or even if Rare releases a bloody patch so I can finally hatch my dragonache egg :(

Shoitaan

The party game is from another developer.

First the PC port, and now the DS, it's a bit like christmas. :)

Grind_Axis

I'm just really glad though that even though Rare is Microsoft exclusive for consoles they can still do handheld games for Nintendo. Here's hoping it isn't like the crap they put on the GBA. Here's also hoping we hear some news about the next Banjo Kazooie game and also hopefully a Kameo sequel.

silentbobfan

Cellien

dude49

Let me just make sure I've got that pesky thing called a "life" cleared out before this drops.

Rebochan

ninja_naut

Sinnix

eternalplayer2345

Everything worth some penny's, M$ or Sony, or Nintendo can cash up with will happen!

Tyler out!

tylerstyle

I wonder if you can trade pinatas between the two versions. That would be sweet.

Rupan

Knukleur

@Everyone else:

Microsoft knows that for handheld games to succeed (especially ones for the casual gamer) they must target a different company's platform. The DS is the most obvious choice because:

1) Rare already developed stuff for Nintendo (and still does : [www.diddykongracing.com])
2) It has the casual gamer market that the PSP doesn't.
3) It's less embarassing than working with Sony who are their rival on the home console market.

Contra666

KosherInfidel

One Way Mule

Neeks

JohnPalmer

Covert-X

Microsoft is releaseing this on the DS cause it'll make a ton of money. The DS has sold more then the Wii, 360, and PS3 all together at this point, so there are ALOT of potential buyers out there.

If you want more info on Viva Pinata, be it any of the games, TV show, or anything else VP, check out pinataisland.info. It's got everything. The developers even spend time there. :)

LordRavenBlack

Personally this makes me happy as the only two "next-gen" systems I own are a 360 and a DS thusfar, so I feel as if I'm getting most of good the games coming out right now.

akwinters

Fadakar

VakeroRokero

wfrantic

damon53

Yetanotheruninspiredscreename

WinterSnowblind

N-G-G

Age of Empires people.

Yetanotheruninspiredscreename

Definitely looking at getting this; any news on when it comes out, or will we be waiting a while for that?

Achenar

bigman88zz

I wonder if Sony and Micrsoft will fight over who gets to be Nintendo's best friend.

penhalion

Good for Microsoft and Rare I suppose. After all, they don't have a handheld. Also, I'm willing to bet this game becomes a success in Japan, if only because its on the DS now. Didn't seem to do much on the 360 (anywhere).

N-G-G

MidnightScott17

As long as there's no gaming handheld from Microsoft, it makes sense to support other handhelds. Viva Piñata on the DS is probably tantamount to printing money, and the Microsoft Gaming dept. can use a bit of that nowadays :-)

L_K_M

Ah Rare's own comments reveal a different story. You may want to ask Microsoft why they haven't put any of the Rare IPs on the xbox live arcade.

Conker the xbox version was editied for example it wasn't uncut they had to put in new content and remove some of the old content.

Tell me if they really own the IP and code why did have to make a new game rather then use the old code? Answer it's because Nintendo has rights to parts of the code and they are the publisher hence all the changes to it.

Yetanotheruninspiredscreename

WinterSnowblind

Macca

nya-chama

Viva Pinata seems like an even more obvious choice. It was a great game on the 360, but didn't appeal to most of the people who own one. It would however appeal massivly to DS fans. Rare want to recoup the losses made from Viva Pinata, and it may encourage a lot of the DS fans to go out and get a 360 to play that one.

It's the same reason why seeing Halo on the DS wouldn't be completely out of the question. If the DS created more Halo fans, they'd need to buy a 360 to continue being fans. Even if it isn't happening yet, I bet it will, sooner or later.

WinterSnowblind

asianmacker

nya-chama

Macca

Macca

There have been several comments by Nintendo, Rare that Rare games on the vc is quite possible. It's a matter of Microsoft wanting the money and deciding how the royalties on the game would be divided between the three parties.

MS at one point stated that N64 games could never be on the xbox live arcade due to the size of the carts.

Microsoft cannot put the Rare games on the vc since Nintendo was the publisher.

Yetanotheruninspiredscreename

DeadPlasmaCell

sqwarlock

Ah bungie confirmed that Halo DS does exist they had numerous pitches from various companies so protypes of the game were shown to Bungie. The deals fell apart at the last moment.

Seriously why is it a shock that Microsoft IPs would show up on the DS? There are already several prior Microsoft IPs on the DS. Age of Empires and several other Rare games.

Yetanotheruninspiredscreename

seriously tho, taking this as a deperation move on MS' part or a strike against Sony by putting games on the DS, i just think its reading inot things. its a great market for this game, and if this game is as fun as ive heard, its cool to hear.

TheIrishNinja

I don't want a 360. But this seemed like such an awesome game.

MonsterKingRen

Shoitaan

Viva Pinata never really interested me. I'll admit, the kiddie image is a big turn-off, but I've never been a big fan of these god-lite sim games.

ev1l_er1c

Ulquiorra Schiffer

This is clearly a move to build the viva fan base, as was the cartoon. When they feel it has reached critical mass, I'm sure they will stop releasing the any new games for the series on the DS, so that the fans have to buy a 360 to make daddy whirlm abuse baby whirlm.

DarrenIndeed

ThisCharmingMan

What about Japan? We all know that the DS and all of its games sell by the truckload over there. With the right marketing campaign, Viva Pinata could really move a few hundred thousand units easily. Considering that all three Animal Crossings did well over there, its not a far stretch.

In turn people will want more Viva Pinata. I'm not sure if VP has already been released for the JPN 360, but a surge in sales (or a re-release) would definitely be a shot in the arm for Microsoft's Japanese division.

TOPolk

cyhborg

I think I'm the only guy I know with a 360 that liked (let alone bought) Viva. Plus is MS trying to totally screw Sony to the wall by giving the DS more stuff to sell? I would wager "yeah".

@PapaBear434: I got PDZ for free when I bought Gears from someone, and could hardly finish the first level. I love the multiplayer though.

edb87

TheIrishNinja

Rare needs to release an updated version of the classics, doesn't matter what console. Leave the base engine, gameplay, level design intact and add online multiplayer and new graphics. Pretty much the same way valve did with counter strike source, source wasn't an exact replica of the gameplay exsistant in the original, but they sure as hell did a good job.

ReginaldTheSeventySecond

is M$ loosing that much money that its going to start selling games on the DS/Wii to help make some $$$ back?

or like papabear said, if M$ see's everyone is jumping out of the ship, they slowly will merge with nintendo to make sure Sony doesnt dominate?

The only time ive seen this happen is Sega coming to nintendo after the fall of the dreamcast.

Crunshii

DS install base worldwide is 40 million units and growing. It looks like will overtake the gameboy line in three to four years perhaps less if they increase production. Note the gameboy line is gba, gba micro, gba sp, gameboy, gameboy pocket, gameboy color. Over a decade and the DS is half that number in just three years.

Yetanotheruninspiredscreename

Fadakar

If they are then it's a smart move on their part. By having cross over IP the two companies are set to benefit from each-others audiences. Hearing this news makes me less skeptical about a DS halo game. Imagine that for a deal. We give you master chief and you give us the back catalogue of Mario.

.....Stop looking at me like that. A man can dream can't he!

penhalion

William "Killer" Shatner

ara

Quite deceptive that game is.

Tensong

ThisCharmingMan

They are hoping that the people who buy the DS game will be more interested in picking up a xbox 360.

Lets face it the so called hardcore cannot sustain a console or make it number one in sales. Hardcore are a tiny minority of those who buy game consoles. Most game consoles are bought so people can play Madden, licensed movie or kid games, DDR, or Buzz. In other words pretty much every game buyer dissed by the hardcore as ruining the industry.

Since the xbox 360 is marketed towards these hardcore gamers they didn't buy Viva Pinata and the price point, lack of casual or kid games makes parents not buy the console. Hence Viva Pinata has most of the sales potential aborted.

Also the DS game could very well sell much better then the xbox 360 game ever did meaning Microsoft would recoup losses on Viva Pinata.

DS has far more sales potential for a Viva Pinata game then the xbox 360 ever will.

If a ds game bombs it's not that much of a financial loss in comparison to a PS3 or xbox 360 game.

Yetanotheruninspiredscreename

claming

Luke Plunkett

Perfect Dark was SO much better on the N64 than it was on the 360 anyway.

I couldn't get into the 360 version. But I played the 64 version until my hands bled. Which is weird, since the controllers were pretty round and lacking in anything sharp.

PapaBear434

ReginaldTheSeventySecond

It's a conspiracy. Microsoft and Nintendo doesn't want Sony to own the console market again this generation like they did LAST generation. They joined forces in order to quell the giant.

Little did they know that all it would take was their FIRST step: Drug the Sony PR, marketing, and Executives so that they say really profoundly stupid things in front of reporters and cameras.

Worked like a charm.

PapaBear434

@Crunshii: Psst...you can totally have Mario on the PSP! google "homebrew", its the best. DS has it too.

TheIrishNinja

ok this is just plain weird... Rare is owned by Microsoft, why would they release Viva Pinata on the DS for Nintendo???

Yes MS doesnt compete in the handheld war between Sony and Nintendo, but doesnt this help push even more nintendo sales that helps the Wii over all that actually competes against the 360?

oh well, next thing I will see Halo3 on the Wii, MGS4 on xbox and Mario on the PSP...

Crunshii

Wow, dude, careful with that today. Remember, the hunt is on...

Personally, i was going to say "Great, now I can promote colorful cannibalism on the go. It's a brave new world for the career minded Jeffery Dahmers out there."

PapaBear434

i mean uh, great game, glad to see more people can play it, yay!! uh, i got a thing...

TheIrishNinja

Blinkstale

Mit

Now I'll know what have I been missing.
This makes me a happy terrorist.

Falsoman