Frequently Asked Questions
This article is a work-in-progress. Please discuss any comments about the organization of this FAQ on its talk page.
Additions to the FAQ are welcome. Please follow the writing style of the FAQ, and feel free to credit yourself at the bottom of this page. Please use a format of FAQ-<Section>-<Keyword> to link new questions and answers.
Please do not split this article or create a new category for this FAQ, at this time. The answers might eventually be split off this page (depending on the length of this article) into several categoried FAQ articles, after the game is released, and the section headings and terminology have been revised to match the gameplay and types of new questions that arise on the forums.
Still left to do: Add links to images, where they would be helpful.
This is a collection of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about the Viva Piñata Xbox 360 game. Other information about Viva Piñata, such as merchandise, or the TV show, can be found elsewhere on the wiki.
Contents
- 1 General questions
- 2 Achievement questions
- 3 User Interface questions
- 4 Shops and currency questions
- 5 Species questions
- 6 Multiplayer questions
- 7 Appendices
- 7.1 What's a wild Piñata?
- 7.2 What's a sour Piñata?
- 7.3 How do I tame a sour Piñata?
- 7.4 Can any species become a sour Piñata?
- 7.5 Why did my Piñata turn green and yellow?
- 7.6 How do I heal a sick Piñata?
- 7.7 How do I get two Piñatas to romance?
- 7.8 Who is Professor Pester? The Ruffians?
- 7.9 In what ways can I customize my Piñatas?
- 7.10 Are there any tips for playing this game?
- 7.11 Is breaking open a Piñata a bad thing to do?
- 7.12 What effect does day and night have on the game?
- 7.13 Does my garden evolve, while I'm not playing the game?
- 7.14 Is it better to fence in Piñatas, or let them free roam?
- 7.15 When will the game be released?
- 7.16 Where can I find out more information about the game?
- 7.17 Where can I find a list of Achievements?
- 7.18 What's the difference between an Award and an Achievement?
- 7.19 Where do I learn more about my Piñatas?
- 7.20 How do I name a Piñata?
- 7.21 What's the purpose of labeling a Piñata?
- 7.22 What can I place in my garden?
- 7.23 Are some fences better than others?
- 7.24 How do I know when to water my garden?
- 7.25 What can I buy with my chocolate coins?
- 7.26 How do I get more money?
- 7.27 Where do I pick up the Piñata that my friend sent me?
- 7.28 Where do I go to hire helpers for my garden?
- 7.29 How do I upgrade my tools?
- 7.30 Where do I get more seeds?
- 7.31 How do I get more accessories?
- 7.32 What Downloadables are available for the game?
- 7.33 Are there cat and dog Piñatas?
- 7.34 How many different Piñata species are there?
- 7.35 My Piñata are fighting! What can I do?
- 7.36 What species don't get along with each other?
- 7.37 How can I attract a different Piñata species?
- 7.38 Which Piñatas are rare?
- 7.39 Are there any mythical Piñatas?
- 7.40 Can I create new Piñata species?
- 7.41 Will there be any new Piñatas on the Marketplace?
- 7.42 Is there a Co-op mode?
- 7.43 Can I invite a friend to visit my garden?
- 7.44 What different online modes are there?
- 7.45 How do I ship a Piñata to a friend?
- 7.46 Revision history
- 7.47 Contact information
- 7.48 Credits
- 7.49 Legal
General questions
- What's a wild Piñata?
- What's a sour Piñata?
- How do I tame a sour Piñata?
- Can any species become a sour Piñata?
- Why did my Piñata turn green and yellow?
- How do I heal a sick Piñata?
- How do I get two Piñatas to romance?
- Who is Professor Pester? The Ruffians?
- In what ways can I customize my Piñatas?
- Are there any tips for playing this game?
- Is breaking open a Piñata a bad thing to do?
- What effect does day and night have on the game?
- Does my garden evolve, while I'm not playing the game?
- Is it better to fence in Piñatas, or let them free roam?
- When will the game be released?
- Where can I find out more information about the game?
Achievement questions
User Interface questions
- Where do I learn more about my Piñatas?
- How do I name a Piñata?
- What's the purpose of labeling a Piñata?
- What can I place in my garden?
- Are some fences better than others?
- How do I know when to water my garden?
Shops and currency questions
- What can I buy with my chocolate coins?
- How do I get more money?
- Where do I pick up the Piñata that my friend sent me?
- Where do I go to hire helpers for my garden?
- How do I upgrade my tools?
- Where do I get more seeds?
- How do I get more accessories?
- What Downloadables are available for the game?
Species questions
- Are there cat and dog Piñatas?
- How many different Piñata species are there?
- My Piñata are fighting! What can I do?
- What species don't get along with each other?
- How can I attract a different Piñata species?
- Which Piñatas are rare?
- Are there any mythical Piñatas?
- Can I create new Piñata species?
- Will there be any new Piñatas on the Marketplace?
Multiplayer questions
- Is there a Co-op mode?
- Can I invite a friend to visit my garden?
- What different online modes are there?
- How do I ship a Piñata to a friend?
Appendices
What's a wild Piñata?
A wild Piñata will be black and white, and appear at the edge of your garden. Once it becomes a resident, its monochrome colors will change into their more vibrant colorful pattern.
Wild Piñatas are attracted to your garden, by meeting the right conditions for each species to appear. For example, specific flowers and trees, or piñatas that already reside in your garden, can capture the interest of a Wild Pinata. Once a Wild Piñata has appeared, you can entice it to become a resident in your garden by providing it with what it needs to be happy there.
You can see which Wild Piñatas are visiting your garden, by opening your Journal's Encyclopedia. The Encyclopedia will show you the specific requirements that you need to meet, for your visitors to become residents.
What's a sour Piñata?
A sour Piñata is red and black, and a troublemaker! When one appears, it will start fights, smash garden objects, or scare off other residents. It's filled with sour candy, so you generally don't want to break it open, as your other Piñatas will rush over and eat the candy, which will make them ill. Taming a Sour will bring out its good habits, and it will become a helpful resident around the garden.
How do I tame a sour Piñata?
See Taming sour pinatas for details.
Can any species become a sour Piñata?
No. While eating sour candy will make a Piñata ill, they will not become a Sour, themselves. It's likely that there are only a few Sour species.
Note: It's possible that the only way to obtain a Macaraccoon, Bonboon, Cocoadile, or Shellybean resident for your garden, is by taming a Sour, as non-Sour Wilds of those species might not exist. Of course, you could always ask a friend to ship you a tame one.
Why did my Piñata turn green and yellow?
A green and yellow Piñata is ill. Piñatas can become ill for several reasons:
- Eating sour candy,
- Not having enough room to roam, or
- Just general random illness.
Even Sours can become ill, as the Macaraccoon image shows.
How do I heal a sick Piñata?
It's not known at this time if you can actively heal your own residents. However, there are two characters that will show up. One is a friendly helper named Dr. Patchingo, who will heal your ill Piñata for you. The other is a Witch Doctor named Dastardos who probably isn't very helpful. He'll try to break open your sick Piñata to put it out of its misery. Of course, this is not a good thing for several reasons, as you'll have to wait for that Piñata species to return as a Wild and become a resident again. Also, other nearby Piñata will probably eat the sour candy, and become ill themselves.
Gameplay Tip: Your best bet, is to try to avoid sickness in the first place, by keeping your animals happy, well-fed, and giving them plenty of room to roam. Also don't break open any Sours!
How do I get two Piñatas to romance?
First, you'll need a house for that species, so they'll have a place to be romantic. Next, introduce two of the species, and little red hearts will appear over them, after they get close. You'll have to play a romance minigame maze to get the two to meet up. Once you successfully meet them up, they'll disappear into their house, and you'll get to watch their romantic mating dance. (Each species has their own unique dance.)
Template:FAQkeytable Highlight one Piñata and press the A key to select it. Your cursor will split into two. Highlight a second Piñata of the same species and press A to direct them together to be romantic. |}
Who is Professor Pester? The Ruffians?
Not much is known yet about interactions with Professor Pester and his Ruffians in the game.
In what ways can I customize my Piñatas?
You can:
- Name each Piñata resident,
- Use the Label Designer to label their tag with unique information about them, and
- Outfit them with accessories that you can get from the Shops.
The tag actually is quite useful, as it contains a record of every garden that the Piñata has visited. It's possible that Piñatas could be traded on a round-the-world trip!
Are there any tips for playing this game?
You can find some tips and advice at the Gameplay Tips article.
Is breaking open a Piñata a bad thing to do?
Yes, yes, and yes. When your back is turned, Piñatas will actually talk about you. Seriously.
If you break open too many, there are consequences. Other Wilds of that species will have heard that your garden isn't a friendly place for them, and they'll be less likely to visit or become residents.
Besides, how would you feel about being whacked with a shovel?
What effect does day and night have on the game?
The only initial effect that is known, is that some Piñatas are nocturnal (they like to sleep during the day). So, you might see different species roaming about the garden, depending on what time of day it is. See Day and night cycle for more information.
Does my garden evolve, while I'm not playing the game?
There's no definite answer, but it's likely that it doesn't. Your garden will most likely be in the same state you left it in (e.g. flowers won't have died from lack of water, Sours won't have scared other Piñatas away).
Is it better to fence in Piñatas, or let them free roam?
Like any good issue, moderation is the key. You want to strike a balance between protecting your Piñatas from other species or Category:Sours, and giving them plenty of room to roam. (If they don't have enough room to roam, they will become ill.) In addition to protecting your Piñatas, fences also help protect your garden objects. There's nothing worse than a free-roaming Elephanilla trampling your garden, and eating your flowers! Also, some species don't get along with other species, and they'll start fighting each other. Fences are one way to help isolate species and prevent fights.
See Designing your garden for some layout suggestions.
When will the game be released?
There are several release dates that have been mentioned by various unofficial sources. November 2, November 6, and November 14, 2006 are likely dates. Either way, it seems possible that we'll all be playing Viva Piñata by mid-November, if all goes well!
Where can I find out more information about the game?
The Community Portal has several links to official Viva Piñata websites. There's also a lot of information at this wiki, which the Site Map will help you to find. Another good source of information is the Viva Pinata Forum (where most wiki contributors are members).
Where can I find a list of Achievements?
See the Achievements article for a complete list of achievements.
What's the difference between an Award and an Achievement?
Good question! While Achievements are like any other game, Viva Piñata has added lots of awards for completing various tasks, or for winning competitions. These awards will help you compare your accomplishments with other players, such as to see who has raised the best breed of a species.
You can see all the Awards you have obtained, by opening your Journal.
Where do I learn more about my Piñatas?
Your Journal's Encyclopedia is the best in-game source of information about your Piñatas. You can also read up on each species right here at the wiki.
How do I name a Piñata?
Select a Piñata to rename, then use its Encyclopedia page to rename it.
Template:FAQkeytable Select a Piñata with the cursor, then press the Y button to open the Encyclopedia. Press the A button to bring up a dialog, where you can type in a new name for that Piñata. |}
What's the purpose of labeling a Piñata?
Each Piñata has a tag, like what you'd find on a plush animal. A Piñata's tag contains useful information about that Piñata, such as its name, which garden it came from, and your gamertag. When a Piñata travels from garden to garden, as you ship one around to a friend, each place that it visits is recorded on the tag. You can use the Label Designer to customize each Piñata's tag.
What can I place in my garden?
There are all sorts of garden objects that you can add to your garden. They range from flowers and vegetables, to bushes and trees, fences and paths, houses for each species, and even Statues for your garden. Most items can be bought from Shops in the Village with chocolate coins, or downloaded from the Xbox Live Marketplace. Several items have upgrades that you can buy, such as sturdier fences.
See Designing your garden for some helpful tips about locating garden objects.
Are some fences better than others?
Yes. While the specifics aren't known, there are sturdier fences that you can obtain from the a shop in the Village. For example, a stone fence is more likely to be sturdier than a wood fence. This is important, when you have larger Piñatas that can trample your flowers, or Sour Macaraccoons, who like to destroy things.
How do I know when to water my garden?
It's not known for sure, but there are three possibilities:
- You'll receive an alert message,
- The leaves around the sun are white and blue, and might be a general Water Meter, or
- Your flowers will turn yellowish brown.
You can use the Water Meter to help determine how much water is needed, while watering your garden.
What can I buy with my chocolate coins?
The list is probably too long to mention everything, but here are a few items available at the Village shops:
- Hiring Helpers for your garden,
- Upgrading your Tools,
- More seeds, vegetables, and trees,
- Accessories for your Piñatas,
- New (or upgrades) objects for your garden,
- Domestic pets, such as cats or dogs.
Ivor Bargain is a begger/trader in the Village who will also help you part with your coins. top
How do I get more money?
You can get more money by:
- Smashing a garden object,
- Selling a pinata, or
- Selling items (e.g. milk or honey).
Where do I pick up the Piñata that my friend sent me?
Visit Fanny Franker's Post Office in the Village to receive your package.
Template:FAQkeytable Press the X button to open the gameplay menu, select the Village option from the menu, and press the A button. |}
Where do I go to hire helpers for my garden?
Visit Arfur's Inn in the Village to hire helpers. Helpers are available for weeding, sprinkling, watching, gathering and digging. You can also hire Gretchen Fetchem to track down lost strays.
Template:FAQkeytable Press the X button to open the gameplay menu, select the Village option from the menu, and press the A button. |}
How do I upgrade my tools?
Visit Bart's Exchange in the Village to upgrade your tools. You will need enough chocolate coins to pay for each upgrade.
Template:FAQkeytable Press the X button to open the gameplay menu, select the Village option from the menu, and press the A button. |}
Where do I get more seeds?
Visit Costolot's General Store in the Village to buy more seeds and vegetables.
Template:FAQkeytable Press the X button to open the gameplay menu, select the Village option from the menu, and press the A button. |}
How do I get more accessories?
Err... perhaps in the Village? ;)
You can also download more Accessories from the Xbox Live Marketplace.
What Downloadables are available for the game?
There are no exact specifics, but Rare has said there will be close to 700 downloadable Viva Piñata items available on the Xbox Live Marketplace.
These items will probably range from gamer pics and themes, to new Accessories for your Piñatas and items for your garden
Hopefully, there will even be new Piñata species to download.
Naturally, these Downloadables will be spread out over a period of time, and not all released at once.
Are there cat and dog Piñatas?
Yes. Miss Petula's Paper Pets carries domestic animals, such as cats and dogs, that would not be available as Wild Piñatas.
How many different Piñata species are there?
There are 60 (or more) different Piñata species. Rare has mentioned that it's likely a player will only attract about 30 for their first garden.
As you progress through the game, you'll be asked to make choices. The decisions you make will affect which Piñatas you can attract into your garden. All is not lost, however, if you need a species in a pinch. It's likely that a friend would be able to trade what you need, in return for helping them out!
My Piñata are fighting! What can I do?
It's not known if you can actively discourage or break up fights, especialy since some species naturally don't get along with other species. See Food chain for a list.
There are a couple of passive options that you can use:
- Isolate unfriendly species from each other, by distance and/or fences, or
- Tame a Sour Bonboon, which will help you out by stopping fights.
What species don't get along with each other?
See Food chain for a list.
How can I attract a different Piñata species?
In general, there are at least four different ways to obtain a new species:
- Meet the right requirements to entice a Wild Piñata to become a resident,
- Tame a Category:Sour Piñata,
- Create a new species from an existing resident species,
- Get a friend to send you one ;)
See Attracting new species for a detailed list that covers the different ways.
Note: Certain decisions that you make while playing the game, may make it impossible for certain Wilds to appear, since you don't have the related Piñata in your garden to attract them.
Which Piñatas are rare?
The answer to that question should be split into two parts. There are 'uncommon Piñatas that are harder to obtain, and then there are most likely rare Piñatas.
The uncommon Piñatas would be ones that take one or two other creations to obtain (e.g. to get a Zumbug, you need to create a Horstachio, which is created from a Ponocky).
As for the truly rare Piñatas, while there isn't a specific list at present, it's possible that such species, like the Chewnicorn, might be extremely difficult to attract (e.g. perhaps the Gem Tree is very expensive).
Are there any mythical Piñatas?
One of the TV show episodes as alluded to a legendary Dragonache. It's also reasonable to believe that the Chewnicorn is a mythical Piñata.
Can I create new Piñata species?
Some new Piñata species can be created by feeding an item to an existing resident species. For example, a Ponocky can change into a Horstachio, and a Horstachio can change into a Zumbug. Most species have better versions of a Piñata. See Attracting new species for a list.
Gameplay tip: When creating a new species from an existing resident, it's helpful not to change your only resident species into a different species. Wait for a second one to become a resident, then romance them first, so you will have some of both species.
Will there be any new Piñatas on the Marketplace?
One can only hope! Rare has promised lots of Downloadables to be available via the Xbox Live Marketplace, and if new species are offered, they would most likely be the most popular, of all the Viva Piñata Marketplace content.
Is there a Co-op mode?
Yes. While it's unknown at this time if there is a split-screen or System Link Co-op mode, you will be able to Co-op with a friend via Xbox Live. See Can I invite a friend to visit my garden? for more information.
Can I invite a friend to visit my garden?
Yes. While the exact method is unknown, you'll be able to invite a friend to join your garden as a spectator. Your friend will be able to walk around and explore your garden. If you give your friend permission, they will be able to help out in your garden.
Note: Giving a stranger permission to help in your garden could allow them to destroy items in your garden or break open your Piñatas. There will probably be a way to remove their permission, or boot them from the garden, but any changes or damage that they made will remain.
What different online modes are there?
Viva Piñata will offer several types of online games, via Xbox Live:
- There will be a Co-operative mode, where a friend can visit your garden as a spectator, or join in and help out in your garden.
- There will be online mini-games, where you and a friend can engage in competitions between your Piñatas.
- There might be a contest-type mode, where you can judge each other's Piñatas, and win Awards for the best breed.
- There will be online trading, where you can ship Piñatas and/or Accessories to a friend.
How do I ship a Piñata to a friend?
Visit Fanny Franker's Post Office in the Village. You will be able to select Piñatas and/or Accessories to crate. It will cost a few chocolate coins to pay for postage.
Template:FAQkeytable Press the X button to open the gameplay menu, select the Village option from the menu, and press the A button. |}
Revision history
| Version | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1.00 | Sep-11-2006 | Initial version. |
Contact information
Comments, corrections, or questions about this guide can be discussed on the FAQ talk page, or at theViva Pinata Forum.
Credits
The initial version of this guide was written by FeralKitty.
Legal
This guide was written for the PinataIsland.info wiki. While it can be freely reproduced elsewhere, it would be more practical to link to this site, since the guide is frequently edited, and also contains extensive hyperlinks to other information at this wiki.
If you reproduce this guide elsewhere, please clearly credit PinataIsland.info (in text, and with a link back to this site) at the top of your repost. Thank you.
