Pros

Cons

Bottom Line

"As with so many games of its type, Viva Pinata: Trouble in Paradise can be so habit-forming it will become a second job if you let it. The sequel has a long list of intelligent improvements and new features that make it feel like a much bigger game than the original, no matter how you play. If you're the solitary type you can go through the story, undertake specific challenges or just grow planets and breed pinatas in the sandbox mode. You can also invite other players into your garden through Xbox Live, a really cool touch. Some new features didn't work quite so well, at least for me: I had a hard time getting the vision camera to read the cards the work with the game and drop new creatures into your garden. Everything else, however, is gold. It's a smoothly paced game that's so relaxing it borders on meditation."

Jason's Score:

8.5