Viva Pinata is, quite simply, one of the most beautiful games ever made. However, there’s also something horrific lurking beneath its colourful papery veneer; something that may even traumatise children while playing. The horror begins pre-main menu as a happy, giggling Horstachio is suddenly whacked, despite his pleading, by a giant stick. He explodes, his sweet innards falling to the ground to reveal Rare’s logo – just as other piñata come and eat his remains. Cue the title music: “Viva Piñata, lots of fun! Lots of fun!” What, loads of fun beating up animals until they explode?

To be fair, there is a narrative in place – albeit a ‘paper-thin’ one – that explains the role of the piñata. It is to be raised happily on beautiful Piñata Island, before being shipped off to children’s parties where they’re burst open, candy inside eaten, then returned to the island to stock up before doing it all again. So it’s not like the animals actually die… that is, unless they refuse to co-exist in your garden with another type, whereupon a fight takes place that may see the loser get killed. But that’s just one of many things you’re going to have to take care of in Rare’s best game in years.

At the start, you’re placed in charge of a ruined utopia – tyres jutting out of the ground, tall grass, broken paths, dried mud and more, making the whole place look unfit for a tramp. There you meet Leafos who helps you bring life to the garden as well as populating it with beautiful piñata that have such names as Mousemallow, Buzzlegum, Sparrowmint, Syrupent, Fudgehog and more. You can re-name any of the piñata, as well as your garden too – Gilzor’s Love Map, in this instance. The name is fitting, considering you’ll need to make the piñata mate with each another – hilariously referred to as ‘romancing’. It sees you having to impress them by completing simple mini-games.

Rare has clearly aimed this at children, but adults will get a huge kick out of playing it too. Unfortunately, that’s also one of the game’s biggest areas of criticism: in short, there’s just too much information to take in for children. It does a great job tutoring players, but even we were stumped every now and then on ways to proceed. The game’s manual is simple and child-friendly, but what kid nowadays is going to RTFM first? Also, while Viva Piñata has been ported wonderfully by Climax, there are problems with Games For Windows. It’s seen the game crash repeatedly for some players, plus you can’t save the game unless you sign into it, either.

Still, where the game itself is concerned, Viva Piñata is one of the most original and entertaining to emerge in years. After so many lacklustre titles it’s also the one that put Rare back on the map. Funny, inventive, colourful, and at times more than a little horrific, it’s the kind of game you’ll lose hours of your life to. Imagine a sort of mixture between Animal Crossing and The Sims… albeit one where you can beat everyone to death with a shovel.