Today, Rare has shown and confirmed that cooperative play will be a feature in the highly anticipated Viva Pinata: Trouble in Paradise. Sadly, there is still no confirmation on whether or not there is an online co-op mode. As it stands, Rare has only said that they hope to have the feature implemented by the time it is released.

In a statement by Rare about the co-op mode:

“The other player will not have full control over the game, and, for example, will not be able to build new houses or other constructions, but with spade in hand you can help with tending the garden thus gaining a form of magic for every useful act than can be used to turn objects in the garden into different things.”

To me it sounds like you won’t have to hire those pointless ‘helpers’ that you could in the original, instead you just get your wife/husband/child to perform all the manual labor. Finally, no more workers getting stuck in your garden behind a fence or leaving your gates open!

Viva Pinata: Trouble in Paradise will also have a Eye of Judgment type of gameplay mechanic that will feature support for cards and the Xbox 360 Vision camera. The cards, which can change the weather, add buildings, custom pinatas, special abilities and much more are scanned into the system using the Vision camera and then manipulated in game.

This new system will also include a photo mode that will allow you to create your own cards which can be shared over the internet by email, in game, forums, and just about anywhere where you can share pictures. It is even being reported that you can have the images on your Zune or iPod since the Vision camera can read from LCD screens.

Gamespot had the pleasure of sitting down for an interview with one of the makers of Viva Pinata: Trouble in Paradise.

If that wasn’t enough information to satiate your appetite for all things pinata, Rare also said that veteran players will have the ability to go straight into the action and bypass all of the tutorials that the first game was notorious for having. No more breaking up the soil and planting grass for all us cool types, we get a green fielded garden right from the start.

A Danish website Gamereaktor has let it be known that Rare has stuffed the game with over 100 different Pinatas in the sequel. The best and most aptly named being a chicken called Cluck Norris.

With the different animals come different terrain. The first game had 4 types of landscape: water, dirt, grass, and tall grass. It seems we will now have a more diverse biosphere with snow and desert landscapes.

Too bad we have to wait so long for what seems like a truly awesome game. It will be officially shown to the public attending the MS Gamer’s Day event in San Francisco today, and we will bring you videos and impressions as it continues.

If you watch closely, not only will you see some awesome footage from upcoming games for the Xbox 360, but there is a bit of Viva Pinata: Trouble In Paradise footage right in the middle. After watching that little penguin slide on the ground, I’m ready to spend months of my life cultivating yet another garden.

[via Gamereaktor and videogaming247]

Categories: Gaming Industry, Microsoft, New Releases, Upcoming Games, Xbox 360