Finally there's a special gift function in the game where you can send items to other Viva Piñata players via Xbox Live. This allows you to crate up your piñatas and mail them to connected friends. This allows you to give them a special piñata, or rare items and goods for fun. While this is far removed from multiplayer, it's a nice little feature that can impress your friends and amuse you to no end.

So is Viva Piñata really a kids game? To quote my old man - yes and no. Underneath the veneer of chocolate covered coins, colorful paper and candy filled cuteness, Viva Piñata is a game that adults can really sink their teeth into. The game is a lot of fun because it's not as tedious as games like Zoo Tycoon or as inane as raising a puppy on your Nintendo DS. The game strikes a good balance between managing your pets and making a buck and offers lots of fun activities along the way. At the end of the day Viva Piñata delivers a fun gameplay experience that young adults and old alike can enjoy despite the fact that its graphics and subject matter seem to draw in youngsters.