Over the weekend, Mario Lopez was spotted hanging out with some characters who really know how to party. At this Viva Piñata weekend event Lopez joined the characters from the Viva Piñata animated series from 4Kids TV
- Hudson Horstachio, Fergy Fudgehog and Paulie Pretztail - along with thousands of kids and their families at the world's biggest piñata party for
the launch of Viva Piñata, the new video game for play exclusively on the Xbox 360. In celebration of the worldwide
rollout of Viva Piñata, crowds took a break from holiday shopping to convene on the famous Santa Monica Pier to celebrate this colorful title .
On Dec. 2 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Hudson, Fergy and Paulie invited the world to the Pier, which was transformed into a festive Piñata Island for the
occasion. Kids and families got their groove on as Lopez led the crowd in the official "Viva Piñata" dance and posed for photos. At the free event,
kids were invited to participate in piñata "pulls" for an opportunity to win an Xbox 360 console, copies of the "Viva Piñata" game and other exciting
prizes; come face-to-hoof with a Horstachio piñata 35 feet tall; pose for their close-ups with the animated series' celebrity hosts; try their hand at
the Viva Piñata video game; and take a free ride on the historic Santa Monica carousel. Parents were encouraged to learn more about online safety
for their children in the Xbox 360 Family Settings area.
In true Viva Piñata spirit, the Xbox 360 team in Mexico City set about
establishing a new world record for the biggest piñata. Forty-five people worked on the construction process, and over 800 people (kids and their
families) had a hand in finishing the giant Horstachio piñata, which stands 14.6 meters tall and 16 meters long (approximately 48 feet by 52 feet),
weighs 2 metric tons (4,400 pounds), and took three full weeks to create.
Viva Piñata from Rare and Microsoft Game Studios is rated "E" for Everyone and is available exclusively on Xbox 360 for an estimated retail price
of $49.99. The two-disc Viva Piñata Special Edition Xbox 360 game, available for a limited time, will include a second disc with playable demos of
LucasArts' LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy, the arcade classic Frogger as well as family favorites Cloning Clyde, Time Pilot and
Marble Blast. In addition, a full-length episode from the animated TV series Viva Piñata is also included.
