You'd think the piñatas in Microsoft's new open-ended sim game would find the prospect of being beaten to death extremely disturbing, however the opposite is true. Winning selection for parties is the pinnacle of success for the critters in Viva Piñata, and it's up to you to help them achieve their goal.

At the outset you are allocated a run-down patch of rocky, junk-littered ground on idyllic Piñata Island; a place where wild piñatas (recognisable by their black and white colour) roam free. Armed initially with a decrepit shovel, you must transform your sorry plot into a piñata paradise, first by breaking up the ground and removing any inorganic eyesores, then by planting and tending your garden to a point where any wild piñatas it has attracted will settle in and become permanent residents. From there you move onto the business of adding to your flock and garden, earning a bit of money, making a name for yourself, and dabbling in a little genetic modification.

The learning curve is in fact a gentle slope. With the help of your guide - a masked young lady by the name of Leafos - and your handy journal, you'll be making good progress within 30 minutes. One useful feature for new gardeners is Family Mode, where two or more players can cooperate on the same garden, using extra controllers to move the on-screen cursor. Since the controls can be a bit uncooperative – especially when trying to make certain selections on the menu - this is particularly useful for younger players, who may need a little extra hands-on guidance to begin with.

As well as Leafos, there are a number of other masked characters who either wander in and out of your garden, or who you can call upon to trade goods and services. The local village boasts a general store for basic requirements; a pet shop, for animals and piñata accessories; a post office, where you can send and receive goods over Xbox Live; and a builder's yard, for ordering homes for your piñatas (each animal type requires its own dwelling). Later on you'll have access to other services such as a doctor to cure any sick residents, and will be able to hire specialised helpers to assist you in the garden.

Of course, all such goods and services cost money. The currency of Piñata Island is foil-wrapped chocolate coins, and while there are several ways you can acquire them, most of your income is derived from selling resources such as seeds, plants, and piñatas. Build, nurture, buy, sell… as you become more and more successful, you will be rewarded with better equipment, extra garden space, access to more shops, helpers and items and a title reflecting your level of achievement.

Attracting new piñatas involves having the right draw cards in your garden. This might be a particular type of plant, creature or other feature such as a pond. Once the conditions are right, the wild piñatas will show up, and you can convince them to stay by meeting requirements unique to each type. Once these requirements have been met, the piñata undergoes a miraculous transformation from boring black and white to its glorious true colour.

At this stage you can customise the piñata, giving it a name and even buying accessories from the pet shop. Since the turnover rate for some piñata types is quite high, we found it simpler to stick with the default names and numbers, such as Sparrowmint12. For the most part, their names are a fanciful combination of animal and edible: Elephanilla, Raisant, and Cocoadile, to name a few. There's a huge array of these enchanting creatures on the island, and some species awaiting discovery through experimentation.

Two resident piñatas of the same species opens the way to boosting your population. Again, you will have to fulfil certain requirements before the pair will show interest in each other. Once they do you must complete a mazelike mini-game to initiate the Romance Dance sequence. Shortly afterwards an egg is delivered to your garden, and you will soon find yourself with a new addition to the flock.

As we all know, not all neighbours can coexist in complete harmony; once you've broken up a few fights between certain residents you'll soon learn which combinations and garden layouts work best. You'll also experience occasional visits from undesirable types, the effects of which can range from minor disturbances to serious problems.

Sour piñatas are the lesser of these troublemakers, and they can be tamed into friendlier beasties which will actually prove beneficial to your garden. Ruffians on the other hand are destructive hooligans with no redeeming features. Ditto the sinister Dastardos.

Most children will be quite happy maintaining a 'holding pattern' when it comes to gameplay, sticking to the tried and true routines to keep their garden flourishing and piñatas happy. However the more adventurous are encouraged to explore the numerous possibilities through experimentation. Changes to a piñata's diet, for example, can result in variations in appearance. There's nothing like a little diversity to liven up the neighbourhood…

Graphics-wise, eye candy has never looked sweeter. Colours are vibrant, with a myriad of hues on display at any given time. Sometimes they verge on the psychedelic, but it's all in line with the game's festive atmosphere, and it works extremely well. The piñatas are beautifully drawn and animated. Dare we say it - they're even better looking than the real thing! Everything is incredibly detailed; we spent a great deal of time admiring the background and examining all of the objects... The leisurely pace of play enables you to do this.

Each piñata has its own unique voice (some of which are most amusing), and the masterfully composed soundtrack fades in and out, depending on the time of day or situation. You'll never tire of hearing the various themes.

Once again, Rare has stepped up to the plate and delivered us a first class title with widespread appeal. Viva Piñata is definitely a chill-out game, one where you can sit back, relax and lose yourself for a few hours of self indulgent escapism. It's a genuinely pleasant change of pace from the usual gaming fare, and one that you will return to time and time again. One of our younger players observed: "It's great for teaching kids how to look after pets, and do several things at once!" In our book, entertainment that doubles as a teaching tool for life skills is a worthwhile investment indeed. If you need justification, tell everyone you are buying it for the kids… but don't pass up the opportunity to do a bit of gardening yourself!