With frantic action and a hilarious co-op mode, Rogue Piñatas: VRmageddon is a rogue-lite that’s perfect for players of all ages.
The delightfully absurd premise is clear from the opening scene: after decades of being mercilessly smashed by humans, the piñatas are fighting back. Stuffed with candy and out for revenge, they’re determined to destroy civilization, attacking anything in their path. It’s Candy Crush meets The Walking Dead, as players cobble together ludicrous makeshift weaponry to battle the papier-mâché menace.
Sights and Sounds
Rogue Piñatas takes place in a world as colorful as its titular antagonists. The characters, environments, weapons and UI all burst with bright, cheerful energy. Yes, despite the apocalypse, the world of Rogue Piñatas is a pleasant place to be.
I played on a Quest 3S, where it ran smoothly and looked great, and testing the game in co-op mode on my second headset, a Quest 2, revealed no noticeable issues. The game's crisp visuals and cartoony art direction perfectly complement the game’s tone. Explosions of confetti and vibrant special effects make each battle a spectacle, while the clean UI ensures everything remains readable amid the mayhem.
Audio design is equally excellent. A light and boppy soundtrack plays in the background, and directional audio helps immerse players and communicate critical information—buzzing signals an airborne bumblebee piñata approaching from behind, for example, while an urgent beep warns of a nearby self-destruct piñata. Meaty blunderbuss blasts and satisfying melee impacts add a satisfying weight to combat.
The Gameplay Loop
Fans of rogue-lite games like Vampire Survivors will feel right at home with Rogue Piñatas.
The journey begins in a humble family garage. Initially, players control Kit Bash, the game’s first playable character, but as they progress, they can unlock six more—each with distinct stats and playstyles. There's Kit’s pizza-loving dad, his ex-military granny, and punk-rock sister, and every character feels unique. Beyond wildly varied stats for each, their signature starter weapons lead to meaningful gameplay differences. Players can also purchase skill upgrades using in-game currency earned through combat.
After selecting a character and managing upgrades, it’s time for battle. Combat unfolds across six diverse zones, each with a primary objective and optional sub-objectives. Missions range from simple survival challenges to boss battles, equipment activations, and vehicle escort missions.
Each zone has a distinct identity, starting in an overrun suburban neighborhood before expanding into more bizarre locales.
Enemies spawn in relentless waves, and smashing piñatas releases candy—the game’s EXP. The more piñatas you break, the more candy you collect, and the faster you level up. Upon leveling up, a flashy UI presents three random upgrade choices, including active weapon augments, passive buffs, and entirely new weapons. Piñatas may also drop health items and rare power-ups.
As in any good rogue-lite, survival requires a mix of strategy, skill, and quick reflexes. If players meet the mission objectives, they clear the zone and return to the garage to regroup before diving into the next challenge.
Screenshots taken by UploadVR on Quest 3S.
But How Does It Play?
A rogue-lite lives or dies by its gameplay, and Rogue Piñatas delivers.
Swinging a pizza-peel battle axe or clobbering enemies with a multi-bat (because seven bats are better than one) feels phenomenal. Dual-wielding melee weapons turns combat into a calorie-burning frenzy, with piñatas shattering, ricocheting, and disintegrating in beautifully chaotic fashion.
Switching to ranged weapons slows things down but keeps the intensity high. One hand slashes a ground-based llama piñata while the other fires a precise shot at an airborne enemy, all while candy guts rain down. It’s a ridiculous, delightful spectacle.
Movement is customizable, offering teleportation by default. However, switching to smooth movement significantly improves the experience, especially given the game’s fast-paced nature.
Comfort
The game plays equally well with the player seated or standing.
Movement is user-selectable in the game's option menu; available as "continuous" and "teleport."
There's no vignetting during movement.
The difficulty ramps up pretty quickly, but remains balanced on the whole. Early waves feel manageable, but as the mission progresses, enemy numbers swell, culminating in a frantic, high-stakes climax. By the time players face the zone boss, they’re also fending off swarms of increasingly aggressive piñatas.
Despite its bright candy shell, Rogue Piñatas hides a truly sinister core. The sheer enemy count and relentless pace create plenty of learning moments—let’s just say I lost more than a few missions at the very last second.
Yet frustration never set in. The strong design, satisfying combat, and rewarding progression made every retry feel like a fresh opportunity rather than a setback. I gasped, I growled, but I always smiled, and then jumped right back in for another round.
Screenshots taken by UploadVR on Quest 3S.
A Multiplayer Fun-Time Multiplier
Beyond its single-player experience, Rogue Piñatas shines in co-op, allowing up to four players to team up.
Joining a lobby is effortless—just walk up to the in-game UI in the garage, click a button, and you’re in.
If Rogue Piñatas is fun solo, it’s fantastic with friends. I played through the first zone with my ten-year-old daughter, and we had a blast. The game’s balanced mechanics transition seamlessly into multiplayer, and battling waves of piñatas while laughing together through the Quest speakers was pure joy.
Reviving downed teammates requires running to their location and staying within proximity until their life meter refills. Take too long, and they’re out for good—adding a light layer of teamwork to the mayhem.
Final Thoughts
Rogue Piñatas: VRmageddon delivers a thrilling, family-friendly rogue-lite that blends over-the-top action with a polished gameplay loop. Its vibrant art style, well-tuned mechanics, and engaging combat ensure endless fun, whether playing solo or in co-op. The variety in characters, weapons, and zones keeps every run fresh, and while the game can be challenging, its charm and humor prevent frustration from setting in.
More importantly, Rogue Piñatas captures the best of VR—physicality, immersion, and pure, unfiltered fun.
UploadVR uses a 5-Star rating system for our game reviews – you can read a breakdown of each star rating in our review guidelines.
