According to Rare game designer Justin Cook, the company was considering to allow DS units to connect with its upcoming Xbox 360 title Viva Pinata: Trouble In Paradise.

As you may or may not know, the game includes a feature that enables players to use the Xbox Live Vision Camera for scanning images of pinata cards. By scanning cards, you unlock additional content in the game.

Given the fact that a DS version of Viva Pinata is on the way, Rare was considering to include card images in the handheld game that players could scan in on the Xbox 360 version. However, it was far too late in the development cycle to include such a feature, explains Cook:

We got it to work, but it was too late in the development cycle,” Cook said, presumably talking about the cycle of the DS game. If only they’d thought of it sooner, he laughed. “It’s one of those things where you just kick yourself.

Neat idea. Too bad it didn’t come to fruition. Maybe next time.

Nintendo DS – Xbox 360 Connectivity Considered For ‘Viva Pinata: Trouble In Paradise’ [MTV]

Read more: Viva Pinata: Trouble in Paradise Details Emerge, Set For September Release, Viva Pinata DS Details, Viva Pinata Heads To DS, Development On Viva Pinata DS Is “Complete,” Says Rare, Update: Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise Dated, Hits September 2