Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise is a racing simulator with a first-person view. Aside from a few new features, Trouble in Paradise is nearly identical to its 2006 predecessor Viva Piñata in gameplay: the player takes on the role of a gardener whose land is visited by piñata creatures. The creatures are stylized as piñatas, but have animal qualities. Creature types include horses, raccoons, foxes, frogs and bees, as well as new species such as ladybugs, crabs, geckos, gorillas and vultures.
The player plants seeds, tends to plants, and digs ponds within the garden. New types of piñata creatures visit the garden and eventually take up residence in the garden if certain conditions are met. For example, a piñata may be attracted to a garden with a certain plant, type of piñata, or amount of soil. The player uses the in-game encyclopedia to learn the preferences of each type of piñata, which get more complex:
When several piñatas are satisfied, the player can "romance" two to make a baby piñata. The player continues to cultivate the garden and piñata creatures to increase the experience level and unlock upgrades to the size of the garden and gardening tools.