You love a good old-fashioned adventure game and there’s nothing more fun than connecting with nature through gameplay. If that sounds like you, then here’s some wonderful news: you can play an immersive game exclusively in the comfort of your couch, with a controller in one hand and a glass of wine in the other. It’s called Harvest Moon and it’s the perfect game to bring you a smile each time the screen turns green.
What is Harvest Moon?
Put simply, it is a classic game created by Nintendo and famously turned into an anime series. In the game, you play as a young horse named Link who sets out to save his princess from the clutches of a hideous witch. Along the way he befriends a fox named Falco and eventually helps restore magic to the land. As you advance through the game, the landscape changes and new areas open up, with some being even more magical than others. There are over 100 stages of gameplay, 40 different endings and six seasons to explore.
How does the game work?
The goal is to grow crops such as vegetables, fruit and herbs to be able to sell them in a market place. You have plenty of room to roam around your farm in search of ingredients to cook, but you also need to keep an eye on your cash flow. So, if you want to buy more expensive items, you need to keep earning money through sales or, conversely, you need to keep selling expensive items to make more money. You will also have to contend with bad weather that can ruin your crops.
As you journey through the game, you will encounter various creatures, some helpful and some harmful. You are able to fend off the occasional bear or wolf with a few well-placed rocks, but in the grand scheme of things, you are more likely to encounter a more dangerous creature. This is where the fun comes in. You’re given a wide selection of weapons and items to help you on your quests, such as a hoe, an ax or even a bow and arrow. When a creature is wounded, it drops money (sometimes gold coins, sometimes notes) on the ground. So, while it may be tempting to pick them all up and hoard them, in order to have better odds in the game, you’ll have to prove that you’re a smart hunter.
The beauty of the game is how easy it is to pick up and play. You don’t need to have any previous experience to understand what is required of you. Even if you’ve never played a video game, you’ll be able to understand and enjoy the experience of Harvest Moon. As for strategy, although the game can be quite challenging, it won’t require high levels of expertise to emerge victorious. This is a classic game that will make you feel like a real wizard, simply because it’s so easy to play, even on the toughest of devices.
What makes this game special?
When you first boot up Harvest Moon, you’ll be treated to a short but sweet anime-style presentation that sets the stage for the game. This is followed by a brief tutorial that will walk you through the basics of gameplay. If you’ve ever played a Mario or Zelda game, then you’ll have no trouble getting the hang of things.
What makes this game special is how it weaves together two very diverse yet closely connected elements: farming and RPG (role-playing game). As a farmer, you will spend a lot of time herding animals, harvesting crops and gathering resources, whereas many gaming characters are solely focused on combat. Yet, Harvest Moon combines the two elements in a seamless fashion, such that you won’t even notice how gameplay melds with farming. This is what makes this game special.
Is there anything else I need to know?
If you’re playing on a console or handheld device, then you’ll need to have the game disc in the console or device in order to play. It is also highly recommended that you play on the highest graphical settings possible, especially if you’re playing on a TV. With bigger, more vibrant visuals, you can more readily identify the nuances of gameplay. TV owners would also benefit from a larger screen, as it makes everything look more vivid and realistic.
If you’re playing on the go, then you’ll need a WiFi connection in order to compete for high scores and connect with other players. Downloading the game from the App Store or Google Play is also an option, provided you have a strong enough WiFi connection. Otherwise, you may have to settle for low-quality gaming or leave the game unplayed. You can also opt to purchase USB WiFi dongles that attach to your computer’s USB port and allow you to play offline. This is a great way to ensure you always have a constant, strong WiFi connection, whenever you want to play.
The bottom line is that Nintendo has curated a masterpiece with Harvest Moon. If you love farming and exploration, then it’s a must-play for you. Just make sure you have a nice couch and you’re already half way to dreaming of saving princesses and restoring magic to the kingdom.