Harvest Moon (SNES)

Everyone has a few games that they will always love regardless of the passage of time; game like Final Fantasy VI that, despite the ongoing march of the franchise, is regarded by many as one of the greatest RPGs of all time.  For me, one such game is Harvest Moon.

Released in 1997 by Natsume on the Super Nintendo, Harvest Moon is a simple, yet charming and addictive game.  Originally titled “Farm Story” in Japan (Terry Munson, an editor for Nintendo Power at the time, is credited with the game’s North American release title), the game is a farm simulator/RPG.  You might even go so far as to consider it a kind of “life simulator” (like Animal Crossing or The Sims) if you wish.  The premise is this: you’re a young man who has inherited a small ranch and are tasked with making it successful.  Your parents drop you off at your new home and will check back in with you in two and a half years, during which time you are expected to have it thriving, or at the very least serviceable.  Starting out, it is broken down and overrun with weeds and rocks, so it will take lots of hard work to put it back into shape.

First off, the game is absolutely beautiful.  There is a day and night cycle, and a change of seasons every 30 days.  The characters, town and countryside are all charming and the animals are simply adorable.  The music is excellent as well, and changes with the seasons.

In combination with the beauty of its presentation, the gameplay makes the game a true gem.  You start off in a broken-down ranch with a few tools, and by working, exploring and talking to the townspeople you set off on your quest to turn it into something special.  You have limited energy to perform choirs each day, but can obtain some replenishment via eating or visiting the hot spring in the woods.  Once you get the land cleared, it’s time to start planting crops, selling them, even buying and caring for livestock.

Now, if the game stopped here, it would be a farm sim and little more, but Harvest Moon goes deeper to bring more charm to the experience.  In addition to working the farm, you can woo the young ladies in town.  Each has a unique personality and will respond different to choices you make or gifts you might provide.  Successfully win the affections of your chosen girl, and you can marry and start a family, having up to two kids if you keep your girl smiling.

The game also provides several town events and holidays that occur throughout the year, and as you progress and build your farm you will be able to open up secrets and small quests that will provide rich rewards, such as discovering “harvest sprites” in tunnels beneath the farm or participating in the annual Easter egg hunt in town.  These provide opportunities to win awards and upgrade your tools, as well as just being a lot of fun to participate in.

Once your two and a half years (according to the game’s calendar) are completed, your parents will return to check on your progress.  Depending on how well you built the ranch, the variety of crops and animals tended and whether you chose a wife (and how happy she is) the game will provide you with an extended ending scene showing humorous and heartwarming bits of your life on the farm (or, if you do poorly, a less-exciting scolding from your parents).

The nature of the gameplay makes it extremely relaxing and a true feel-good experience.  I have played through it several times just to change the girl I wooed and experience the differences this choice would make.  With extended, repeated plays the gameplay can begin to become a little tedious, but after time passes I find that it’s a title I keep coming back to and enjoying all over again.  The title was successful enough that it has become a popular franchise and has seen a release on every Nintendo console since the SNES, as well as each new evolution of the GameBoy.  There were even Harvest Moon games developed and released for the PlayStation, Playstation 2 and PSP.  Any Harvest Moon game is sure to be a good time, but the original is still a joy to play and will always be one of my favorite games of all time.