Harvest Moon: A Guide to the Popular Farming Game Series and Lunar Phenomenon
Harvest Moon is a term that can refer to two different things: a popular video game series that simulates farming and rural life, and a lunar phenomenon that occurs around the autumnal equinox. In this article, we will explore both aspects of Harvest Moon and how they are related.
Harvest Moon: The Video Game Series
Harvest Moon is a long-running video game series that started in 1996 with the release of Harvest Moon for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. The game was developed by Amccus and published by Pack-In-Video in Japan, Natsume in North America, and Nintendo in Europe.
The game follows a young farmer who inherits a rundown farm from his grandfather and must restore it to its former glory. The player can grow crops, raise animals, interact with villagers, attend festivals, get married, and start a family. The game is known for its relaxing and charming gameplay, as well as its innovative features such as dynamic seasons, weather, and time.
Since then, the series has spawned over 30 titles across various platforms, including handheld consoles, mobile devices, and PC. The series has also been rebranded as Story of Seasons in 2014 due to a change of publishers. However, Natsume still owns the rights to the Harvest Moon name and has continued to produce games under that title.
Some of the most popular and acclaimed games in the series include Harvest Moon 64 (1999), Harvest Moon: Back to Nature (1999), Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town (2003), Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life (2003), Harvest Moon DS (2005), Harvest Moon: Animal Parade (2008), Harvest Moon: Light of Hope (2017), and Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town (2021).
The games are known for their diverse and colorful characters, each with their own personality, backstory, likes, dislikes, and events. The player can befriend them, give them gifts, help them with their problems, and even romance them. Some of the most memorable characters include Karen, Popuri, Elli, Ann, Mary, Cliff, Gray, Kai, Rick, Doctor, Carter, Nami, Celia, Muffy, Marlin, Lumina, Skye, Chelsea, Mark, Witch Princess, Harvest Goddess, Kappa, and many more.
The games also feature various animals that the player can raise on their farm. These include cows, sheep, chickens, horses, dogs, cats,
rabbits,
alpacas,
llamas,
goats,
ducks,
ostriches,
silkworms,
bees,
and more. Each animal has its own needs and preferences that the player must fulfill to keep them healthy and happy. The animals can also produce products such as milk,
eggs,
wool,
honey,
silk,
and more that the player can sell or use for cooking or crafting.
The games also have a variety of crops that the player can grow on their fields. These include staples such as potatoes,
tomatoes,
corn,
wheat,
rice,
carrots,
cabbage,
turnips,
and more; as well as exotic crops such as pineapples,
bananas,
grapes,
strawberries,
watermelons,
and more. Some games also feature crop mutations that can result in different colors or shapes of crops. The player can also use fertilizers,
seeds makers,
greenhouses,
sprinklers,
and more to improve their crop quality and yield.
The games also have a lot of activities and features that the player can enjoy besides farming. These include fishing,
mining,
cooking,
crafting,
exploring,
foraging,
bug catching,
archaeology,
photography,
and more. The player can also participate in various festivals and events that happen throughout the year. These include seasonal festivals such as Spring Flower Festival,
Summer Fireworks Festival,
Fall Harvest Festival,
and Winter Starry Night Festival; as well as special events such as Animal Festival,
Cooking Festival,
Horse Race Festival,
and more.