The game is the perfect example of how to make a living on the farm. However it also gives a feeling of how difficult it is to start up a farm in the first place. As you progress through the game you'll meet people who are very in depth as appose to most games of it's kind. Each action causes a reaction in the people around you.

Now, I know quite a few people are lost on how to begin this game of Harvest Moon. [many also haven't played the original. I HIGHLY suggest you do before playing this or you may be lost.] Here are a few tricks to make the game easier.

First off here are the controls.

A = whistle (used to get people or animals attention.)

S = run

Z = Interact ( OR pick up/toss items)

X = use equipment (OR put things in rucksack)

Hold A and press X = change TOOLS (this is also how to eat items)

Hold A and press Z = change ITEMS

Space Bar = SPEED UP TIME

Enter = brings up a menu with your farm map, world map, earnings and so-forth

F2 = SAVE GAME
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Be aware that you can only save ONE GAME AT A TIME.
F4 = LOAD GAME/



Hints and Tips:

1: Stuck on how to make an income each day? There is a Bee's Nest in your farm that produces a jar of honey you can sell for money ONCE EVERY DAY!

2: Still not making enough?! Go to the spa [one screen down and take the path going diagonally up the mountainside.] Go passed the Spa and there is a cave. Enter the cave and use your hammer to mine Copper, Junk Ore and Silver! You can sell off OR use these Ore pieces to upgrade your equipment!

3: If your going to make a fence, USE THE ROCKS! Fences  break down over time but rocks don't! You can even keep your chickens and horses in these rock fenced-off areas and not worry about them running around the farm

4: Trying to hit on one specific girl? Find out what times the girl is in at work or wait until festival days to meet them. Be sure to bring a gift!

5: Growing crops can be a pain, you can hire the harvest sprites [their in a hut behind the church] to water, harvest or take care of animals for you! Be sure to make friends with them or you will be unable to do this. They LOVE flour and bread.

6. Going somewhere but you get there too early? USE THE SPACE BAR! It speeds time up and makes you wait less

7. Press UP on the arrow keys when interacting with the TV to view the weather for the next day.

8. UPGRADE YOUR RUCKSACK ASAP! It comes in handy and is useful for carrying many items at once to and from the mines OR multiple gifts for a special girl [or the harvest sprites!]

9. Set up your farm in rows of TWO! If you do it in squares of 9 you will be unable to water OR HARVEST the crops that form in the middle. (unless it is, say, potatoes which only get harvested once per planting.

And finally, if you need anymore help in the game feel free to ask I love playing Harvest Moon and I'm sure it will be a great game for generations to come.


Overall is a 10/10.

Graphics are ASTOUNDING for a GBA game! 10/10

Sound is repetitive BUT never gets old, since the songs end at 8 and are replaced with soothing night sounds such as crickets, owls and wind.

Addictiveness is 10/10.. Why? Merely because of it being such a simple game and always different each day.

Story 8/10 Great background. Gives a good understanding of the reasoning to being on a run-down farm.

Depth 10/10. Characters are very well made. Each one is in-depth when it comes to chatting and their backgrounds make a lot of sense as the years go by.

Difficulty is a 5/10. Reason being is because of how hard it is to start up. Especially when you start up without knowing the controls (like I did.)


I highly recommend the Harvest Moon series to ANYONE who likes RPGs.