This pic's a bit creepy considering how cute the harvest moon games are.
What is Harvest Moon?Harvest Moon (牧場物語 Bokujō Monogatari?, lit. "The Farm Story") is a series of life simulation/farm simulation/role-playing video games produced by Victor Interactive Software (acquired by Marvelous Entertainment in 2003) and was originally created by Yasuhiro Wada in 1996. English translation and distribution of the game is done by Natsume (and Rising Star Games in Europe). The object of the game is to maintain a farm over a period of time, tending the crops and livestock through the seasons, while befriending the nearby townsfolk and getting married and having children in most games. The first game was Harvest Moon, released for the SNES in 1996. Games in the series have also been produced for Game Boy and GBA, Nintendo 64, PlayStation, PlayStation 2, GameCube and Nintendo DS; with new titles for PSP, Nintendo DS, and for the Wii.
Most gameplay in the Harvest Moon games consists of planting seeds to grow fruits, vegetables, flowers and herbs, and collecting items, making home improvements, and building personal relationships. A successful farmer must weigh the cost, selling price, number of harvests, and growth times of the various types of produce in order to pick the best product for each of the seasons. One can also go fishing and mining for extra profit.
The ultimate challenge is for the player to manage their time. There is only a short amount of time in each game day, and the player only has a set amount of energy. They must balance their time and strength by working on the farm and making friends with the people in town.
How many games are in the Harvest Moon series?Main series
Harvest Moon
Original release date(s):
JP August 9, 1996[1]
NA June 1997[6]
PAL January 29, 1998[1]
Release dates by system:
1996—Super Nintendo Entertainment System/Super Famicom[1]
2008—Wii Virtual Console[7]
Notes:
Known in Japan as Bokujō Monogatari (牧場物語?, lit. "The Farm Story")[8]
It was also released online via the Satellaview system for the Super Famicom[9]
Harvest Moon GB
Original release date(s):[10]
NA December 18, 1997
JP December 19, 1997
Release dates by system:
1997—Game Boy[10]
1998—Game Boy Color[11]
Notes:
Known in Japan as Bokujō Monogatari GB (牧場物語 GB?, lit. "The Farm Story GB")[10]
An improved colored version for the Game Boy Color was released later under the name Harvest Moon GBC[11]
Harvest Moon 64
Original release date(s):[12]
JP February 5, 1999
NA November 30, 1999
Release dates by system:
1999—Nintendo 64[12]
Notes:
Known in Japan as Bokujō Monogatari 2 (牧場物語2?, lit. "The Farm Story 2")[13]
Harvest Moon 2 GBC
Original release date(s):[14]
JP August 6, 1999
NA September 11, 2000
PAL March 30, 2001
Release dates by system:
1999—Game Boy Color[14]
Notes:
Known in Japan as Bokujō Monogatari GB2 (牧場物語 GB2?, lit. "The Farm Story GB2")[14]
Harvest Moon: Back to Nature
Original release date(s):
JP December 16, 1999[15]
NA November 22, 2000[16]
PAL January 26, 2001 [15]
Release dates by system:
1999—PlayStation[15]
2005—PlayStation Portable[17]
2008—PlayStation Network[18][19]
Notes:
Known in Japan as Bokujō Monogatari Harvest Moon[15] (牧場物語～ハーベストムーン～?, lit. "The Farm Story: Harvest Moon")[20]
A girl-oriented remake, Bokujō Monogatari Harvest Moon for Girl (牧場物語～ハーベストムーン～forガール?, lit. "The Farm Story: Harvest Moon for Girl")[21], was released in Japan in 2000[22]
Coupled with the girl version and ported in 2005 as Harvest Moon: Boy & Girl (known in Japan as Bokujō Monogatari: Harvest Moon Boy and Girl (牧場物語ハーベストムーン ボーイ＆ガール?, lit. "The Farm Story: Harvest Moon Boy & Girl")[23]) for the PlayStation Portable[24]
On December 24, 2008 Bokujō Monogatari Harvest Moon and Bokujō Monogatari Harvest Moon for Girl were released in Japan for the PlayStation Network[18][19]
In 2009 Harvest Moon: Boy & Girl was released in North America for the PlayStation Network[25]
Harvest Moon 3 GBC
Original release date(s):[26]
JP September 29, 2000
NA November 14, 2001
Release dates by system:
2000—Game Boy Color[26]
Notes:
Known in Japan as Bokujō Monogatari GB3: Boy Meets Girl (牧場物語GB3 ボーイ・ミーツ・ガール?, lit. "The Farm Story GB3: Boy Meets Girl")[26]
Harvest Moon: Save the Homeland
Original release date(s):[27]
JP July 5, 2001
PAL October 2001
NA November 20, 2001
Release dates by system:
2001—PlayStation 2[27]
Notes:
Known in Japan as Bokujō Monogatari 3: Heart ni Hi o Tsukete (牧場物語3~ ハートに火をつけて?)[27]
Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town
Original release date(s):[28]
JP April 18, 2003
NA November 17, 2003
PAL March 26, 2004
Release dates by system:
2003—Game Boy Advance[28]
Notes:
Known in Japan as Bokujō Monogatari: Mineral Town no Nakama Tachi[28] (牧場物語 ミネラルタウンのなかまたち?, lit. "The Farm Story: Companions of Mineral Town")[29]
Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life
Original release date(s):[30]
JP September 12, 2003
NA March 16, 2004
PAL March 26, 2004
Release dates by system:
2003—GameCube[30]
2004—PlayStation 2[3]
Notes:
Known in Japan as Bokujō Monogatari: Wonderful Life[30] (牧場物語～ワンダフルライフ?, lit. "The Farm Story: Wonderful Life")[31]
A special edition was published for the PlayStation 2, which included some updates.[3] Known as Bokujō Monogatari: Oh! Wonderful Life (牧場物語Oh!ワンダフルライフ通常版?, lit. "The Farm Story: Oh! Wonderful Life")[32] in Japan and Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life Special Edition in English language countries[33]
Harvest Moon: More Friends of Mineral Town
Original release date(s):[34]
JP December 12, 2003
PAL November 2004
NA July 26, 2005
Release dates by system:
2003—Game Boy Advance[34]
Notes:
Known in Japan as Bokujō Monogatari: Mineral Town no Nakama Tachi for Girls[34] (牧場物語ミネラルタウンのなかまたちforガール?, lit. "The Farm Story: Companions of Mineral Town for Girls")[35]
It is the female version of the Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town[36]
Harvest Moon: Another Wonderful Life
Original release date(s):[37]
JP July 8, 2004
NA July 26, 2005
Release dates by system:
2004—GameCube[37]
Notes:
Known in Japan as Bokujō Monogatari: Wonderful Life for Girls[37] (牧場物語ワンダフルライフforガール?, lit. "The Farm Story: Wonderful Life for Girls")[38]
It is an updated version of Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life, aimed at females where the main character is a girl[39]
Harvest Moon: Magical Melody
Original release date(s):
JP March 3, 2005[40]
NA March 28, 2006[41]
Release dates by system:
2005—GameCube[42]
2008—Wii[43]
Notes:
Originally released in Japan as Bokujō Monogatari: Shiawase no Uta (牧場物語 しあわせの詩?, lit. "The Farm Story: Happy Poem")[44]
Also known as Harvest Moon: Poem of Happiness [40]
A worldwide edition of Bokujō Monogatari: Shiawase no Uta was released later in 2005, featuring extra add-ins.[41] It was released in English language countries as Harvest Moon: Magical Melody and known in Japan as Bokujō Monogatari: Shiawase no Uta for World[45] (牧場物語 しあわせの詩forワールド?, lit. "The Farm Story: Happy Poem for World")[46]
Released on the Wii in 2008 for PAL Region Territories and in 2009 for North America[47]
Harvest Moon DS
Original release date(s):[48]
JP March 17, 2005
NA September 12, 2006
PAL April 13, 2007
Release dates by system:
2005—Nintendo DS[48]
Notes:
Known in Japan as Bokujō Monogatari: Colobocle Station[48] (牧場物語 コロボックルステーション?)[49]
First game for the Nintendo DS in the Harvest Moon series
Harvest Moon DS Cute
Original release date(s):[50]
JP December 8, 2005
NA March 25, 2008
Release dates by system:
2005—Nintendo DS[50]
Notes:
Known in Japan as Bokujō Monogatari: Colobocle Station for Girls[50] (牧場物語コロボックルステーションforガール?)[51]
A female orientated version of Harvest Moon DS, where the main character is a girl[52]
Harvest Moon DS: Island of Happiness
Original release date(s):[53]
JP February 1, 2007
NA August 26, 2008
EU December 12, 2008
AUS March 26, 2009
Release dates by system:
2007—Nintendo DS[53]
Notes:
Known in Japan as Bokujō Monogatari: Kimi to Sodatsu Shima[53] (牧場物語 キミと育つ島?)[54]
Harvest Moon: Tree of Tranquility
Original release date(s):[55]
JP June 7, 2007
NA September 30, 2008
EU October 9, 2009
AUS October 22, 2009
Release dates by system:
2007—Wii[55]
Notes:
Known in Japan as Bokujō Monogatari: Yasuragi no Ki (牧場物語 やすらぎの樹?, lit. "The Farm Story: Tree of Serenity")[56]
Also known as Harvest Moon Heroes and Harvest Moon: Tree of Peace[57]
Harvest Moon DS: Sunshine Islands
Original release date(s):[58]
JP February 21, 2008
NA November 10, 2009
Release dates by system:
2008—Nintendo DS[58]
Notes:
Known in Japan as Bokujō Monogatari: Kira Kira Taiyou to Nakama Tachi[58] (牧場物語 キラキラ太陽となかまたち?, lit. "The Farm Story: Sun and Companions")[59]
Harvest Moon: Animal Parade
Original release date(s):[60]
JP October 30, 2008
NA November 10, 2009
Release dates by system:
2008—Wii[60]
Notes:
Known in Japan as Bokujō Monogatari: Waku Waku Animal March (牧場物語わくわくアニマルマーチ?, lit. "The Farm Story: Exciting Animal March")[61]
Harvest Moon DS: Grand Bazaar
Original release date(s):[62]
JP December 18, 2008
NA July 27, 2010
Release dates by system:
2008—Nintendo DS[62]
Notes:
Literal Japanese translation, "The Farm Story: Welcome! To The Wind's Bazaar" (牧場物語 ようこそ！風のバザールへ?)[63]
Harvest Moon: Hero of Leaf Valley
Original release date(s):[64]
JP March 19, 2009
NA April 26, 2010
Release dates by system:
2009—PlayStation Portable[64]
Notes:
Known in Japan as Bokujō Monogatari: Sugar Mura to Minna no Negai (牧場物語シュガー村と皆の願い?, lit. "The Farm Story: Sugar Village and Everyone's Wish")[62]
Bokujō Monogatari: Futago no Mura
Original release date(s):[65]
JP July 8, 2010
Release dates by system:
2010—Nintendo DS[65]
Notes:
Literal Japanese translation, "The Farm Story: Twin Villages" (牧場物語 ふたごの村?)[66]
Harvest Moon 3D (working title)
Original release date(s):[67]
JP TBA
NA TBA
Release dates by system:
TBA—Nintendo 3DS
Notes:
First game for the Nintendo 3DS in the Harvest Moon series
[edit]Related titles
There are nine spin-off games under the Harvest Moon series featuring related elements or characters.
BS Bokujō Monogatari
Original release date(s):[9][68]
JP September 2, 1996
Release dates by system:
1996—Super Famicom (Satellaview)[9][68]
Notes:
Full Japanese title is BS Bokujō Monogatari (BS 牧場物語?, lit. "BS Farm Story")[9]
It was an episodically released ura- or gaiden-version of the original Harvest Moon featuring "SoundLink" narration[69]
Online Satellaview emulation enthusiasts refer to the game unofficially as "BS Makiba Monogatari"[70]
Innocent Life: A Futuristic Harvest Moon
Original release date(s):[71]
JP April 27, 2006
AUS March 22, 2007
NA May 15, 2007
EU May 18, 2007
Release dates by system:
2006—PlayStation Portable[71]
2007—PlayStation 2[72]
Notes:
Known in Japan as Innocent Life: Shin Bokujō Monogatari (イノセントライフ ～新牧場物語～?)[73] and in Australia as Harvest Moon: Innocent Life[71]
It is a futuristic Harvest Moon spin-off, in which the game takes place on a relic-filled island which can be explored by walking or biking[74]
A special edition was released for the PlayStation 2 known as Innocent Life: A Futuristic Harvest Moon (Special Edition) in North America and in Japan Shin Bokujō Monogatari: Pure Innocent Life[72] (新牧場物語：ピュア イノセントライフ?)[73]
On October 15, 2009 it was released for the PlayStation Portable via the PlayStation Network[25]
Puzzle de Harvest Moon
Original release date(s):[75]
NA November 6, 2007
Release dates by system:
2007—Nintendo DS[75]
Notes:
Puzzle de Harvest Moon is a spin-off puzzle game which uses farm-related activities from the role-playing games of the series[76]
Harvest Moon: My Little Shop
Original release date(s):[77]
JP April 28, 2009
NA November 23, 2009
Release dates by system:
2009—Wii (WiiWare)[77]
Notes:
Known in Japan as Bokujō Monogatari Series: Makiba no Omise (牧場物語シリーズ まきばのおみせ lit. The Farm Story Series: The Farm Store ?)[78]
It is the first WiiWare title in Harvest Moon series
The gameplay is more featured on the management of a store but still features farming[79]
Harvest Moon: Frantic Farming
Original release date(s):[80]
NA August 7, 2009
Release dates by system:
2009—iPhone OS, Nintendo DS[80][81]
Notes:
Harvest Moon: Frantic Farming is the second puzzle game in the series following Puzzle de Harvest Moon
It is the first game in the series to be released on the iPhone OS
[edit]Rune Factory titles
Titles in the spin-off Rune Factory series.
Rune Factory: A Fantasy Harvest Moon
Original release date(s):[82]
JP August 24, 2006
NA August 14, 2007
EU February 13, 2009
AUS March 12, 2009
Release dates by system:
2006—Nintendo DS[82]
Notes:
Known in Japan as Rune Factory: Shin Bokujō Monogatari (ルーンファクトリー -新牧場物語-?, lit. "Rune Factory: A New Farm Story")[83]
Known in Europe as simply Rune Factory[82]
Rune Factory is a spin-off of the Harvest Moon series, celebrating its 10th anniversary, featuring fantasy components such as monsters[4]
Described as "Harvest Moon where you wield a sword" by producer Yoshifumi Hashimoto[4]
Rune Factory 2: A Fantasy Harvest Moon
Original release date(s):[84]
JP January 3, 2008
NA November 18, 2008
Release dates by system:
2008—Nintendo DS[84]
Notes:
Full Japanese title is Rune Factory 2 (ルーンファクトリー２?) [85]
Rune Factory 2 is the sequel to Rune Factory: A Fantasy Harvest Moon
It is the last Rune Factory game to be a affiliated with the Harvest Moon series as Rune Factory will now work as an independent series[86]
It was originally intended to be released without the Harvest Moon subtitle[86] in order for Rune Factory to grow into a independent series, however Natsume applied the subtitle A Fantasy Harvest Moon for its North American release[87]
Rune Factory Frontier
Original release date(s):[88]
JP November 27, 2008
NA March 17, 2009
PAL April 1, 2010
Release dates by system:
2008—Wii
Notes:
Full Japanese title is Rune Factory Frontier (ルーンファクトリー フロンティア?)[89]
It is the first Rune Factory title not to be affiliated with the Harvest Moon series and is the first title on the Wii
Rune Factory 3
Original release date(s):[90]
JP October 22, 2009
NA Q3 2010
Release dates by system:
2009—Nintendo DS
Notes:
Full Japanese title is Rune Factory 3 (ルーンファクトリー3?)[91]
It is the third Rune Factory title to be released on the Nintendo DS
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