@P-Flute: This game has a large number of characters (70ish if I'm remembering), somewhere around half original characters and half ones from older HM games.

TalKeaton

@crunks: I'm pretty sure she is, but that doesn't guarantee she'll move to your town. It's a bit like Animal Crossing that way.

TalKeaton

@Ad-hominem:
1. You can choose to play as either the boy or the girl without significant differences in gameplay. (This may have been present in Magical Melody, I don't remember.)

2. Villagers come and go, and your actions affect who moves in and out.

3. I believe this is the first Harvest Moon game to incorporate any form of online capability.

4. First original fully 3D handheld Harvest Moon title. Innocent Life doesn't count, IMO.

These aren't massive overhauls of the Harvest Moon formula, but if you take a look at the "dramatic, game-changing renovations" done to a certain hedgehog over the last six or seven years, this may not be a bad thing.

TalKeaton

I love Harvest Moon but usually avoid the portable versions because they usually use the same damn characters from 64/whatever other console games instead of actually coming up with a new set.

More of the same here?

P-Flute

I hope Karen from HM64 is in the game, she was always the hottest.

crunks

@Ra is on Its Always Sunny in Philly:
I second this motion!

Also, plush chicken ftw

thanatos_

No!!!

I can't bare any more:

"I'll turn it off after I water these plants"
*5 minutes later*
"I'll just go give some gifts while I have them in my inventory, then I'll turn it off"
*10 minutes later*
"Must..water..plants..."

hamandcheeseUK

Where do I get my chicken and cow? Want cuddly HM animals. I wuv all the games... A harvest moon mmo would be that which ate my time and soul.

LeFishy

OMFG I WANT THE PLUSH CHICKEN

I ALREADY HAVE A PLUSH PUPPY, NOW I NEED A CHICKEN HOLY SHIT IM SO PUMPED TO FARM!!!!!!!!!

Caps emphasis ftw.

Thugmunk

I'm a sucker for the farming. I've always played this series in my spare time and i am just about to finish rune factory so ill have to get some time in with this before the 2nd rune factory comes out.

Vintage

@Ad-hominem: Wasn't Rune Factory a Harvest Moon spin-off? You might want to save your $40 and give that a try instead.

NeVeRMoRe666

@Ra is on Its Always Sunny in Philly: Though Harvest Moon 64 is great, the DS games are based off the Back to Nature line of games which is admittedly, superior after all these iterations.

hansamurai

Woo! my birthday! maybe I should get a DS, and this game :P

0rin

i wanna get the game but mandatory stylus control for movement ftl.

hungry_for_worms

Why the hell haven't they re-released Harvest Moon 64?

They proved they could do it with Super Mario Bros 64 on the DS. And I think its time they brought the best Harvest Moon back.

Ra is on Its Always Sunny in Philly

I want the DS version, but I want the plush cow. I don't want the Wii version. What should I do? Haaaaaaalp

tralu

Plush Chicken....pfft!

Gears of War 2 comes with plush internal organs!

The SmacK

Okay, I will say this.
Even though I don't own a DS, I will go out, and immediately put down the $40-ish dollars for the game, if they can prove some sort of dramatic game-changing renovation that wasn't in any of the previous games.

My $40 is safe and secure. The only game series that updates itself less is Pokemon.

Ad-hominem

Where can I get the plush chicken? Will any retail store work?

remixnzza

I seriously need to get a ds...

RazorandBlade

a plush chicken?
that sucks
ain't as good as Xbox SC4 with the $1 off church's chicken coupon

kainzero

Aw man, I can't wait for this! Where do I go for this plushie! I demand chicken plushies!!

MangaDragon56

I want a chicken. I want a chicken!

And oh Jesus, I had a hard enough time getting away from Harvest Moon for the SNES. Managed to resist the GBA version and subsequent DS version...but my resolve will break soon.

Aethyr

So when are we gonna get some BoyxBoy love going on here? It was already unfair that you can go GirlxGirl in the other Harvest Moon.

Xagest

@kainzero:It is for HM fans.

@Ad-hominem:Do more bugs count? HM DS had the highest bug count yet I think.

Anyway I will buy this..after reading the reviews first. Natsume burned me really bad on HM DS. I don't be burned again.

Foxstar Sixtail

Never owned or played a HM game, but I'm a sucker for Animal Crossing. Would this upcoming version be a good place to start?

CockneyKaiser

The HM plushies are available at Amazon. It should come packaged with the game.

Okari

@Aughndibi: No, it totally didn't. Didn't even have any local wifi.

TalKeaton

Oh Harvest Moon, how I've missed you're crack-like addiction.

Div

DO WANT

I'm a sucker for harvest moon games

Fulgurator

I've had trouble playing the Harvest Moon games since they changed the art style to be more "chibi", I guess. Everyone in the recent games (save for Run Factory) looks like an obese infant, with fat, stubby little arms and everything. And honestly, I have a problem with having to fake marry a fat baby. No thank you.

I believe the last great Harvest Moon game was Friends of Mineral Town on the GBA (a port of the PSX game). That game had the most features, the least glitches (I think), and the fairest difficulty. It was JUST difficult enough to make you feel like you accomplished something when you did well, but not so difficult as to make the game a chore.

Aughndibi

@TalKeaton: Harvest Moon DS had some kind of wifi component. I think all you could do is trade livestock. I never used it, personally.

Aughndibi

Man, I finished HM for the PSX and it was the longest game I've ever played. (Xenogears was the 2nd longest, btw) I've devoted enough of my life to virtual farming. Never again!!

Ionan

@Ionan:

Haha, you are going to get it, just admit it.

xD

eyeshield

Rune Factory was really good, with much more to do than in the rest of the Harvest Moon series.

jeangrae

Look, nothing have really driven me to finally try Harvest Moon, but god I want that chicken.

Also, instead of being a guy or girl, can you be one sex and choose whoever you want?

urutapu

@urutapu: I think Magical Melody had an eligible character that was ambiguously gendered... I forget the name, but you could marry him/her as either character and it was assumed that he/she was of the opposite sex. Not quite the same, but close.

TalKeaton

HARVEST MOON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love this serious. When I just want to kick back I play this.

I am also waiting for Rune Factory 2 and Harvest Moon for the Wii.

Figcoinc

@TalKeaton: Jamie yeah. Maybe different spelling.

Uh. You realise Shining Sun and Friends is exactly this but more?

[www.gamefaqs.com]

MonsterKingRen

this was supposed to come out multiple times since December. it was going to be a Christmas gift for my mother. if it doesn't come out on time this time, i think she might hurt someone.

Flashfire

@TalKeaton: Oh, crap. I was thinking of Rune Factory. My mistake.

Aughndibi

For real this time? Becuase my Amazon pre-order's been sitting there for like a *year* thanks to all the pushed back dates.

Harvest Moon is by far the most embarrassing game that I play... so... Where can I get my free plush chicken? And what's this talk of a cow?

dArk_stAr

On the same day Harvest Moon: Tree of Tranquility is also relased for the Wii in NA.

On the same day Harvest Moon: Tree of Tranquility is also released for the Wii in NA.

Friends of Mineral Town really outshone all the other versions, in my humble opinion. I was incredibly disappointed with HM:DS. If IoH incorporates more of its game mechanics from Rune Factory and character development from FoMT, instead of from HM:DS, it's guaranteed to be fantastic.

Arashinonatsu

This is a little late, but I know the gamestop in my area (Columbus, OH) is giving the plush chicken away with a pre-order for the ds game and a plush cow with a pre-order for the wii game. You can also check gamestop.com.

I will definitely be getting at least the ds version, I love the HM series, although I still think the N64 version was the best

cdncarlie