Happy 10th Birthday, Harvest Moon!

Remember Harvest Moon on the Super NES? The adorable little farm simulator/RPG that came at the very end of the system’s life cycle and spawned it’s own franchise? Well, it’s ten years old now, and publisher Natsume is celebrating by releasing two new titles this summer: Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness for the Nintendo DS and Harvest Moon: Tree of Tranquility for the Nintendo Wii. On top of the new games, a host of HM-themed goodies (like plushies!) will be released to commemorate the anniversary.

From the press release:

“Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness for the Nintendo DS and Harvest Moon:Tree of Tranquility for the Nintendo Wii will both be available at retail later this summer, and will be branded with special packaging marking the 10th anniversary. In addition, a line of collectible plush toys featuring the cute and friendly animal characters from the games will also be available as a pre-order bonus/gift with purchase at select retailers. Other special promotions surrounding the anniversary include an exclusive 10th anniversary Harvest Moon DS Lite Kit (with protective cover, stylus, screen wipe and more) and two new strategy guides from BradyGames.”

Neither title looks as if it’ll stray far from the formula, though both take place on Islands (and the Wii title will have many rebuilding elements). My favorite game in the series has always been the Nintendo 64 installment, but I’m intrigued by Tree of Tranquility. We shall see later this summer.

Read [gamezone]