Natsume cultivates Harvest Moon excitement at E3

Today (July 14, 2008) is the first day of E3, and Natsume is bringing it. It had previously announced that, in honor of the Harvest Moon‘s 10th anniversary, it would be releasing Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness (DS), Harvest Moon: Tree of Tranquility (Wii), accessory kits, strategy guides and toys. Now, at E3, it has released more information on both games, plus character art, screenshots and a new trailer for the DS entry.

Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness is due out August 26, 2008. The character designs are similar to Animal Crossing for the DS, and the story starts out familiar. Players choose to be a boy or girl, and are then shipwrecked on an island. They, along with other shipwreck survivors, decide to stay there and make the island their home. Every action is executed with the touch screen, crops now each have specific care and weather needs and a better farm means more island inhabitants.

Harvest Moon: Tree of Tranquility is also due August 26, and is somewhat similar to the DS entry. In it, players choose to be a boy or girl, then take up residence on Waffle Island. Along with standard farming, it features new Harvest Moon concepts – raising new animals (goats, ostriches and silkworms) and working part-time at businesses in town. Players also can try to discover what happened to the Mother Tree, if there is a Harvest Goddess and salvage the island through farming.

Read [Nintendo Centrum] Also Read [Gamespot]