As the upcoming release ofStory of SeasonsA Wonderful Lifedraws near, the old series ofHarvest Moonfarming simulators is in the spotlight once again. This remake comes 20 years after the originalHarvest Moon: A Wonderful Lifecame out in 2003, and it isn’t the firstStory of Seasonsremake from the series. As the fifth remake in theStory of Seasonsline of games approaches its release date, the question of what’s next becomes more relevant.Harvest Moon: Animal Paradeshould be a candidate for the same treatment asA Wonderful Life.
Thedifferences betweenHarvest MoonandStory of Seasonsis somewhat convoluted and has to do with the legality of the originalHarvest Moonfranchise name, but the original developer behind the farming simulator games remains on the team forStory of Seasons, now publishing under XSEED Games rather than Natsume. Marvelous and XSEED Games have now createdStory of Seasonsremakes of twoHarvest Moontitles:Friends of Mineral Town, and the upcomingA Wonderful Life. While not a direct sequel toA Wonderful Life,Harvest Moon: Animal Paradereleased just a few years after and follows many of the successful story and gameplay elements ofA Wonderful Life, making it a perfect follow-up for the new remake.
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What is Harvest Moon: Animal Parade?
Harvest Moon: Animal Paradereleased in the United States in November 2009 for the Wii at the height ofthe Nintendo Wii’s massive popularityworldwide.Animal Paradewas the thirdHarvest Moongame for the Wii, followingTree of Tranquility, and allowed players to use the character designs fromTree of Tranquilityor choose a new character sprite unique toAnimal Parade. Farmers found themselves moving to Castanet, a region split into musical instrument-themed districts. The player’s farm is located in the Clarinet District and farmers could access Harmonica Town, the main commerce hub, Flute Fields, and the Garmon Mine District. Connected to the Garmon District was an area that held the Goddess' Pond, a staple of theHarvest Moongames.
To go along with its name,Animal Parademade changes to farming and ranching. The game focused on raising livestock rather than farming crops, though agriculture was still prevalent. The friendship mechanic for animals was altered, making it easier for farmers to befriend both farm and wild animals. Players could obtain traditional livestock animals, including the horse and ostrich, andAnimal Parademade it possible to ride all livestock animals. Unlike inHarvest Moon: A Wonderful Life, players could obtain house pets by befriending wild animals. Players could have up to four pets once they had fully upgraded their in-game house.
Similar to previous entries in theHarvest Moonseries, players could romance villagers living in Castanet. In any given playthrough, there would be 10 available candidates for marriage, including several supernatural ones. Players can choose to romance the Witch or Wizard, or the Harvest Goddess or the Harvest King. There were also eight male and eight female human marriage candidates, each with a romantic rival that will marry the villager if a player fails to do so, and soon after have a unique rival child. WhileHarvest Moon: Animal Paradehad a large pool of marriage candidates, the choices were locked according to the player’s gender; the game would benefit from a more open gender spectrum, allowing forLGBTQIA+ romances like otherStory of Seasonsgames.
Harvest Moon: Animal Parade’s large map, expanded story, and increased number of marriage candidates make it a great option for aStory of Seasonsremake. Like other successfulStory of Seasonsgames, players have the freedom to choose how to run their farms and live their lives, making it a wonderful addition to the increasingly popularcozy life simulator genre. Fans ofA Wonderful Lifethat haven’t exploredAnimal Paradewould undoubtedly enjoy the same gameplay fundamentals alongside more to do and explore in a new, equally beautiful and richStory of Seasonssetting.
Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Lifelaunches summer 2023 for Nintendo Switch.
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