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Harvest Moon: Sunshine Islands Impressions

By Andre Segers, GameSpotPosted Jun 4, 2009 6:33 pm PT

We check out life on the farm in Harvest Moon: Sunshine Islands.

Harvest Moon is no stranger to handheld platforms, and Sunshine Island represents the latest step for the series on the Nintendo DS. The core is the same as always: try to run a farm while balancing an active social life. However, Natsume has tweaked some things and added a few new features that should appeal to fans of the series.

Right off the bat, we noticed that the map displayed on the top screen revealed that the world was divided into a series of islands. Each island is home to a unique feature that enables you to perform special activities, such as mining ore, encountering unique animals, or putting the local harvest sprites to work on your farm. However, not every island is available from the get-go; instead, some serve as a reward for finding something called sun stones, which are awarded for helping the local villagers with their daily tasks. The game also features competitions, such as a Frisbee-catching contest, that you can enter your pets in to earn special prizes, such as upgraded tools to improve your farming efficiency.

Perhaps most importantly, Natsume has listened to the touch-screen-based complaints of the last DS game and enabled the main character to be controlled with the control pad as well, though touch-screen controls remain for those who prefer them.

It's difficult to gauge how much the added features will enhance the experience, but we're curious to find out when the final version hits the Nintendo DS this July.

28 Comments

  • PKMNBreedrRauru

    Posted Nov 15, 2009 6:09 pm PT

    I have always loved Harvest Moon, ever since the GB games. I have all GB, GBC, GBA, PSX, and the latest NDS games, I am just gonna start playing Sunshine Islands. Harvest Moon FTW.

  • PC-GAMER-CARTER

    Posted Sep 19, 2009 2:45 pm PT

    Can't wait this is 1 of my fav series Ever!!!!!!!

  • ericlingky

    Posted Aug 29, 2009 4:33 am PT

    OMG....this release...
    I thought the Sunshine Island was sink inside the sea ....=.=
    @Livlighing
    we 2 die together...Natsume kill us....LOL

  • livlightning

    Posted Aug 28, 2009 3:56 pm PT

    the wait for this is killing me.
    harvest moon has been my favourite series since like, 10 years ago.

  • xXChuckXxSP

    Posted Aug 15, 2009 8:23 pm PT

    I'm really excited for this.
    It appears to me from a screenshot I saw that you can get different coloured horses.
    I'm not sure if it's accurate, but I sure hope you can buy horses of a different colour than brown.

  • VanMoNky

    Posted Aug 1, 2009 10:33 pm PT

    YEAH! I hope this will be the best ds HM ever...

  • Dinkyfish

    Posted Jul 17, 2009 3:18 am PT

    I can't wait for this, looks a lot more 'colourful' than IoH, which was what put me off IoH. Looking forward to this alot

  • carcar697

    Posted Jul 8, 2009 8:15 pm PT

    YES!!! ITS ALMOST THE RELEASE MAN!!! I didnt really like the controls on HMIoH so Im glad the controls are better. ^^

    But the control pad on my ds broke recently so I better get it fixed soon.. >.>

  • montz312

    Posted Jun 29, 2009 5:38 pm PT

    can't wait, i hope it's better then the island of happiness

    JANCOK, MANTAP iki MBUT!!!

  • wolfboy15

    Posted Jun 29, 2009 1:08 am PT

    oh and is it just me or is that to kids on the top pic??

  • wolfboy15

    Posted Jun 29, 2009 1:08 am PT

    YEA cant wait till it comes out but when does it cause it says in the impression that its July but in the top right coner it says August 2009.
    but still cant wait iver way hope its July!!

  • Shidira

    Posted Jun 29, 2009 12:14 am PT

    I'm very excited to see this! I can't wait to get my hands on this game!

  • k3ntut_ajib

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 9:12 pm PT

    yeah!!! D-PAD is coooommmmmeeeee baaaccckkkk!!!! I'm tired with stylus.....

  • g-kai

    Posted Jun 15, 2009 11:23 am PT

    a new harvestmoon game.......cooooollll
    i want one...i hope it will com soon....

  • MayorJohnny

    Posted Jun 9, 2009 2:43 pm PT

    Cool! I might buy this game!

  • gmax Site moderator

    Posted Jun 8, 2009 10:48 am PT

    Heh. Moon goodness for the DS. Sounds like a lot of hours on a DS...

  • bgres077

    Posted Jun 8, 2009 8:30 am PT

    Woot woot I ain't playin around make one false move and I'll take ya down!!!!!!!!!!!

  • DanieltheDead

    Posted Jun 7, 2009 3:45 pm PT

    Sweet.
    It's only a month away!

  • smzee27

    Posted Jun 6, 2009 5:57 pm PT

    Seems like they've added back the old bacheloretts as well.

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