Farmer Needs a Break

It’s the 10th anniversary of Harvest Moon, the crack-cocaine of farming games, and the titles just won’t stop.

There are two new releases for the DS and the Wii, and two more on the horizon. Even as a serious pretend farmer, my stamina is running low.

The newest DS game in the addictive farming simulation series, Island of Happiness, hit shelves a few weeks ago. So far, I’ve got two chickens, a shameful lack of cows and sheep, and my future husband hasn’t even moved to my island yet.

I spent all afternoon searching Atlanta for a copy of Harvest Moon: Tree of Tranquility, the franchise’s first game for the Wii. This one boasts new features and calls itself the biggest Harvest Moon world to date. There are even ostriches. To ride.

But I haven’t even slipped this newest release in my Wii yet, and titles keep coming.

There’s Rune Factory 2, which is supposed to drop this Fall. The first farming/adventure hybrid added a whole new layer of dungeons and monsters to spice up the farming and wife-wooing formula. The result was amazing.

Now there are screens and an adorable puppet ad campaign out for a new HM Wii game- Waku Waku Animal March. The Japanese release date is set for October 30, and you can be almost sure Natsume will bring that overseas.

Coming some time after that is Welcome to the Wind Bazaar for the DS. The site is short on release details (and in Japanese). We don’t yet know when, or if, this game will be heading to America, but it was scheduled to be at the Tokyo Game Show. It wasn’t the most talked-about feature, but hopefully more news is still on its way.

At this rate, I might be farming for the rest of my life.

Even as a huge farming fan, I’m hoping these titles take the slow boat to America. I’m already up to my neck in tomatoes and turnips to even consider packing on more casual farming fun. Some time in late summer of 2009, I’m hoping. I need time get my produce empire up and running on this year’s releases before I’m ready to spend cash on two new titles.

Now excuse me- I’ve gotta see a man about an ostrich.