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Harvest Moon 64(JP) is a farming simulation game created for Nintendo 64 and released in 1999. It is the fourth in a series of Harvest Moon titles. Many of its characters are believed to be descendents from the original SNES Harvest Moon game and appear in other Harvest Moon titles such as Back to Nature for PlayStation and Friends of Mineral Town and More Friends of Mineral Town for GBA.
Harvest Moon 64 was ranked #78 in Nintendo Power's list of the top 200 games and received the only Parent's Guide to Nintendo Games Choice Award in 2001. IGN rated the game at an "impressive" 8.2. [1]
Gameplay[]
The start screen.
The story begins when main and only playable character of the game, often referred to as "Jack" among the fanbase (though Natsume names him "Pete" in screenshots of Friends of Mineral Town) inherits a farm from his deceased grandpa and moves to Flowerbud Village in order to fix it up and make a life for himself. The objective of the game is to lead a happy, successful life as a farmer by growing crops, raising animals, making friends, and starting a family, among other things.
The game operates on an accelerated time system, where each in-game hour is roughly equivalent to 15 seconds of actual playing time, though time only moves when the player is outside (time freezes once the player enters a building). There are 24 hours in a day, 30 days in a season, and four seasons in a year (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter). The main character wakes up each morning at 6am and can go to bed anytime the player chooses (writing in the diary before bed saves the game), though if the player is still up at 6am, he will be automatically transported to his house to begin the new day (the game will not save).
The player begins with a house, a barn to keep cows and sheep, a chicken coop, a large field littered with rocks, weeds, and tree stumps that can be cleared for planting, a dog, and five tools: a hammer, sickle, hoe, axe, and watering can. The game uses the currency of "g", often referred to unofficially as "gold", and the player starts out with 300g. Currency is used to purchase items at the shops and can be obtained by selling products from the farm, foraging plants from the mountains, fishing, and mining.
If, during the third Summer, the player receives a positive evaluation from his father (based on how successfully he has restored the farm and made a good life for himself), gameplay can continue for an infinite amount of time. If, however, the player receives a negative evalutation, gameplay ends.
Locations & Townspeople[]
Primary Locations and Characters[]
NOTE: Harvest Moon 64 did not name some of the charcters excplicity in the game. However, due to their appearence in the other Harvest Moon games, the characters in Harvest Moon 64 are usually referred to by the names as they appear in other versions of the series. These crossover names (mostly from Friends of Mineral Town, a game made after Harvest Moon 64) are noted in parenthesis.
- Main Character's Farm
a. House: the player sleeps, eats breakfast, and can check the weather and store tools here.
b. Barn: cows and sheep are kept here.
c. Chicken Coop: chickens are kept here.
d. Pond: fill up the watering can here.
e. Shipping Box: where sellable items can be placed to get money. Items are purchased every day at 5pm. - Beach: some festivals take place here, as well as fishing.
- Green Ranch: where animals and supplies can be purchased. Ann*, her older brother Gray, and their father (Doug/Hall) live here.
- Potion Shop: medicine to cure fatigue is sold here. You must have an empty bottle to purchase it. This is where the Potion Shop dealer and his two grandsons, Kent and Stu, live.
- Midwife's House: The Midwife, along with her son (Zack), who buys the player's shipped items at the end of the day, and his daughter, May, live here.
- Mayor's House: The Mayor, his wife, and his daughter Maria* live here.
- Race Track: Only accessible during the horse and dog race.
- Town Square: Many festivals are held here.
- Rick's Tool Shop/Craftsman's Shop
Rick's Tool Shop: The owner, Rick, sells tools and furniture for the player's house.
Craftsman's Shop: The owner (Saibara) sells small selection of specialty items. - Bar: Open only in the evening, the bar is where many townspeople go to have a drink. The bartender (Duke) is the bakery master's uncle.
- Bakery: Sells baked goods and drinks. The bakery master (Jeff), Elli*, and Elli's grandmother, Ellen, live here.
- Church: Here, the pastor teaches school on weekdays and holds a church service on Sundays. Some festivals also take place here.
- Florist Lilia: Casually referred to as the Flower Shop, seeds for planting can be purched here depending on the season. This is where Popuri* and her mother, Lilia, live, along with her father, Basil, a traveling botanist who is only around from Spring to Fall.
- The Goddess Pond: If an offering is thrown into the pond between 9am and 5pm, the Goddess will appear and grant a wish.
- Vineyard: Karen*, her mother (Sasha), her father (Gotz), and a worker named Kai live here. Both Karen and Kai will leave Flowerbud Villiage if not befriended by the player.
- Carpenter's House: The head carpenter and two workers offer home extensions here if the player has enough money and lumber.
- Cave: The entrance to the mine is in here, as well as the home of three Harvest Sprites, supernatural creatures releated to the Goddess.
- Moon Mountain Summit: An old couple (Barley and Sydney) run a restaurant here. This area can only be accessed by climbing the tree behind the Carpenter's house or waiting until Winter when a bridge is built.
Other Main Characters[]
- Harris: The town's mailman.
- Cliff: A traveler without a home who visits Flowerbud. If the player does not be friend him, he will leave at the beginning of the first Winter.
- Fisherman: Lives in a tent near the pond in Moon Mountain (Greg).
Special Characters[]
- Gourmet Man: A judge that oversees town's food related festivals.
- Entomologist: An old man with funny glasses who appears during the second Spring looking for a rare butterfly.
- Mrs. Mana: A woman who briefly comes to town to sell her cows with her son.
- Old Couple At Racetrack: A man and woman who visit the town just to attend the horse and dog races. They have a dog named Barron.
- Teenage Girls: Three girls that attend the horse and dog races but do not live in Flowebud Village.
- Couple In Love: A man and a woman who enjoy public displays of attention that come to your farm if you plant lots of flowers.
- Main Character's Dad: He lives in the city and comes during the third Summer to evaluate the player's success in Flowerbud Village.
- Photographer: Appears during special events to take a photograph for your photo album.
- Sammy: A shady salesman who's only legitimate product is sold at the Flower Festival.
How to Make Friends[]
Each person in the villiage has a hidden affection meter according to their friendship level with the main character. Talking to the villagers once a day and giving them one gift a day will raise their affection for the main character. Some villagers have favorite items which raise affection more rapidly than others. Giving villagers items such as rocks and weeds will lower their affection level. Befriending the villagers unlocks new dialog and cutscenes. (*) See Marriage
Tools[]
The original five tools the player possesses (hammer, sickle, hoe, axe, and watering can) can be up
The five tools in possesion at the start of the game.
graded first to silver, then to gold by using them often. The higher the tool level, the more work can be accomplished in a single press of a button. Other tools, which cannot be upgraded, can be purchased from around town depending on the need for them.
Original Tools[]
- Hammer: Smashes rocks in the field.
- Sickle: Gets rid of weeds and cuts grass to make fodder.
- Hoe: Tills soil to prepare for planting seeds.
- Axe: Chops down tree stumps in the field and in the mountains to create lumber used for fences or house extensions.
- Watering Can: Waters planted crops.
Other Tools[]
- Fishing Pole: Catches fish in any body of water. A gift from the fisherman in Moon Mountain.
- Milker: Milks an adult cow. From Rick's Tool Shop.
- Shears: Cuts wool from an adult sheep. From Rick's Tool Shop.
- Blue Feather: Lets the player propose to a woman for marriage. From Rick's Tool Shop.
- Cow Bell: Calls sheep and cows to follow you. Given for free when a cow or sheep is purchased from the Green Ranch.
- Chicken Feed: Feeds chickens when they are inside the coop. From the Green Ranch.
- Medicine: Heals a cow or sheep from sickness. From the Green Ranch.
- Miracle Potion: Impregnates an adult cow. From the Green Ranch.
- Seeds: Can be planted in the field to grow into sellable crops. From the Flower Shop.
- Empty Bottle: Holds liquids to drink. From Rick at the Flower Festival.
Stamina[]
Stamina can be lost by using tools, and if too much energy is exerted throughout the day, the character will become exhausted and unable to use tools. This leaves him at risk of become sick, thus forcing him to stay in bed for a whole day to recover. Using tools during inclimate weather such as rain and snow will decrease stamina quicker.
Crops[]
Crops are a main source of money and can be but in the shipping box to be sold when they reach maturity. Seeds can be purchased at Florist Lilia and planted only in soil in the character's farm that has been tilled by the hoe. In order to grow, plants must be watered daily and planted in the correct season. If left in the field when the season changes, the plant will die and must be cut down. Plants do not need to be watered when it rains, but can blow away if a typhoon hits. If a greenhouse is built, all plants can be grown inside of it during any season.
Florist Lilia also sells plant seeds that cannot be sold such as flowers and grass. Flowers serve to bring beauty to the farm and invite visitors and cutscenes, while grass is used to feed sheep and cows when they are outside. Grass can also be cut by the sickle to create fodder to feed animals indoors. Once mature grass is cut, it appears automatically inside the barn for use when needed.
Spring[]
- Turnips: They grow the fastest but sell for less money.
- Potatoes: Mature when white flowers appear.
- Cabbage: Takes the longest to grow but sells for more money.
Summer[]
- Tomatoes: Once harvested, the plant remains and more fruit can grow without planting more seeds.
- Corn: Can be re-harvested like tomatoes. Takes longer to grow but sells for more money.
Fall[]
- Eggplant: The only fall crop. Can be re-harvested.
Winter[]
- Strawberries: Can only be grown in a greenhouse.
Other Plants[]
- Moondrop Flowers: Grown in spring and summer. Cannot be sold, but make good gifts.
- Pint Catmint Flowers: Sold only at the Flower Festival. Grown in spring and summer. Cannot be sold, but make good gifts.
- Blue Mist Flower: A rare seed only available in the second Summer.
- Grass: Can be planted in Spring and Summer, but stays alive in Fall too.
Animals[]
Animals are an important part of the game, providing both income and a way to participate in festivals. There are five available animals: a dog, a horse, cows, sheep, and chickens.
Pets[]
- Dog: The player begins the game with a dog inherited from his grandfather. The dog lives in a dog house near the entrance to the player's farm and can participate in the Dog Race. Feeding the dog (by placing edible items in its food bowl near it's dog house), taking it inside before it rains or snows, picking it up, and whistling for it raise it's affection and allow it to perform better in the Dog Race.
- Horse: If the player visits the Green Ranch's field during the first Spring, Ann will offer one of their horses for free. The horse can be ridden in the Horse Race and can function as a portable shipping bin (sellable items are placed in its saddle bags). Brushing the horse, riding it, and whistling for it will raise it's affection and allow it to perform better in the Horse Race. The horse cannot leave the farm or be brought inside.
Farm Animals[]
- Cow: Cows can be purchased at the Green Ranch. When mature, they can be milked and entered in the Cow Festival. The more affection the cow has for the main character, the better quality milk it will produce and the better it will rank in the Cow Festival. Talking to it, brushing it, milking it, letting it eat grass from the player's field, taking it inside during rain and Winter (and being sure to feed it fodder while inside) are all ways to raise affection. Immature cows do not produce milk and do not need to be fed. Mature cows can become pregnant if given a Miracle Potion from Green Ranch. If a cow is left outside during rain or Winter or is not fed while inside the barn, it will get sick. If left uncared for in this manner for a period of days or left outside during a typhoon, the cow will die. To cure a cow of sickness, medicine purchased from the Green Ranch can be used.
- Sheep: Sheep can be purchased from the Green Ranch. Mature sheep can be sheared and the wool sold. Sheep are cared for in exactly the same way as cows (except shear them instead of milk them) but cannot get pregnant and cannot be entered in a festival.
- Chicken: Chickens can be purchased from the Green Ranch. If cared for properly, they each produce one egg a day that can either be sold or put in an incubator to grow into a chick. Chickens do not need grass fields to eat like cows and sheep (they will eat while outside without it), but they do need to be brought inside before rain and typhoons and during the Winter. When inside the coop, chickens need to be fed chicken feed purchased from the Green Ranch. If left in poor conditions for too long (rain, not fed, left in a typhoon), chickens will die.
Other Income[]
Foraging[]
Another way to earn money is by going to the mountains and collecting the wild plants that naturally grow outside. Like crops, certain wild plants only grow in certain seasons but can be collected and put into the shipping bin on the player's farm for a profit or eaten to regain stamina (except for flowers and poisonous mushrooms).
Spring
- Veryberry
- Edible Grass
- Medicinal Herb
- Moondrop Flowers
Summer
- Edible Grass
- Medicinal Herb
- Tropical Fruit
- Walnut
- Moondrop Flowers
Fall
- Mushroom
- Poisonous Mushroom
- Grapes
- Medicinal Herb
- Edible Grass
Winter
- None
Fishing[]
Fishing can be done during all four seasons in any body of water (except the pond in the main character's farm). In order to fish, a fishing pole must be received from the fisherman for free upon talking to him for the first time. Three types of fish can be caught: small, big, and large, and all can be sold in the shipping box on the player's farm. The bigger the fish, the more monetary value it has.
Mining[]
The mine is open between Winter 8th and Winter 30th and can be accessed by entering the cave in Moon Mountain behind the Carpenter's house. To mine, the player must use a hoe and be willing to stay inside the mine until no more stamina remains or until 5pm. Below is a list of attainable items from the mine, all of which can be sold in the shipping box.
- Iron Ore
- Blue Rock
- Moonlight Stone
- Rare Metal
- Coin (worth 10g, automatically added to the player's money count when found)
- Pontata Root
Festivals[]
Festivals are an important part of being a villager and making friends. Some are public and some are secret; some include the whole town and others involve only the player and a girl. Below is the list of the most notable festivals and their locations.
Spring[]
1st- New Years Day: Townsfolk meet in the village square for a drinking contest.
8th- Planting Festival: Celebrating the start of the planting season in the village square.
18th- Horse Race:
23rd- Flower Festival:
Trivia[]
- On the game's title screen, Natsume is misspelled as "Natume" and Push Start is misspelled as "Push the Start".
External links[]
- Harvest Moon 64 at Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Harvest Moon 64 at GameFAQs
| Harvest Moon / Story of Seasons / Bokujō Monogatari series | |
|---|---|
| Console games | Harvest Moon • 64 • A Wonderful Life (Another) • Magical Melody • Tree of Tranquility • Animal Parade Friends of Mineral Town • Pioneers of Olive Town |
| Handheld games | GB/GBC • 2 GBC • 3 GBC • Friends of Mineral Town (More) • DS (DS Cute) • Island of Happiness • Sunshine Islands Grand Bazaar • The Tale of Two Towns • A New Beginning • Story of Seasons • Trio of Town |
| Developed by Natsume | Puzzle de Harvest Moon • Frantic Farming • The Lost Valley • Light of Hope • Mad Dash • One World • The Winds of Anthos |
| Spin-offs & Related Games |
Rune Factory • My Little Shop • Hometown Story • Return to PopoloCrois • Doraemon Story of Seasons Doraemon Story of Seasons: Friends of the Great Kingdom • Stardew Valley |