The Ushi No Tane websites specialize in information, FAQs, and guides about the Nintendo console versions of the Harvest Moon, Story of Seasons, and Legend of the River King video games. These game genres are created and published in Japan by Marvelous (JP). In other regions, you'll find Natsume, XSeed Games/Marvelous (USA), Marvelous (EU), and Rising Star involved in the series' release.

The latest version of the mainstream farming series that have been released in various regions of the world are:

• Japan: Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life (January 2023)
• North America: Harvest Moon: The Winds of Anthos (September 2023) and Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life (June 2023)
• Europe: Harvest Moon: The Winds of Anthos (October 2023) and Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life (June 2023)

The latest version of River King, in all regions of the world, is River King: Mystic Valley (JP 2007, NA 2008, EU 2009).

Since 2000, Ushi no Tane has been run by a grouchy old lady who happens to be fond of video game agriculture along with two feline helpers: Intern Captain Bootu and Intern Hondo Mewnaka. The website is not officially affiliated, sponsored, endorsed, or employed by the developers of Harvest Moon, Story of Seasons, or River King. This is simply a fan site.

Latest Farming Video Game News

Happy Farm'n Friday! Today is Dirt Delivery Day for the new raised garden beds!

At first glance, it looks like a lot of garden soil (Mr.Fogu gave his opinion on the matter using creative expletives), but there are three raised boxes to fill, plus the existing bed in the backyard that could use some more soil. So the garden soil should all fit nice and snug into the new beds. We just have to get it moved quickly, as this weekend's weather forecast calls for rain. Moving wet soil won't be fun...

SoS:PoOT Windswept Falls Preview

This week, Marvelous released a teaser video for the upcoming second expansion pass release in Japan for Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town. Windswept Falls will be released on April 28 in Japan and May 27 in North America and Europe.

【牧場物語 オリーブタウンと希望の大地】
「エキスパンション・パス」第二弾
恋愛候補パック「風の湖畔」
4月28日(水)に配信決定！

本日は『牧場物語 はじまりの大地』よりアノ4人が移住した様子を少しだけお届けします！

⇒https://t.co/eYAaDD6qDM
#牧場物語 #オリーブタウン #bokuhaji pic.twitter.com/s74LjC8Upy

— 『牧場物語』公式アカウント (@bokumono_PR) April 21, 2021

Windswept Falls is accessible from the boat dock next to the farm house. Dunhill, Hina, Neil, and Felicity live in the area. In the video, Dunhill welcomes the player to Windswept Falls, Felicity asks the player about working together to recreate some recipes, and Neil is explaining that his guitar playing is just a hobby (he isn't a professional) and his main business is running an animal shop that is currently closed.

"Felicity" is Natsume's localized name for our restaurant waitress. Her Japanese translated name is "Felicia." I'm guessing that is the name that XSeed Games will call her, since the company tends to prefer to use direct translations. "Hina," "Neil," and "Dunhill" are the direct localized names for those characters.

Next week, North America and Europe regions will receive the first release of the expansion pass next Thursday, April 29. The Animal Attire pack will unlock dog and cat costumes for the marriage candidates - bachelors will wear dog costumes, and bachelorettes will wear cat costumes. This will be an on/off toggle in the game. We'll also receive a new scenario with Cindy and Mikey that brings in some quests, events, and detective outfits for the protagonist.

Week 8 SoS:PoOT Sales in Japan

Weekly Famitsu reports that physical copies of SoS:PoOT are still selling. Last week moved 2,425 copies, about 500 less than the prior week. This brings Famitsu's estimate of total physical copies sold in Japan to 272,267.

Farming Simulator 22

GIANTS Software announced yesterday that Farming Simulator 22 has a planned release of Quarter 4 2021 for PC/Mac, Playstation 5, Xbox X, Ps4, Xbox One, and Google's Stadia (sorry Nintendo Switch...)

FS22 will have a new "seasonal cycle" system, two new maps, graphic optimization, and more realistic AI behaviors. Additional features added to this mega-farming game will be announced later. You can read more about the announcement on the official website:

• https://farming-simulator.com/newsArticle.php?&news_id=214

Roka Publishing's Beasties

Roka Publishing, the publisher for Stranded Sails: Explorers of the Cursed Islands, will soon be promoting a new type of farming game. Beasties is a mix of farming, monster raising, and puzzle fighter. Not much is know about the game so far, but the company describes it as:

Beasties is a lovingly hand-drawn 2D top/down monster trainer game with a turn-based match-3 combat mechanic, where you take on the role of a Beastie trainer. Form alliances with Beasties, earn money with farming, explore the world, craft food for the Beasties and craft various items. Collect and manage resources, discover small and big secrets and solve countless side tasks and challenges in a peaceful (wholesome) and humorous world.

Roka plans to launch a Kickstarter for Beasties sometime in May. There are a few quick gameplay snippets on their recent Tweet covering what the company has been up to lately:

• https://twitter.com/rokaplayHQ/status/1384537573696094211

Plans for releasing expansions and updates added to the Steam version of Stranded Sails to the console edition (Switch, XBox, and Ps4) are still in the works.

Until next time!

- Cher
(You gotta keep 'em vaccinated!)

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