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: Grand Bazaar (August 2025)
• North America: Harvest Moon: Home Sweet Home Special Edition (October 2025) and Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar (August 2025)
• Europe: Harvest Moon: Home Sweet Home Special Edition (October 2025) and Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar (August 2025)

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! This week, I cleaned out the front garden box where the zucchini did quite well this year. I grew potatoes in that area last year and clearly missed some, because there were potatoes to harvest as well! As I dug through the soil, pulling up Big Doug's fresh roots (sigh...) and uncovering potatoes, I found a little one to toss into the potato bucket. Of course, I miss the shot - I am terrible at basketball - so the potato hits the rim of the bucket and bounces out. And since daylight is fading earlier each day, I couldn't find this dang tiny potato because it's dark outside.

I did find it in the morning, my precious potato. The little guy's longevity could mean it will make great potatoes next year. Maybe.

HM: HSH SE Bonus

While the physical edition preorders of Harvest Moon: Home Sweet Home via Amazon, Gamestop, and the Natsume Online Store will receive an acrylic standee, Natsume announced this week that digital preorders on the Nintendo Switch 1 and 2, Playstation 5, and XBox X will include a digital Welcome Care bonus package. Home console players can receive 3000 G and 50 bags of seeds: 10 each of Cabbage, Daisy, Marigold, Onion, and Turnip. This preorder bundle is currently not available for the Steam platform.

The upgraded version of the mobile game will be released on October 30. I'm assuming that the new functionality added to the Special Edition (+2 marriage candidates, Doc's hoverboard, more events, etc.) won't be added for free to the Android/iOS version that's out now on the applicable digital platforms.

SoS:GB Updates

Now out for about a month, Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar is still on the Famitsu Top 30 physical sales chart in Japan. The Switch 1 edition dropped from rank 4 to rank 7 (+6000 unit sales, ~74,700 total), while the Switch 2 edition went from rank 14 to rank 21 (+2610 unit sales, ~29,200 total).

Marvelous announced that there have been almost 20,000 sales of the $1.99 Pine Hoverfly DLC outfits, a special in-game hat/outfit/glider set for the protagonist to wear in Grand Bazaar. Besides being a cute outfit, 100% of the proceeds will be used to help fund further restoration efforts for the rare little insect in Scotland, as supported by the Royal Zoological Society.

I've reached the summer of year 2 in my game, now a bazaar rank 6 and almost halfway to rank 7. There is still a lot to do, such as picking someone to marry! I know who I want to wed, but Diana has post-marriage rival events that I can only track/record if I do not marry her, so looks like it will be Kagetsu or Samir instead.

Starsand Release Date

The tropical farming and life sim game Starsand Island is available to check out at the Tokyo Game Show, open this weekend to the public. The hands-on demo of this cute game will be part of the XBox showcase in Makuhari Hall.

Developer Seed Lab also released a new promotional video and revealed that their game will be released on February 1, 2026, for Steam and home consoles.

A demo of the game will be released on Steam starting on October 8. If you're not familiar with this adorable farming game yet, Seed Labs describes their game as...

Available to wishlist on Steam, Starsand Island sees the player's character embark on a journey of personal healing, as they escape the hustle and bustle of city life and return to the island home of their childhood. As they settle into the calming, pastoral idyll, players will farm, fish, raise animals, explore the island's mysterious and ancient ruins, and build connections with quirky local characters.

They'll also be able to unlock their full creativity and design and build the home of their dreams, with an extensive construction system allowing them to shape their dream life… and even invite friends to help craft their paradise together. Once their ideal residence has been built - whether that's a grand manor, mid-century bungalow, quaint cottage, or any other design they have in mind - players will be able to decorate and furnish the interior and exterior with a range of decor.

Starsand Island also includes extensive customization for the player's character, such as the ability to finely tune them with a range of facial features, skin tones, makeup, and hairstyles, while choosing from a vast wardrobe of outfits and accessories to complete a fresh, edgy vibe ready for island life. Further customizable options will be expanded post-launch, along with additional social and collaborative gameplay, while more information on the Starsand Island's multiplayer functionality will be released in the coming months.

Palworld Farming

Based on player feedback, Pocketpair, Inc. announced this week that a cozy version of their monster-collecting and battling game Palworld will have a toned-down version for those who would rather farm than fight. The spin-off game, Palfarm, will put the player and their monster friends into a farming simulation game set on an island of Pals.

Players will use the special abilities of their Pals to tend to the fields, sow and water crops, and harvest the veggies for market. There is a little bit of battling, as Pocketpair explained that bad Pals may invade the player's farmstead, requiring defensive measures from the partner Pals.

While the game does not have a release date, Palworld: Palfarm is available to wishlist on Steam.

• Palworld: Palfarm | Steam Store

Other Indie Updates

A HD-2D style farming game, Wind Story is now available on Steam. Move to a little homestead called Wind Chime Ranch and work the fields to expand the farm into a visitor destination. The two-person development group BluSped Studio has had its game available on Early Access since April and has a demo available:

• Wind Story | Steam Store

Stairway Games revealed that their diverse and friendly farming game, Coral Island, has had over 1 million units sold/acquired on Steam. The next content update is version 1.2b, which was split off from version 1.3 due to its size and delivery time. The smaller 1.2b update will introduce more mini-games, improved fishing mechanics, the ability to receive gifts from pets, and a tattoo shop. Then, the big 1.3 update will bring child maturity, merfolk festivals and marriage ceremony, a candidate jealousy system, and family/kid hangout events.

• Coral Island | Steam Store

Until next time!

- Cher
(Time to plant the cover crops!)

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