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! The last of the germinated seedless watermelons from the original packet of seeds was a dud. It sprouted but hasn't grown since. So that leaves 1 seedless melon, 1 pollinator melon, 2 supermarket seedless melons, and 3 Sakanas. Not exactly the melon barrage I was hoping for. I had been saving cardboard to throw down on the backyard lawn for the melons' grow bags (out of the reach of Big Doug and his shady boughs), but with only 7 plants, that seems like a lot of work for little return. I can realistically use 3 grow bags for all 7 plants and simply place them on the concrete patio. Maybe I should have grown corn from the beginning!

Steam Next Fest

The latest celebration of upcoming games is now live on Steam until June 22 (Monday). Some notable demos for upcoming farming games include:

• Farming Camp
• Moonfrost (Demo recently updated)
• Moonlight Peaks (Demo recently updated)
• My Heaven's Dale

HM: Echoes of Teradea Trailer

The first full trailer for Natsume's upcoming farming game, Harvest Moon: Echoes ot Teradea is now available on YouTube. This game has a lot of carryover features from their earlier game, Harvest Moon: The Winds of Anthos. From looking through the video, we can pick up on a few things:

• Seasonal villages and farms return. There is Bloomfield Village (spring, where the protagonist starts), Tidewind Village (summer), Maplehill Town (autumn), and Quarrytop Village (winter). Each has its own farm space and a culture-like level to increase.
• The bare Spirit Trees are most likely part of a restoration plot point. There's one outside of Bloomfield Village near Wolf Hill, a Spirit Tree of Summer located (presumably) around Tidewind Village, and one shown in the middle of Maplehill Town. I'm guessing these are like the Sprite Walls from Anthos, where you have to complete certain story objectives to restore their functionality.
• The existence of status effects such as protection from heat and cold has returned. With camping and cooking both included in the game, there's a good chance there will be bonus stats from campout meals.
• Wild animals will attack, and if they triumph, you pass out and lose inventory items. Oh no, not my rocks!
• Our boy Doc Jr. returns, though he's most likely a heartbreaking non-marriage candidate once again. Maybe there will be a surprise?
• Traveling companion Tiny Harvest Goddess and her herd of wisps are also floating around. The Golden Wisps, which hold stamina-improving Power Wisp Fruits, are hidden in Power Statues. These statue challenges must be cleared to receive the fruit, which can then be exchanged at the Goddess Statue for skills and stamina hearts.
• Several characters were shown: William, though only in text (Bloomtown); Kukri and Mara (Tidewind); Shirley, Amad, Jimmy, and Bryce (Maplehill); and Hank and Lorelei (Quarrytop). We know there's Cindy in Maplehill too, and now there's a mysterious gray-haired lady in Bloomtown. Hmm...
• The Soil Conditioner machine from Harvest Moon: Home Sweet Home appears in one of the segments showing Tidewind Village's farm space. Most likely, crop field conditions will be included in this game as well, where the quality of the soil influences the star rank of the resulting crops and mutation opportunities. After harvest, the soil quality will decrease. You can then use the Soil Conditioner to improve the health of the soil again (higher quality = faster recovery) or simply let the field naturally restore its strength over time. In HSH, growing crops across multiple fields allowed for field-rotation techniques, enabling some fields to lie fallow while recovered fields were used for crop production.
• While there is now climbing functionality that allows the protagonist to explore high areas, the rideable mount also has a new jumping ability that can be used to cross large gaps. Based on the trailer, it looks like having a horse or similar companion will be crucial for traveling around Teradea.
• Hairstyles, hair color, skin tone, eye color, and outfit designs for the protagonist as well (pants and shorts!).
• The mining function looks very similar to Anthos and Home Sweet Home. Smash rocks, avoid falling debris, and locate the staircase or floor crack leading down to the next floor.

Echoes of Teradea is still set for a September 24 release date on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Steam/PC, and XBox Series X|S. You can preorder the physical Switch or PS5 version from Natsume's store in North America, Canada, and Mexico to receive a wolf plush, while supplies last. Steam and XBox are digital.

• Pre-Order: Harvest Moon: Echoes of Teradea with FREE Wolf Plush | Natsume Store

Still haven't heard who the EU publisher will be, though Numskull Games have been sharing Natsume's social media posts.

Coral Island 1.3

Stairway Games surprise released the next free content update to their conservationary farming game, Coral Island on Wednesday. The 1.3 update, now available on PlayStation 5, Steam/PC, and XBox Series X|S, brings a lot of fun things:

• For single-player experiences, there is now an option to manually save the game at any time instead of only after going to bed for the day. Plus, there's an auto-save function when moving in and out of buildings, right before a cutscene triggers, when going diving, before and after a festival, and whenever using the little goddess shrines to teleport around the world.
• New marriage candidates Raina and Agung have been added. Raina's marriage path becomes available after creating the Recreation Center (buildable after the entire Pufferfish storyline is completed), while Agung's marriage path unlocks after completing the multi-season Merfolk Chaperone quest. So, they're both super-late-game candidates.
• Marriage candidates can now ask you to hang out with them, rather than it being something only the player can initiate. The person must be at least 2 hearts of friendship, and the hangout location is randomly selected from the available locations. After either accepting or rejecting a hangout invitation, a cooldown timer must expire before they can initiate another hangout request. There are also new hangout locations around the island.
• A new jealousy system has been added if you've handed over the dating locket to multiple candidates. This can also trigger post-marriage when you're giving too much attention to the remaining candidates or when you've ignored your spouse for too long. This is an optional feature and can be enabled or disabled in the game settings.
• A new festival in the Merfolk Kingdom is available from Summer 19 to 21. This unlocks after completing the multi-season Merfolk Chaperone quests and the Resupply Merfolk Kingdom II task.
• All cooking recipes can now be discovered by watching TV, digging up a four-leaf clover, receiving them in the mail from residents, and investigating select points of interest. There are new Merfolk-themed cooking recipes as well. I'm missing a lot of recipes, so this is great!
• New animal color variations for farm critters unlock as the Town Rank increases. Plus, you can sell horses.
• New farmhouse decor includes Fish Tanks, Insectariums, and Vases. Put caught fish and insects in the appropriate container, while flowers go into a Vase.
• In multiplayer experiences, players can now use kiss, hug, and hangout actions with each other. A new naptime function lets you restore stamina while other players continue with their day.

Lots of other improvements as well, such as seasonal environmental upgrades, new dialog, easier ring-toss game during the Spooky Day festival, plus a lot of bug fixes. Huzzah!

The Steam version of Coral Island is on sale for 40% off until June 25.

• Coral Island | Steam Store

Other Indie Updates

The playtest for Fourleaf Fields begins Monday on Steam. Developer BEHEMUTT notes that everyone who requests entry into the playtest will receive access to the game, plus three access invites to share with friends. The playtest will be in single-player mode and will run for about two weeks.

• Fourleaf Fields| Steam Store

Galactic farming game Farlands will finally exit its 2 years in Steam Early Access on July 16. The full version of the game includes all of the planets to explore, post-story content, platform achievements, and improved controller support. In Farlands, players take over an abandoned planet to start a new farming life, but soon learn it was cheap for a reason. An intergalactic mining company threatens your new home and the nearby planet of Terbin, where a variety of space misfits have made their home. Team up with the residents of Terbin to prove their worth to the Emphyreans and earn the aliens' protection from the planetary mining company.

With the full release, Farlands will also launch digitally on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, XBox Series X|S, and XBox One.

• Farlands | Steam Store

(Farlands will most likely be my next non-SoS/HM game, as I really like the demo the last time I played. Plus, there is a massive museum to complete.)

Idle farming game Petunia's Purgatory will launch on Steam on July 16. Developer Dead Possum Games and publisher Level Up Gaming have players growing weird crops, making sacrifices, and summoning demonic farm assistants to help with this cursed farm. It's a bit of an occult-farming experience that sits at the bottom of your desktop screen. A demo is available:

• Petunia's Purgatory | Steam Store

Until next time

-Cher
(Sunday is the Summer Solstice. I'm not ready yet for nights to come earlier…)

RSS