Harvest Moon DS: Sunshine Islands
A 2009 farm sim restoring sunken islands with magical Sun Stones.
Harvest Moon DS: Sunshine Islands, released in 2009, is a farm life simulation game for the Nintendo DS developed by Marvelous. It is the seventeenth game in the overall Harvest Moon series and the fourth DS entry, bearing a strong resemblance to Harvest Moon DS: Island of Happiness. A portion of the island from that earlier game appears as one of several islands here. Players can choose to play as a boy named Mark or a girl named Chelsea.
The story begins long before the game's events, when a major earthquake sank the Sunshine Islands. After the player arrives, the harvest sprites and the harvest goddess ask them to find magical Sun Stones to restore the islands. Once all stones are collected, a celebration is held in the player's honor.
Gameplay is divided into four 30-day seasons per year, with each day lasting about fifteen minutes. Unlike its predecessor, the player is not forced to use only the touch screen for controls. Talking to characters can be done by tapping them or pressing the A button while facing them. Holding the B button while moving makes the character run. The old touchscreen control system remains available as an option.
Marriage is possible, as in other Harvest Moon games. The marriage candidates are the same as in Island of Happiness, with one new candidate for each gender: Will for female players and Lily for male players. After one season of marriage, the player can have a child. To marry, the player must raise the candidate's heart level.
In North America, a limited edition plush pig was offered as a pre-order bonus from participating retailers.
The game received "generally favorable reviews" according to Metacritic. In Japan, Famitsu gave it a score of one six and three sevens, while Famitsu DS gave it three sevens and one eight.
- Developer
- Marvelous
- Platform
- Nintendo DS
- Release year
- 2009
- Series
- Harvest Moon (seventeenth game in the overall series)
- Genre
- Farm life simulation
- Player characters
- Mark (boy) or Chelsea (girl)
Lore & Background
Many years before the game's events, a powerful earthquake caused the Sunshine Islands to sink into the ocean. After the player moves to the island, the harvest sprites and harvest goddess task them with finding magical Sun Stones to restore the islands to their former glory. Once all Sun Stones are collected, a celebration is held for the player.
Reader's Guide
Gameplay is split into four 30-day seasons making up a year, with each day lasting about fifteen minutes. Unlike its predecessor, the player is not limited to touch-screen controls; speaking to characters can be done by tapping them or pressing the A button, and the B button allows running. The old touchscreen control system remains available. Marriage is possible, with candidates identical to those in Harvest Moon DS: Island of Happiness plus one new candidate per gender: Will for female players and Lily for male players. After a season of marriage, the player can have a child. The American pre-order bonus was a limited edition plush pig. The game received 'generally favorable reviews' on Metacritic; Famitsu gave it a score of one six and three sevens, while Famitsu DS gave three sevens and one eight.
Did You Know?
- The game is the seventeenth game in the overall Harvest Moon series, not the Story of Seasons series.
- A section of the island from Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness appears as one of multiple islands.
- Famitsu DS gave the game a score of three sevens and one eight.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Harvest Moon DS: Sunshine Islands?
It is a 2009 farm life simulation for the Nintendo DS, developed by Marvelous, in which you tend a farm while helping restore islands that sank in a great earthquake. It is the seventeenth title in the overall Harvest Moon franchise and the fourth one made for the DS.
Who can I play as in Harvest Moon DS: Sunshine Islands?
You pick either Mark, a young boy, or Chelsea, a young girl, both of whom come to the islands to help with the rebuilding effort. The choice changes dialogue and romance options but leaves the main storyline intact.
What is the main story of Harvest Moon DS: Sunshine Islands?
A massive earthquake long ago dragged the Sunshine Islands under the sea, and the player arrives to assist the harvest sprites and local villagers in bringing them back. The core quest revolves around gathering Sun Stones to raise each submerged island above the waterline.
How does Sunshine Islands relate to Harvest Moon DS: Island of Happiness?
The two DS entries share a very similar structure, art style, and gameplay loop, and a section of the island from Island of Happiness actually reappears as one of the playable islands in Sunshine Islands. Despite the close resemblance, they tell separate stories with different characters.
What role do Sun Stones play in the game?
Sun Stones are the magical artifacts that drive the restoration plot, with each one linked to a particular sunken island that must be brought back to the surface. Collecting and activating them is the primary progression mechanic that moves the story forward.
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