Story of Seasons

Lore & Background

The series began in 1996 with the release of Harvest Moon for the SNES. From 1996 to 2013, Natsume Inc. handled English translation and distribution in North America under the Harvest Moon title. In 2014, Marvelous discontinued licensing to Natsume Inc., leading Natsume to develop its own Harvest Moon spin-off series starting with Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley. In 2014, Marvelous announced that its subsidiary Xseed Games would localize the latest installment under the new series title Story of Seasons. Nintendo published the first Story of Seasons game in Europe in 2015.

Reader's Guide

The Story of Seasons series is significant for its role in popularizing the farming simulation genre and for the complex naming history that caused confusion among fans. The split between Marvelous and Natsume Inc. resulted in two separate series: the original Bokujō Monogatari games released as Story of Seasons, and Natsume's own Harvest Moon games. This distinction matters for collectors and players seeking the original series. The gameplay core—growing crops, raising livestock, attending festivals, and marrying—remained consistent across titles, with innovations like same-sex marriage options introduced in later games such as Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town. The series' legacy includes influencing countless other life simulation games and maintaining a dedicated fanbase across multiple platforms.

Did You Know?

• The series was originally known in English as Harvest Moon before being renamed Story of Seasons in 2014.
• Natsume Inc. maintained the rights to the Harvest Moon name after Marvelous switched localization to Xseed Games.
• The first game in the series, Harvest Moon, was released for the SNES in 1996.

Development & Creative Vision

The game originated from a deeply personal passion project rather than a corporate mandate. Bandai Namco producer Kenji Nakajima, who grew up watching Doraemon and was a longtime fan of Harvest Moon: Back to Nature, pitched the crossover idea directly to Marvelous. His stated goal was to let players experience the emotional messages and storytelling style Doraemon is known for, delivered through the satisfying, effort-rewarding gameplay loop of Story of Seasons. One of the most significant design choices was the deliberate removal of romance and marriage features that have been staples of the Story of Seasons series since its early entries. In their place, Nakajima structured the game around a linear narrative focused on familial love. This decision made the title a distinctly different entry in both franchises — a Doraemon game that prioritized a cohesive story over the open-ended social simulation structure, while still delivering the rewarding agricultural gameplay fans of the farming genre expect.

Gameplay & World Design

Players step into Nobita's shoes to manage a farm in the fictional town of Natura, handling daily tasks like plowing fields, raising cattle and sheep, fishing, catching insects, and decorating their home. The game mirrors the seasonal rhythm of the Story of Seasons series with recurring holidays and festivals, but layers in Doraemon's signature gadgets as story-driven progression rewards. As the plot unfolds, Nobita unlocks items like Weather Cards that let him alter the next day's forecast, and the Anywhere Door for instant travel between distant locations. Supporting cast members — Gian, Suneo, and Shizuka — appear throughout to assist with the adventure and lend their own personalities to the town. The absence of romance mechanics means the social focus shifts entirely toward friendship and family bonds, giving the gameplay loop a warmer, more narrative-driven tone than its farming-sim predecessors.

Plot & Narrative

The story begins when Nobita, Doraemon, and their friends plant a mysterious seed that grows into a giant tree, triggering a violent storm that hurls them into a past era and the fictional town of Natura. Stranded and stripped of most gadgets, they settle in while searching for a way home. A local resident named Harmon lends Nobita a farm, and the group encounters a woman called Vera, who presents herself as a goddess. She offers to help them return in exchange for four specific Doraemon gadgets. When she ultimately fails to deliver on her promise, the truth emerges: Vera is actually a scientist from the far future whose time machine broke down, leaving her stranded in the past for years. She married a local man and had a son. The so-called Elder Tree is revealed to be her mechanical soil-purification device, and the time-displacing storm was a malfunction that tore her family apart. Harmon is her son, and the town elder Ravi is her sister-in-law. After the group permanently stops the storm, they help Vera repair her time machine and leave it with her so she can search for her husband, promising to visit again.

Release & Reception

Doraemon Story of Seasons made history as the first Doraemon video game released to international audiences. It launched in Japan on June 13, 2019, followed by a worldwide release on October 11, 2019, for Nintendo Switch and Windows. A PlayStation 4 port arrived in mid-2020, running at a smoother 60 FPS compared to the Switch version's 30, and later benefited from PS5 backward compatibility for improved load times and faster performance. The sequel, Friends of the Great Kingdom, expanded the franchise further in November 2022 across Switch, PS5, and Windows. Critically, the game drew mixed responses: PlayStation 4 reviews averaged mixed or average while Switch reviews leaned generally favorable. IGN found the gameplay tedious and the dialogue meandering, yet admired the storybook visual style. Nintendo Life appreciated the game's simplicity and repetitive charm, suggesting it rewards players who embrace its gentle, unhurried pace.