Puzzle de Harvest Moon review

Proof that puzzles and farming cancel each other out on the awesome scale

GamesRadar+ Verdict

Pros

  • +

    Familiar series characters

  • +

    Single-card multiplayer

  • +

    Not actually farming

Cons

  • -

    Skill-free harvesting design

  • -

    No story/extended play modes

  • -

    Paying $30 for a minigame

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Nov 21, 2007

What happened to the original version of Puzzle de Harvest Moon? Slated for a fall release last year, the initial iteration promised a story mode, minigames and even sideways orientation of the DS for a larger vertical playing field. We ask because the feature-light final product seemingly betrays its additional year of development, delivering much less than expected despite the full price tag. What's the deal?

Puzzle de Harvest Moon takes the characters and settings of Natsume's long-running Harvest Moon farming franchise and reworks them into a fast-paced, time-management casual game. Players must duke it out against three opponents in a race to earn points from planting and harvesting crops. Each match encompasses all four seasons and weighs in at four to eight minutes in length. "Casual," indeed.

More info

GenrePuzzle
DescriptionPuzzle de Harvest Moon lacks the addictive gameplay and extensive single-player modes to make it worth planting in your Nintendo DS.
Franchise nameHarvest Moon
UK franchise nameHarvest Moon
Platform"DS"
US censor rating"Everyone"
UK censor rating""
Release date1 January 1970 (US), 1 January 1970 (UK)
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Andrew Hayward
Freelance writer for GamesRadar and several other gaming and tech publications, including Official Xbox Magazine, Nintendo Power, Mac|Life, @Gamer, and PlayStation: The Official Magazine. Visit my work blog at http://andrewhayward.org.