GameCube's 2003 Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life​​​​​​ is officially getting a remake for the Nintendo Switch, according to the Nintendo Direct live stream that occurred on September 13. The new version is called Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life and is set to release in the summer of 2023, though it will likely face some newfound competition as the Switch has become a popular console for farming simulations.
The recent trailer for Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life is marketing the game as a combination of the old Harvest Moon games, as the current Harvest Moon games and title are both owned by the company Natsume, from which Marvelous Inc has split. The iconic title is best set apart from the other games in the franchise because of its use of time and how it passes.
A Classic Harvest Moon Remake With New Twists
The town of Forgotten Valley, formerly called Forget-Me-Not Valley, is a peaceful one where players can work on their farm, fall in love, and even have children. The passage of time in Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life has long since been heralded as one of the best elements of the game that is confirmed to be carrying over into the Story of Season's remake. Reminiscent of its name, the original was the first game where players were able to progress through a character's entire life, from childhood to old age.
The official description from Marvelous Games writes that "as the season's go by, you'll find your lifelong partner, raise a child together, and watch them grow up before your very eyes." For many fans, being able to grow older with their family and NPCs such as the bachelorettes and bachelors in the town was incredibly enticing in the early 2000s. Several people among the new generation of Story of Seasons enthusiasts have also begun to express interest in the idea of family dynamics on top of growing crops, fishing, breeding animals, etc.
While this idea by itself doesn't completely change the concept of the game, it could fix the replayability of Story of Seasons games. If the developer chose to allow players to continue the game as the child of their previous protagonist, it could allow users to evolve their farms over various generations without having to restart the game from the bottom every time.
Sadly, in Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life, the main character could only ever have one child who would always be male. However, Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life Special Edition ushered in the possibility of giving birth to a daughter while also giving people a chance to play as a female protagonist, rather than just a male. If they chose to play as a woman, they eventually would be able to marry one of three eligible bachelors, Rock, Gustava, or Martin. Hopefully, the 2023 version can avoid the pitfalls of the past, and will allow its players to have either, or both, a boy or girl.
While the trailer debuted with nostalgic music and many classic features that have been seen before, there were still several new aspects and twists to be excited over. For example, for a while now, XSEED has been working on making the games more LGBTQ+ friendly, and the newest option in the series is the first step towards that goal for the company. Users will now be able to identify as male, female, or nonbinary at the start of Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life, which expands upon the idea of creative freedom in simulator games.
Following the announcement that a classic Harvest Moon was receiving a remake, many fans are hopeful that in the future, others may be adapted for the Switch or future Nintendo consoles as well. After all, Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town got its own remake in 2019 which performed well among Steam and Switch players alike. Perhaps Harvest Moon: Magical Melody will be confirmed in the next few years.
Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life launches in Summer 2023 for the Nintendo Switch.
