Harvest Moon: Magical Melody launches on Wii

31 January 2008 - Experience a peaceful life in the countryside and become the best farmer in Forget-Me-Not-Valley as Harvest Moon: Magical Melody published by Rising Star Games and distributed by Nintendo arrives on Wii! Get ready to nurture the best crops, produce the best milk, eggs and wool to earn money, and take on the task of restoring the Harvest Goddess to her former glory. Getting back to nature has never been so much fun as Harvest Moon: Magical Melody launches on Wii on 14 March 2008.

Players can choose to spend their days in a variety of ways in Harvest Moon: Magical Melody as they try and create the best farm in the valley. Time can be used to work the land, go shopping for seeds, or to nurture and harvest the crops. This allows budding farmers to earn money that can be spent purchasing animals like cows, chickens and sheep that might produce the best milk, eggs and wool in all of Forget-Me-Not-Valley. If, after all the hard work, a day off from farming in needed, players also have the freedom to explore the surrounding countryside and take the opportunity to go fishing, mine a mysterious cave, search for animals or simply pass the time by sight seeing.

It’s not just about creating the perfect life on the farm; players are challenged with restoring the Harvest Goddess who, saddened by farmers shunning her, has turned herself to stone. The only way to bring her back to life is to collect magical notes hidden across the land to create a Magical Melody for her. To gain these, players have to run and manage the best farm possible and meet certain quirky conditions. When five Magical Notes have been collected players can visit the Harvest Goddess relic and present her with an instrument and finally the Magical Melody when all the notes have been collected.

Once players are making a profit out of their farms, they can spend the hard earned money by giving their homes a make-over using the different home customisation options available. Smart farmers can make their daily work easier by purchasing upgrades for tools, making them more effective and reducing the work required. But the spending doesn’t stop there either! In the later stages of the game you can become a property tycoon and expand your farm.

Using the combination of the Wii Remote and Nunchuk, navigation around Forget-Me-Not-Valley and interaction with tools and animals couldn’t be easier. The innovative Wii Remote helps you to experience what it is really like to harvest crops as flicks are used to activate tools such as the hoe and sickle to harvest crops or prepare the land. Players can also fully immerse themselves in a spot of fishing as they cast off and pull in their catches by making easy movements of the Wii Remote!

As in real life, Harvest Moon: Magical Melody features all four seasons – Autumn, Winter, Summer and Spring – each with its own specific crops, weather and festivals. The festivals, each with their unique theme, offer the chance to have a fun day out and meet the locals. Interaction with your neighbours can lead to meeting that special someone, marriage and even children.

Harvest Moon: Magical Melody allows players to experience a whole new wild animal system, where players can actually become friends with the creatures in the valley. If they become a good enough friend, the animal will not run away on sight and even follow them around. Some animals can prove helpful to the player - for example, make friends with the dolphin and it will carry you to a small island containing the perfect fishing spot.

The main mode in Harvest Moon: Magical Melody may be single player, but players can also challenge their friends to mini-games in a multiplayer mode. As players begin, only a few mini-games are available but as they progress in their farming life further games are unlocked. Challenge up to three friends to a horse race, swimming festival or even take part in a fishing tournament!

Produce the perfect melody and become the best farmer in the valley, as Harvest Moon: Magical Melody launches on Wii across Europe on 14 March 2008 at an estimated retail rice of £30 / €40.