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  • $49.00
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Harvest Moon: Animal Parade (Wii)

common sense media says

Cute role-playing adventure with farming at its core.

parents & educators say
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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Harvest Moon: Animal Parade is a role-playing game that focuses on harvesting crops and raising animals. The game has a friendly, cute art style and takes place in a magical realm in which the player must aid the Harvest Goddess in saving the community from a crop blight. This is an open-ended, player-directed game with no real ending and a seemingly endless variety of tasks to perform, so players could spend enormous amounts of time in this virtual world. There's a local pub where characters can socialize, but otherwise the game contains friendly, cartoony and cute characters and situations.

Educational value: The game encourages management of resources, reading, navigating with maps, and teaches the importance of good citizenship and goal setting.
Positive messages: The game abounds with positive messages; from taking responsibility in cultivating crops and caring for animals, to assisting the overall community, there's plenty to appreciate.
Positive role models: Characters are rewarded for sharing, helping, perseverance, and dedication. As a journeyman rancher, your ultimate goal is to save the town from a blight on their crops.
Ease of play: The controls and menus are easy to use and navigate. Most of the game is controlled without using motion-control aspects of the Wii, but rather the traditional directional pad and A and B button pressing.
Violence & scariness: Not applicable.
Language: Not applicable.
Consumerism: Not an issue
Our ratings and reviews are informed by child development guidelines. Learn more.

More on Harvest Moon: Animal Parade

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
  • Families can talk about the challenges their character faces managing a ranch. Keeping animals groomed, fed, and happy and tending crops can take up lots of time. Was it ever overwhelming or too repetitive? Did you find that you played this game for long periods of time? Did you need help setting time limits?
  • Each player can pursue different pastimes. Did you prefer catching and raising wild animals, building up your social life, or making your farm and lucrative and successful as possible?
  • Seasons play a big part of this game, with special festivals in the town at different times of year. What were your favorites? Do favorite seasons in the game correspond to favorites in real life?
  • You can make profits in numerous ways, from selling eggs, milk and butter to fishing, mining and, of course, peddling your harvest. What was your favorites?
  • This world is suprisingly free of technology. You have no phones, cars or computers. What are some of the advantages and disadvantages to a world without these conveniences?

What's the story?

What's the story?

HARVEST MOON: ANIMAL PARADE  is the latest in the longstanding franchise of farm simulation games set in a magical land. Here, players  begin with either a boy or girl farmer with a small farm plot by the seaside near Harmonica Town. With the help of Finn, your harvest sprite - a helper fairy - you'll gradually build up your ranch with crops and animals, sell your wares and develop relationships with the townspeople. The community is also in need of your help in assisting the Harvest Godess, a diety who ensures healthy crops. This is acheived through tasks that lead to ringing five elemental bells. The game takes an open-ended approach, allowing players to pursue their own interests from a huge assortment of choices; your character can catch and raise wild animals, raise (and race) livestock, cultivate relationships and get married, raise a family, cook, go fishing, mine ore, shop in the village, etc. Play itself involves methodical tasks such as watering, hoeing, and harvesting crops, grooming animals and collecting mushrooms. These activities are all recorded and measured, each having distinct values that can earn your character experience points and money. 

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
This is a remarkably satisfying and deep game. Despite simple graphics and a slow pace, players are given so many options and activities, there's plenty to keep players engaged in for many, many hours. And the game maintains a friendly, playful and good-hearted tone throughout. You don't, for instance, kill your livestock, but use them for wool, milk, and eggs. Moreover, players can scratch an entrepreurial itch and make a big profits, or build human relationships and a family. Or, they can simply explore and try all manner of activities. In short, there's plenty of rewarding play to be had.

Game themes & details

Game Details
Available on: Nintendo Wii
Not available online
Genre: Role Playing
Developer: Natsume
Released on: November 10, 2009
Price: 49.00
ESRB Rating: E for Alcohol Reference
Screenshots
This review was written by Alex Porter
 
 

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Most useful reviews by all members

sweetbeandango
adult
5
 
One of the BEST Games for All Ages
As soon as your kid can read, have them play this game! This game is wonderful and one of my favorites. I'm 18 and I play it constantly, but maybe I'm just a kid at heart. It's truly an all ages enjoyable game. The characters and role models are excellent. The whole point of the game is to make friends, help your friends, and help your neighbors while building a successful life on the farm. It helps kids learn to take proper care of animals and cultivate crops, and learn about how things grow. There are a lot of very joyful things there too because the circus is really fun to watch and animals are fun to interact with. A must have for kids that love animals. Also getting married and having kids is very fun and kid friendly. When you're married, your husband or wife will ask if you want to have a child, and then will say "Okay, we'll go pray to the Harvest Goddess for a baby!" After a few weeks you'll go to the hospital and get your child.
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maltese
kid, 10 years old
7
 
I think it's really great!
This is the best! I love it! I got this for christmas, though, so i don't know how much it really costs. So it's probably pretty expensive. Only minus. It's really fun! Plus, it's easy to play, safe, and good for older kids. It ROCKS!!! Goodbye.
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BriannaBee
teen, 14 years old
6
 
This Game Is Perfect For Just About Anyone!
I love this game. It took all my problems with Tree of Tranquility and fixed them. Although it does have problems like the time it takes to get from place to place, but that can be fixed by completing the missing circus animals quest. And it's very nice that only really have to ring one bell before you're free to do almost anything. Getting married is certainly worth it because they will help out around the farm by watering crops, picking up eggs, fishing, brushing animals, and other things like that. And when you have a child they will help out when they grow up. You can also have two children so you'll have plenty of help on your farm. It's hard at first, but when you get the hang of it it's quite easy. It's worth every dime I spent on it.
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ReportItCrabz
teen, 15 years old
10
 
Try Tree of Tranquility - Its better!
I haven't played this exact version but I love all Harvest Moon Games, for I own 2. I agree that 8 and 9 is a little young, you have to understand that money is a necessity to play. Things need to be taken care of and to do that you need lots of it! My favorite Harvest Moon is Harvest Moon: Tree of Tranquility. There is no rush to help the harvest Goddess, no diety, no stupid sprites! You choose if you want to help that wierd floating lady with purple hair! You can ignore her requests and focus on raising a family (and your animals families too!). So If you do want a harvest moon game I suggest that one rather than this one or Magical Melodies.
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myab
parent
8
 
Great Game, No Questionable Content, Months and Months of Fun
We bought this for our daughter after much reviewing on various websites, and we haven't regretted it. She loves the game, which teaches her patience, allows her to grow food and raise animals, and also allows her to enter her plants and animals in the in-game festivals. This game does also allow the player to "woo" and marry NPCs (computer characters) and have and raise children. There is an excellent work/reward system woven in, letting the player expand their homes, earn prizes and money, and have a happy family. Mature 8 year olds should be able to handle the need for patience and follow the directions to accomplish their goals.
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Piggachew
teen, 15 years old
10
 
I Love this Game, But 8+ is too young!!!
I loooove this game to no ends, as well as the rest of the Harvest Moon series, but eight is far too young an age. When I was eight years old, the Harvest Moon experience was slightly overwhelming, and I sometimes forgot to feed my animals. Now, your animals don't live forever--this is where the problems starts. My eight year old brother played this game with me, as well as my seven year old cousin. When my brother forgot to feed his animal and it became sick, he absolutely didn't know what to do. Because he was so young, he spent money profusely and couldn't purchase the animal medicine, leading to his first cow to die. This practically traumatized him, and he just wouldn't buy any animals what-so-ever. The same thing happened to me when I was his age, but it wasn't the matter of me not being able to buy the medicine--it was just because I was playing Harvest Moon: Another Wonderful Life. My first cow died, and I didn't touch the game for a whole year. I think for this game 10+ is far more appropriate, considering the spending and understanding of income at their age. Other than that, I have nothing wrong with this game--things are just waaaaay to pricey (haha, I guess it's just this bad economy!) and some people are to young.
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zinna123
teen, 15 years old
10
 
Amazing for anyone!
i love this game! its one of my favorites! it take time to beat and i might sugest the game book it helps a lot the plot of the game is to ring the 5 bells to bring peace to the land and to get married and have a child (2 if you want)
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shimmer379
kid, 13 years old
7
 
best game ever!
I absolutely love this game! it is soo addicting! im a tween, and i still love it, even though its aimed at slightly younger kids!
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