Harvest Moon: Animal Parade (Wii, 2009)

I'm thoroughly enjoying this game, which seems to be perfect for ALL ages and education levels! (I've got a BS in Psychology) so I'll try to offer a more insightful look at this game, especially for new users and parents.

IF YOU'VE NEVER PLAYED/BOUGHT A NATSUME GAME:
Here's what separates this game from other titles: it actually tends to calm kids down rather than making them feel hyper! If you are a parent, you will notice real quick that this game, unlike most others, is actually relaxing and will entertain while calming your son or daughter. Racing games and action games tend to get the blood pumping while games like THIS challenge the mind and RELAX the body. The brand "Natsume" is famous for this and Nintendo in general is an excellent choice if you want to encourage less hyperactivity. It's a fact that more action packed games are designed to get the blood pumping but unfortunately that has the added effect of making it more difficult for us, as humans, to get to sleep at night. Luckily though, Natsume games like Animal Crossing and Harvest Moon have the opposite effect. I personally get drowsy and comfortable while playing them, so they're perfect for winding down after a long night of GRE prep. My fiance often complains that he can't stay awake long enough to get anything done on his Animal Crossing account. Little does he know, I bought that game specifically to encourage him to get to bed on time. Works like a charm!

Harvest Moon is cute: no blood or violence, just learning to take care of your pets and make a profit from selling crops, so it's even good for math and critical thinking. You have to plant the right crops at the right time with the right fertilizer to turn a profit and expand the farm. That being said though, it's not overly difficult. I'd recommend ages 8+ and would definitely encourage this for parents, teens and even adults. It'll surpise you with its charm!

EXPERIENCED PLAYERS- IF YOU WANT TO COMPARE THIS TO OLDER HARVEST MOON GAMES:
I've played its predecessors (magical melody and A wonderful life) on wii and gamecube respectively, and am convinced this one is an improvement.
The graphics are nicer than magical melody for wii and the storyline is more fun. Everything is simplified, especially when it comes to moving the animals. You have a built in bell you can ring now to move your cattle AND chickens/ducks, rather than picking them up one by one and you can also RIDE cows/sheep/etc. Sheep also give milk AND wool now, go figure. You can choose to be male or female right off the bat and there are 10 choices for eligible bachelors/bachelorettes. You can even choose to woo the harvest goddess or harvest "king" if you like a challenge, but I will tell you that wooing is HARD. I've been giving my sweetheart gifts every day for 2 seasons and I have only 2 out of the 9 hearts I need to marry him. (granted I was broke and giving him mostly gifts I picked up off the ground until just recently! XD) Upgrading tools is also difficult in this game. You must mine for the correct ores, have them refined, and THEN level up that particular tool (paying 2 different fees) in order to use the higher abilities such as watering more than one space at a time. HOWEVER you also have a built in hotspring right at your house which will replenish your energy once a day, so the one space per hit isn't SO bad if you don't have TONS of crops. Overall, I think this game was worth every penny.

Great game but, The interface control between the remote and platform is alittle slow. I found it overheating; I was able tp fix it by fans or having the WII in a room with good ventilation. I know this sounds wierd but it works. Great scenes, Music is ok. Easy to figure out how to play. A 4 or 5 year old could play this without any problems. Great game for children under 12.

Great game for anyone interested in a sims-like game. My little sister loves it as well, so I would age it 7 and up. Tons of fun things to do from fishing, training pets, marriage/house life, building up your farm/ranch, meeting new people, finding ores in the mines...the list goes on and on. Over 50 hours of gameplay guaranteed.

If you like a role playing game and are acquainted with Harvest Moon you will like this game. It is a longer version of Tree of Tranquiliy and tends to move faster in some ways: like in how your child changes. They made everything cost more such as your land, house, building improvements,ride on the boat,etc. but it makes the game last longer. Lots of video clips make it interesting. The circus could be better, but it does benefit your character by giving you a way to warp to different parts of the island. Overall, I am glad that I bought this game and have had fun playing it.

Raise livestock,grow crops,expand your farm,and build a family!.
Very Beautiful Graphics.One of the best Harvest Moon games.