Product ReviewsHarvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town (Nintendo Game Boy Advance, 2003)

The Most "Harvest Moon" You Can Get

[The cartridge came in perfect condition, right on time, and works perfectly! Absolutely worth the price!]

If you're looking for the best handheld Harvest Moon game in the franchise, this is it - pretty graphics (accounting for the era of the game, of course), detailed and busy gameplay, all the classic romance and social structure, and the simplicity of the franchise that we've all come to adore.

The major difference between "More Friends of Mineral Town" and "Friends of Mineral Town" is the sex of your character - in MFoMT, you're female and romance male bachelors, and in FoMT, you're male and romance female bachelorettes. Besides that, there are only minor differences in the overall impact of the game.

How this game stands out in the franchise:

Simple And In-Depth:
Unlike more recent HM games, this one relies a lot on your ability to discover. From the shipping cost of items to learning how to eat food, this game does NOT give you all the answers right off the bat, but does a good job in getting you just far enough to figure it out yourself. Despite the challenge of discovery, the game features more simplistic chores. Mining is no longer the long, tedious and day-consuming task it usually is, fishing is no longer the anxietous quick-draw spectacle it usually is, and everyday farming tasks are without frills and excess difficulty. Everything is simple and meshes seamlessly... once you get the hang of it.

Variety:
Unlike other HM games, MFoMT offers a number of long-forgotten specialties. One in particular is the Basket. Besides your rucksack, players can purchase and carry a basket around to throw up to 30 items into, and then dump the contents of the basket into the shipping bin. This sort of bulk shipping method makes for speedier chores and much less monotonous running-around. This game also features a very large jumble of festivals with genuinely enjoyable prizes and mini-games to keep you interested.

Good-Old GBA Charm:
The game isn't up-to-date, sure. There's no 3D graphics, it's all pixelated with chiptune music, and there are a few bumpy translations... but the game ages swimmingly! The classic 90's anime-esque features of each character artwork mixes right in with the turn of the Harvest Moon westernized style, meaning the nostalgia never goes away but the game never gets old. When you get down to it, the game is a definitive shining star for the franchise.

Highly recommended!Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: phill-thaxt

The best farming game is still around!

I think this is the best game series ever developed. It takes the simplist elements of life: Friendship, Work, and Love and makes them fun and interesting day after day.

It's one of the simplist games out there, though there is depth to be had if you are willing to find and explore it, and yet it manages to be completely engrossing for days on end. I played this on my DS and I'm not through the first year yet. My sister however has been through 3 years, is married, has a kid, and a large and expanded house!

Pros: Fun gameplay, intuitive, charming art style, and a VERY long replay value... you could, and will, play this game for months.

Cons: Simple Graphics, even for GBA. Minimal sounds (what is there is ok).

Conclusion: This is the best non-violent game in existance... PERIOD. The only reason I don't give it 5/5 is because the graphics and sound are not what they should be. Do not hesitate to perchase this game, it is great!

-GarrettRead full review...

Mineral Town is great, but the gameplay is so-so

I bought this game mainly so I could interact with the Mineral Town characters in the DS game, Harvest Moon Cute. I haven't actually played the game that much, since it's hard to get used to the controls, which feel awkward, and the load time between areas is painfully slow. Additionally the backpack feature is reverted to the one used in the NG6 and PS1 versions, where you start out with a pack that only holds three items and three tools, which makes gathering nearly impossible. The town is HUGE so it takes me several days just to get a few things done. I'm not too big on the gameplay and I really wish you could go IN to Mineral Town when using the DS version of this, but it is nice to be able to see my favourite Mineral Town characters in the Valley. Overall I'd rather play the DS version; the graphics are a lot better and gameplay is a whole lot smoother, and easier to navigate. The gameplay of the N64 and PS1 games just don't translate well to a handheld system; you really need the controllers and the big screen for the full effects of this particular style of gameplay. The DS version handles way better.Read full review...

Great Repo

Even though it’s not original, it’s still functions like the OEM game, childhood favorite and I love playing it again! My only and ONLY, complaint is the label is slightly off colored, which doesn’t affect its value in my opinion! Great game, shopping was fast! I plan on buying more!Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: phill-thaxt

More of the Same but Still Good.

This is pretty much a small scale rehash of Harvest Moon Back To Nature for the Psone. If you are a fan of the series, this game is a good one to have. More of the same farming, wooing of girls and all of the other aspects of farm life that make the Harvest Moon series interesting. Not really a lot of new innovations in this game or much change in story or dialoge. However, it's still a pretty solid port. Bonus if you have Harvest Moon DS because when you put Friends of Mineral Town in the GBA slot while you play HM DS, you get some pretty cool extra content.Read full review...

A very good farming game

The game is great for all ages. Harvest moon bring back memories of trying to get 100% done. If you have not played Harvest moon, I would go and buy the game. It has a story about a farmer that has to bring back an old farm to its proper condition. And make friends with the town of mineral.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: smurk300

Brings back good memories <3

I played this game years ago when I was younger and was so happy to see it again, so i bought it instantly and don't regret it! Thank you very much :)

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: phill-thaxt

Great Game! Great Fun!

I played this to the end and it was so much fun! I enjoyed the fact that I could be a girl character and that I could change outfits!

Very similar to Friends of Mineral Town, but with a few variations.

Just to summarize, your character will be able to: harvest crops, play with a pet dog, milk the cows, sheer the sheep's wool, get eggs from chickens and make lots of friends out in town.

Also: pursue a husband, get married & have a baby, learn to cook, explore the caves, mine for gold & gems, go fishing, attend church, visit people's houses, befriend the Harvest Sprites and take part in all the Festivals & Holidays, which are mini competitions to win valuable prizes!

All in all a very cute game and lasts a good long time!!!

Great for Children & Adults!Read full review...

Harvest Moon: Friends Of Mineral Town (Game Boy Advance

The game Harvest Moon More Friends Of Mineral Town is a great game for a son of yours. (Because the only character you can chose is a boy) Although the game Harvest Moon MORE Friends of Mineral Town is out where the only character you can play is a girl for any daughters you have.
A lot of people think oh, a farmer game who wants that? Well I HATE farms and stuff but this game is totally awesome!!! You get to raise sheep, chichkens, cows, and a dog. You get to plant corn (which if you put in the windmill thingy you get more fodder for your chickens. You get to plant a lot of other crops, too.
You can even get MARRIED and have a CHILD!!! Go to hm4.com for a LOT of tips.

Special Features
Back to Nature; All of Your Old Friends will be there; New Events and Mini Games; Raise Animals, Grow Vegetables, Make Friends and Fall in Love; Traditional Harvest Moon Game Play with many new Surprises.

Warnings
Use of Tobacco and Alcohol

Details
Players: 1 Player
Controller: Gamepad
Memory Card: No

The warning is because there is a wine shop.

JlrmtRead full review...

Still holds up

I love this game and always have. Harvest Moon is one of my favorite series and this is one of the best out of it. It's old, but still so much fun.

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: phill-thaxt