It’s summer where I am from which means it’s time to crank up the air conditioning, hide behind dark curtains and reminisce about the times of cold. One of my favorite memories is snuggling under a blanket and playing Harvest Moon: More Friends of Mineral Town. This is why I practically sang from the rooftops when Natsume announced they are unveiling a new game at E3 on June 11th!

boy milking cow

Source: RPGamer

Found on Playstation 4 and the Nintendo Switch Harvest Moon: Mad Dash will be the latest installment of the nearly 25-year series that swept the causal gaming scene. The Natsume president and CEO Hiro Maekawa stated fans will be surprised with the new take on the series, which allows players to enjoy the classic features in new and exciting ways. Not much is known about this mysterious new game however, I feel that I may have some decent guesses! Below is a list of what I think may be found in Harvest Moon: Mad Dash.

girl in field

Source: GameFabrique

My theories on Harvest Moon: Mad Dash

  • 3-D graphics similar to Harvest Moon: Light of Hope
  • Multiplayer (Why else would it be called “Mad Dash”?)
  • New mini-games
  • Unique animals
  • Achievements (Maybe like Magical Melody?)
  • Mystical beings other than the Harvest Goddess and Sprites
  • You buy the farm instead of a relative dying and gifting it to you
boy with bunny

Source: FanPop

The title itself confuses me and I am interested to see where this takes us. I am wanting classic features to include marriage, rivalries, and cut scenes but I fear this may be too old school for the newer generation. Not all virtual farmers are looking for love and that’s alright I just happen to be. It’s interesting to see Natsume resurface especially with the negative backlash surrounding Harvest Moon: Light of Hope. One can only hope they listened to their fans and took Harvest Moon: Mad Dash in a different direction. Overall, I look forward to staring at my computer watching E3 uncover the secret that is Harvest Moon: Mad Dash.