Harvest Moon (SNES)

Harvest Moon
Also known as: Bokujou Monogatari (JP) Developer: Toybox Publishers: Natsume (US), Nintendo (EU and AU), Pack-In-Video (JP) Platform: SNES Released in JP: August 9, 1996 Released in US: March 1, 1997 Released in EU: January 29, 1998 Released in AU: 1998 This game has unused music. This game has unused text. This game has regional differences. This game has a prototype article This game has a Data Crystal page

To do: There was a French and German release. A release date for the two needs to be found. Also, the game's names in each region needs to be verified.

The very first Harvest Moon game was one of the last major releases for the SNES, and is consequently one of the most expensive games on the platform in the USA. It introduced young gamers to the concept of wasting time doing something in a video game that would be much more fulfilling and productive in real life. But hey, who wants to get all sweaty and dirty on an actual farm when you can make a cute little digital avatar do it for you? That's the joy of video games!

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Prototype Info

Unused Text

A girl's diary will read "……Th-thank you." when their affection reaches 1,000; however, the maximum affection a player can get for a girl is 999, rendering this message unused.

(Source: mattdog1000000)

Regional Differences

Title Screen

Japan	US	Europe	Germany

Aside from the different copyright information, in the Japanese version, the title is crafted out of hand-drawn planks of wood nailed together. For all other releases, this was replaced with a 3D-rendered sign. On the Japanese title screen, the green subtitle is a simplified version of the title, for younger audiences to read. The options in pink, while stylized in the Japanese release, are the same in both releases. The European version removes copyright for Natsume and changes "Licensed by Nintendo" to "Licensed to Nintendo".

Cultural Localization

Many elements of the game were Westernized for its release in the US and Europe. As a result, the church contains a cross. However, the townsfolk will sometimes still discuss the church in Shinto terms and refer to multiple gods.

Alcohol References

Japan	International

On the left screenshot, the Japanese says, "This is a special fruit wine that I made. Would you like to try some?" In the Western versions, all references to alcohol were changed to juice, though this was clearly only done to please the censors as the characters in the game still become intoxicated from it.

Credits

Art that accompanied the credits in the Japanese version was removed in international releases.

• 

  もう少し・・・なんだけどな！ 牧場物語
  Just a little more... right! Harvest Moon
  
  Osaka Prefecture - Akiroto
  Fukuoka Prefecture - Yunako Kazama
  Tochigi Prefecture - Kuroneko Gasshoudan
  City of Tokyo - Miwa Takahashi

• 

  Fukui Prefecture - Michihiro Yoshida

• 

  完成　間近
  It'll be perfect soon
  
  Hokkaido - Shachihiko

• 

  ジャッ ジャッ
  よっ　ほっ
  *shake* *shake*
  Yo! Ho!
  
  Nara Prefecture - Aya Okuda

Ending

After the credits, the Japanese version displays the message おしまい (the end) which was removed in international releases. The graphics do however still remain in the ROM.