My fondest memory of Harvest Moon was playing the N64 version of it not long after I got my first editorial gig with the beloved Nintendo Gamer magazine. I'd never played a game where you're goal was to simply fix up your late pop's farm; plant and nurture crops, farm animals and hopefully catch the eye of one of the towns' single ladies. And now, decades on, the franchise is as strong as ever, and enters a tumultuous 2020 in an all-new engine with a massive world to explore.

Launching later this year both locally and in New Zealand through Nintendo, the game is set to open up the family-friendly farming space 2020-fold (well, maybe not that much, but a lot, by the sounds of it):

“Harvest Moon: One World features a brand-new way of exploring Harvest Moon that seasoned players and new generations will both enjoy,” said Hiro Maekawa, President and CEO of Natsume. “Over the decades, Harvest Moon has evolved but has always retained the traditional, family-friendly farming fun that the franchise is known for. The new engine and new graphics will upgrade this experience for 2020. We are so excited to share more about the features of Harvest Moon One World in the coming months.”

Can you imagine a world without tomatoes, strawberries, or even cabbage? In the latest entry in the Harvest Moon series, that’s the situation players will find themselves in. Only an old book gives hints of what once was... Buoyed by a mysterious discovery, players will find themselves setting out on an adventure that spans not only their hometown but the whole world! What kind of people and places await? From the gorgeous beaches of Halo Halo to the snowy mountains of Salmiakki, there’s literally an entire world to explore.

Currently there's not a lot of assets floating around beyond a logo, but if the series' charm is intact only now amplified by a new engine and a larger world, you can sign us up.