If you’re new to Harvest Moon, don’t be afraid to take things slow at first, in spite of the rhythmic clock. Bookmark this beginner’s guide and skim over these tips as many times as you need to cement yourself in the fundamentals of farm life.
Even series veterans would be wise to stick around and learn a thing or two about Trio of Town’s new systems and mechanics.
Avoid the Sports Enthusiast Type on Character Creation
When creating your character for the first time, you’re asked to choose a Type, each of which grants a unique perk:
Animal Lover – All pets and livestock you purchase or breed start with one heart of affection. Fisher – Start the game with a couple of fishing trophies that allow you to catch better fish as soon as you buy yourself a Fishing Rod. Sports Enthusiast – Start the game with 6 hearts of stamina instead of 5. Tycoon – Start with an extra 50,000G on top of the 2,000G you’re given for getting started. Charmer – Friendship with bachelors or bachelorettes starts at 10,000, while friendship with other villagers starts at 5,000.
Reading over this list, you might think that Sports Enthusiast is a solid choice. The only issue with it is that you can only have up to a maximum of 10 hearts in the game. Unless you plan to never marry anyone, Sports Enthusiast would essentially be a wasted perk.
Any other Type would be better than Sports Enthusiast, but if you really want a head-start on your farm, I highly suggest you go with Tycoon for the extra money. With it, you can do things such as purchase a cow, a chicken, and the first bag upgrade all on your first day.
Raise a Variety of Crops and Animals in Story of Seasons
Raise a large variety of crops and animals every chance you get. Make certain you’re raising flowers, too. You never know what you’ll need at any given moment, and since crops and byproducts won’t spoil in Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns, it’s a good idea to stockpile everything you can get your hands on.
You start the game with 5 Radish Seeds. A good farmer would plant and water those Radish seeds before heading into town and purchasing some Potato Seeds and Flower Seeds. I even bought Grape Seeds as soon as they were available, despite how long it takes for them to grow and bear fruit. It pays out well in the long run.
As soon as you have the funds, pick up some animals and take care of them every day. The eggs and milk you get from buying a chicken and cow early on are invaluable. Continue to expand the variety of animals and crops you raise as you progress through the game.
Use Fertilizer and Treats Daily to Boost Quality
Another integral part of crop and animal care is making sure they come out their best. Using fertilizer on your crops and feeding your livestock treats every day is the best way to go about this.
Thankfully, treats and fertilizer are rather cheap, so it’s a good idea to stock up on a week or so’s worth of supplies at a time. It’s another thing you have to add to your daily routine and eats up a lot of time, but your bank account certainly won’t be complaining once everything is said and done.
Don’t make my mistake of neglecting treats. Caring for your animals is just as important as caring for your crops, even if you already get 5-star milk and eggs.
Save the Best Crops for Seeds and Cooking
Feel free to ship all of your inferior harvests; it’s great money! Just make sure you save your best harvests. Eventually, you’ll get the chance to build a Farm Circle called the Seed Maker. As you’d guess, it turns your crops into seeds of equal quality. It’s the best way to consistently grow high-quality crops.
Additionally, the quality of the food you cook largely depends on the quality of the ingredients you use. If you intend to participate in cooking competitions or simply want to be able to make high-quality food, you’ll want to stockpile only your best products.
Don’t Fear the Storage Box
There are a lot of shops in Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns that require certain materials for upgrading and purchasing stuff like your house, farm circles, tools, and clothes. You might be inclined to carry around all of those materials in your bag. Don’t.
Luckily, shops and even the shipping box can access your storage without any issues. You only need ingredients and the like in your bag for entering in competitions and cooking. Rest assured in the decision to dump the majority of your bag in the storage box at the end of the day.
Invest Early and Often
In other words, don’t hold onto your money too tightly. Know what you want to invest in, and invest as soon as you can afford it. Whether you need a bigger barn to buy more livestock or better fields to grow crops quicker, don’t be afraid to spend the money. The return is always worth it – so long as you take full advantage of your investment.
Prioritize Home Upgrades
There are a few mechanics that are locked behind upgrading your house in Trio of Towns. For instance, you won’t be able to cook food or change your clothes until your first home upgrade.
The second upgrade isn’t as integral, but it unlocks a bathroom where you can take a bath or use the potty. It may seem superfluous in a video game, but each action restores 2 hearts of stamina and can be used every 2 in-game hours.
Stick to a Daily Routine in Story of Seasons
There’s a lot to do and so little time in the day to do it. It’s important, however, not to neglect your duties as a farmer. Find a daily groove and stick to it. Many things are important to do every day such as watering and fertilizing your crops, taking care of your livestock, and mining for precious ores. You can take the time to relax with villagers or invest in your farm during the gaps of your daily schedule. Check out our Daily Routine Guide if you need help planning one.
Plan Ahead
You probably don’t want to renovate your farm in the middle of the month. If you want to spruce up your farm, you have the entire month to save up funds and get your farm circles ready to do so. Since crops die when the seasons change, the end of the month is the perfect time for major renovations. You need the rest of the month for growing and tending to your crops, so plan ahead.
Play It Like a Sandbox
If you’ve ever played a Survival-Sandbox game like Minecraft, you’ll be more at home in Story of Seasons than you might think. If you’re new to the Harvest Moon series, you’ll quickly find it has many sandbox-like elements in the way you can customize your farm, upgrade your tools and facilities, or tend to your livestock, pets, and horses.
What really solidifies the connection, however, is that you’re left to your own devices, for the most part. You make your own goals in this game and that’s what drives it forward.
There’s plenty to do and experience in Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns. Take your time and enjoy everything this charming farm-life game has to offer. Check out our Crops and Animals Guide, Fashion and Tailoring Guide, and Cooking Exhibition Guide if you’re looking for help with contests. If you’re stuck on anything, leave your comments and questions down below and we’ll do our best to help!
