When an individual thinks of a stimulating and challenging video game, their first thoughts will likely be on a first-person shooter like “Counter-Strike” or the “Halo” series or perhaps an RPG such as “Mass Effect 2” or “Final Fantasy.” A little more than a decade ago, a legend was released that would soon have the entire U.S. overwhelmed with the mundane yet addicting tasks of completing daily farm work. Of course, the idea of completing farming tasks is not appealing to most people. Who would want to plant, water and feed animals on a continuous basis? Yet, “Harvest Moon 64” paved its way through the gaming community, winning the hearts of players throughout the decade.

In “Harvest Moon 64,” the character is thrown into the world of agriculture after the passing of his grandfather. At the beginning of the game, you are given a farm that is ridiculously overgrown and out-of-shape. Thrust into this community, you are required to use your tools which drain your stamina with every swing and accomplish the task of clearing out the overgrowth and begin the process of harvesting and cultivating in hopes of making more profit. Skeptical players might ask themselves, “Why would we want to play a game where the main focus is working? Why would I want to work when I do not have to work?” and for good reason, since “Harvest Moon 64” is about working to achieve new expansions, more recipes, and marry the lady of your dreams — all while hoping to impress your father, who is a touch too critical, and win the approval of the townsfolk.

As a child, “Harvest Moon 64” is a fun game where you woo the lady of your choosing, while remembering to feed your animals, water your plants and collect as many berries as physically possible in one day. As a child, I found that I had a pretty full social calendar when trying to keep up with the world of “Harvest Moon 64.” I found myself torn between finishing watering my plants or using the last little bit of daylight to socialize with the townspeople, a dilemma that would make the “Judgment Day” of your father’s visit a difficult one if you did not find a proper way to balance work and play. As a child, “Harvest Moon 64” was a game of festivals, a game of marriage, adorable looking animals and a serious job. It was a game of endless possibilities for dance partners, amusing tasks and various job offers.

As a young adult revisiting the game, I find the parallels between modern society’s standards of living and measure of success in the world of “Harvest Moon 64” to be uncanny. Assuming that the main character in the story is college-age, an individual can make the assumption that the character is being thrust into the world of careers and family matters. In the game, the character instantly has to begin clearing out his fields in hopes of planting crops to create profit; he cannot do this with the mere two hundred dollars given at the beginning of the game, so he must go out in search of another form of profit. More money is earned through foraging and harvesting, so the more seed that you can buy means more harvesting and less foraging. Soon, the character is in the full swing of planting, watering, harvesting and foraging. The character will eventually have a large sum of money accrued. The character has a choice between buying animals to increase profit with their benefits (milk, eggs, wool), expanding his house to be suitable to marry, or expanding his farm with a greenhouse to plant regardless of the season. Now, the character has to make a choice between family, work and adorable animals.

Unfortunately, we, as young adults, do not find ourselves with the adorable animals choice, no matter how much we would like it. After leaving college and entering the “real world,” individuals are faced with decisions like whether or not follow a particular career path or settle down and begin a family. In modern society, individuals move through different phases of life, expanding their personal belongs and families. In “Harvest Moon 64,” the goal is to achieve the wife and the child (family), the expansions (lifestyle) and, the awards, the titles and the recipes (social acceptance).

According to nintendo.wikia.com, Nintendo Power ranked “Harvest Moon 64” as the 78th greatest Nintendo game of all time.

— Hunter Tipton is a senior in microbiology. He can be reached at [email protected]