The Anthos, my friends, is blowin' in the wind.

Last week, Pure Nintendo checked out a preview event for the next chapter in the Harvest Moon series: The Winds of Anthos. If the full game is anything like the 45 minutes of gameplay we saw, fans of lifestyle adventure sims are in for a treat when the game releases on September 26th, 2023.

The demo—led by Natsume’s Graham Markay (Vice President of Operations) and Adam Fitch (Localization Manager and Editor)—focused on early exploration of Anthos, item collection, farming, and quest acceptance and completion. Anthos is a massive world that should keep players occupied with myriad tasks, including farming, crafting, fishing, racing, romancing, and more.

And just what is Anthos? Well, after this peaceful land is disrupted by a volcanic eruption that isolated the different villages from each other, your character finds an SOS sent out by the Harvest Goddess (not to mention a magic key). The Harvest Goddess believed the lands could one day be reunited, and—ten years later—it’s up to you to revive her and the Harvest Sprites as you attempt to reconnect the villages of Anthos.

Of course, this is no small task. Over the course of our demo, it seemed we barely scratched the surface of what players will be able to see and do in Harvest Moon: The Winds of Anthos. Tasks will include:

  • Keep and raise different kinds of cows, chickens, and sheep in your barn. In addition, more exotic animals can be found in the wilds of Anthos.

  • Woo five different bachelors and five different bachelorettes. Players will be able to marry whomever their heart desires, regardless of sex.
  • Keep unique pets like wolves and exotic animals such as ferrets!
  • Collect seeds from Harvest Wisps hidden all over Anthos. Some of the rare ones only come out at certain times, encouraging continuous exploration.
  • Explore the wide world of Anthos on foot or with the assistance of various animals. Unique and unusual mounts are available throughout the game.
  • Farm all around Anthos using Doc’s new and improved Expando-Farm. With it, players can easily move from place to place and farm everywhere from snowy mountains to sandy beaches. In addition, players can fast-travel by using the Harvest Goddess’s warp statues.
  • And, of course, players can document their adventures by taking pictures, selfies, and more.

Adorable animals, clever quests and puzzles, romance, lively festivals, concerts, and plenty of busy-work await.

Are you up for it? You have until September 29th to decide. Pre-orders for the digital release are now open in the eShop, with physical copies also available.