Harvest Moon DS: Grand Bazaar Nintendo DS Nintendo Review

Harvest Moon: Grand Bazaar is not a game that can be picked up immediately by the impatient. At its commence it requires careful planning to achieve the smallest of objectives, an adaptation to and tolerance for its quiet monotony. What doesn’t help is that there’s not a whole lot that can even be done in the first couple of hours of play. Players will find themselves putting their character to bed and saving after just one in-game hour each day to begin with, as there just isn’t enough to do in the early stages: it’s a case of tilling the fields, planting and watering seeds and hoping that you’ll be rewarded with a decent harvest. As soon as those first successful crops arrive, though, something clicks and suddenly the repetitive toil becomes as addictive as ever.

That’s helped by this edition’s hook, the titular bazaar. Capping each week is a market within which you run a stall to sell your produce - or whatever you’ve caught or found on the ground. Lay out three items on the stall - the amount you can display simultaneously can be increased later, for a fee - and ring your bell to attract patrons. If they’re interested in your wares they’ll stand in front of the item they’re hankering for and the amount that they want to take off your hands will flicker up above their heads. Completing the sale is then as straightforward as moving before them and tapping the A button the corresponding number of times. Others will bundle up to the table just for a chat, or to try and get a deal on your offerings: interact with them and select the ‘right’ response and your reputation will be increased, leading to improved standing in the community.

The market is also the place to buy items not available in the every day shop of Zephyr Town. Animals, of pet and producing varieties, can be purchased to expand your product range into milk, eggs, wool and the like - and add extra workload to your farming day in taking care of their upkeep. New seeds give you the chance to grow plants or trees otherwise unavailable. Further tools can be acquired to ease your daily tasks, and facilities such as your storage cupboard or field space can be expanded if you flash enough cash.