Harvest Moon: Tree of Tranquility is the first game of the series on the Wii and it brings back many features loved by fans, includes a few new ones, and in the end should put a smile on the face of those who adore this franchise.

You choose to play as a boy or a girl, and at the beginning you’re on a boat en route to Waffle Island to start your new life as a rancher. Out of nowhere a fierce typhoon appears, threatening to tear the small boat apart. As the captain struggles to stay on course, at some point you pass out. You dream of a mysterious, beautiful woman who seems to be in trouble, calling out to you. Who could she be?

You regain consciousness at the Sundae Inn (yes, all location names are dessert or pastry based!) in Waffle Town. The mayor greets you and offers to give you a tour of the area. This is when the tutorial begins, as you meet some of the townspeople and receive mini-quests that teach you some basic actions, such as watering your crops. Once you complete the tutorial, you’re given a house from one of three locations. All are adequate for your farming needs, but each has its perks location-wise. Furthermore, like some past Harvest Moon titles, you’ll eventually be able to own more than one house. And with that, you’re on your own.

Tree of Tranquility heavily emphasizes open-sandbox gameplay. You can raise crops, chop wood, cook, fish, raise animals, or mine for precious gems. Using the Wiimote adds some welcomed immersion. For example, to water the lawn, tilt the Wiimote downward as if it was a watering can. Walk around and chat with the townsfolk, or attend one of the many festivals held throughout the year. Prettify up your house by buying some furniture. You’ll need some money though, so work part-time at the various stores. You can also make money by selling any crops you harvest, or selling random items that you find, such as seashells and herbs.

With so many possible activities to do during the day, it’s a shame that it goes by so rapidly. Like past games, time is kept in Tree of Tranquility and one second of real-time is equal to one minute in the game. Every morning you get up promptly at 6:00 A.M., so it can be difficult to get many things done in 18 minutes of real-time (if you go to bed at midnight), especially when a big chunk is consumed by working part-time. You can now pull all-nighters, but at a cost. Not only will you be very sleepy and sluggish the next morning, but you won’t recover all of your stamina.