Once you've chosen whether you want to play as a boy or a girl, it's time to roll up your sleeves and get to work building a bustling, prosperous farm. Whether you're growing crops or raising livestock, there'll be plenty of scope for doing things your own way and at your own pace.
To prepare the fields for crops, you'll need to weed them and remove any rocks and tree stumps with your trusty hammer and axe, controlled using motions of the Wii Remote. You'll then be all ready to plant seeds, water them and hope for a bumper harvest. To raise livestock, you'll need to purchase a barn or coop and feed and tend to farmyard animals ranging from cows, sheep and chickens to silkworms, ducks and ostriches.
It may sound like a lot of hard work, but it'll pay off in the end. Harvest your crops, milk cows, shear sheep or gather silk from your stock of silkworms - there's no shortage of ways to get your farm turning a healthy profit. You can then purchase new crops and animals, invest in more effective tools or plough your profits into expanding your farm. You can also supplement your income with other activities, including mining for precious ore, foraging for rare items, fishing and doing part-time jobs.
While there's plenty to keep you busy down on the farm, all work and no romance makes for a dull farmer! Once you've set your sights on that special someone, pluck up the courage to speak to them or surprise them with a well-chosen gift and you'll be well on the way to winning them over. If they accept your marriage proposal, marital bliss and a family of your own awaits you. As a proud parent, you'll be able to enjoy interacting with your child, whether it's giving them a cuddle, entertaining them with a rattle or taking them for a walk. When your child grows up, they'll even be able to give you a helping hand on the farm.
As you watch your farm prosper and build a family, you'll also interact with the other islanders by speaking to them and working alongside them. This will build up their trust and affection for you, which will prove indispensable as you embark on the quest to find the Mother Tree and Harvest Goddess and restore the community to its former glory. Building strong relationships with your family, animals and the rest of the community is the key to success in your ultimate quest.
With all of the challenges that await you, you'll need to take an occasional break - and what better way to take your mind off the stresses and strains of rural life than with multiplayer mini-games? Up to four players can compete in games that include horse racing, bug-catching and mole-bashing. Swing the Wii Remote to skip stones off the water or see who is the keenest shot in a good old-fashioned shooting range.
