Natsume teased an upcoming announcement on social medial in late August. The company revealed that their puzzle game Harvest Moon: Mad Dash was now available on the Xbox One and Windows 10 Store. If players install it on their Xbox One, they can access it from a Windows 10 PC, as long as they’re logged into their Microsoft account.
Harvest Moon: Mad Dash was previously released on PC via Steam, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Android devices in October 2019. The casual game uses elements from the full farming game but turns the experience into a competition. The puzzle game is a collaboration between developer APPCI and published by Natsume.
The new game isn’t part of the long-running Bokujo Monogatari farming series. The game is based on Natsume’s new line of farming simulation games that have retained the name Harvest Moon. There’s no romance or exploring caves like in previous games, but quickly completing various levels with a farming theme.
In Harvest Moon: Mad Dash, the basic storyline is to help restore a broken lighthouse. Players can take on the challenge alone or with friends. The challenge is to harvest, fish, and milk as much as possible to fulfill various orders in each level. As players begin their work, other natural obstacles will get in the way, such as molten lava and raging boars.
Surprise! #HarvestMoon: Mad Dash is available NOW on Xbox One and the Windows 10 Store! We're excited for this to be the first of many Natsume titles arriving on the system. Download now: https://t.co/Gk7Ee2TMcI pic.twitter.com/SJtoVblHxl
— Natsume Inc. (@Natsume_Inc) August 21, 2020
Harvest Moon: Mad Dash is similar to its name, where being quick will win the game. The more orders the player fulfills, the higher the chance of success. This means that players will have to make quick decisions to reach the end.
The game takes place in multiple locations. The environments include the basic farm, beach, Skyworld, and Underworld. Each level is different, so players will have to learn the layouts to win.
Players aren’t alone. They can use the powers of the helpful Harvest Sprites to unlock various support skills. This extra help is vital to completing a level successfully.
The official website contains additional screenshots of the gameplay and locations players can expect. The game contains familiar graphics from Natsume’s Harvest Moon series, but with a puzzle-adventure based twist.
Harvest Moon: Mad Dash is only available as a digital download across platforms. The download varies on each device but is around 474 MB.
Harvest Moon: Mad Dash is now available as a digital download on Xbox One and Windows 10 Store.