Characters and festivals were everything to me. 64 had *so much dialogue*. Mineral Town and BtN they changed their dialogue at heart levels and then you had that dialogue til the next bump, which got bland fast for me (my same complaint goes for the first Story of Seasons). 64 also had the photo album to get filled out from the special events which I LOVED. After winning the horse race you got invited out for celebratory drinks. It just really felt like you were a part of the small town and I loved every minute of it.

I also agree with all of this. I LOVED the mixed dialouge in 64. The village was a lit more cozy and I really enjoyed the NPCs that would cone and visit during certain festivals or times of the year.

this! it was so detailed in the ways that mattered and also so simple.

I miss actually drinking. He’s a grown farmer why does he only get server fruit juice? Everyone else is drinking wine and beer and my guy is sipping on a juicy juice.

I still wish it got remade onto gba instead of btn. Could have been "Friends of Flower Bud Village" Don't get me wrong, fomt still one of my faves

The characters were made for 64, and generally feel right in their characterizations. They work pretty well in BtN/FoMT, but their progressions in 64 feel way more natural IMO. The paces of the games are almost night and day for me. 64 is a bit fast, but I prefer that style, as I don't run out of content. BtN has enough for the first year, but I *always* run out of things to do by the end of it. FoMT addresses that with more content, but I've found that some of that added content happens WAY too late in the game for me to see it (I'm not playing 50 in-game years for a cottage!) This a YMMV-type thing, but I like the esoteric nature of 64. It was hard to get concise answers about a lot of things, especially stuff like the infamous party photo, and made me more prone to experiment. I could think of more if I really wanted to delve, but 64 just seems to have a charm on it that works for me more than BtN or FoMT. That isn't to say I'd never choose to replay either of them over 64; they offer plenty of differences and even have aspects that I like more about them.

It's more fun. Replays are especially where it shines. There's a lot of games that are fun one time through and not so much again. BtN is a bit of a slog to get through. But 64 is fun over and over. It's just one of those rare few games that you can just keep going back to and have a blast doing so. Also, you can move in 8 directions.

I love the map in 64

everyone else already said what i was thinking but i’m gonna add smth petty. starting off with only two rucksack slots KILLS FoMT as a game for me. i think i’ve only done one complete playthrough of that game in my whole life because the starting part is so irritating to me lol 64 is much smoother a start imo

Honestly for me it's the storylines in 64 that I loved the most. Especially Karen's and Elli's. It was always hard for me to finish Elli's because of what happens in it towards the end >!when Ellen dies in year 2 unless you just never talk to her !< I also liked out drinking the entire town in 64 for new years lol.

64 has a strangely melancholy atmosphere. There's a sense of underlying sadness. There's a lot of joy in the town, but there is also some darkness and sadness. I also love the bar, stealing wine from Karen's wine cellar, and the new years drinking contest. It actually does kinda feel like life in a small town. The other games you mentioned all feel a little bland in comparison. They're just a little too happy to feel real. In a lot of ways I guess it just comes down to the spirit of the game. The N64 version was a very personal project for the creator, and you can really feel it. Mineral Town and Back to Nature are great games, but they kinda lightened things up and it feels... different. They just don't hit the same way on an emotional level.

I really like both but hm64 always felt a been more real or natural? Like I knew exactly what to do in BTN to get certain events or whatever. In HM64 even if you follow fogu or a guide it's always a little bit up in the air. And I felt like the things you happen upon just by befriending villagers is more authentic? BTN had a little of that too but it did feel pretty prescribed in comparison. And I think BTN was the last game that held that kind of random event feel at all so FOMT was never as good to me.

I agree, while some of the 64 events are probably a little too difficult to trigger - especially for the average player who doesn’t make friends with every single villager and bachelorette - there were so many times where you’re just going about your day and you trigger a random conversation between NPCs. It was always so exciting, and I swear I find new events every time I play.

Harvest Moon 64 is my favorite game in the series.

I don’t necessarily think 64 is a better game overall, but the characters and events are just so much better. I also agree that it’s incredibly replayable. It’s challenging, but since it’s so fast paced, you feel like if you miss something or mess something up, you can just try again on your next playthrough.

64's social simulation, village changing, characters getting married and facing social and real issues, and romantic dating events, are all really well written. Dialogue amount is really big, romantic photo events with the girls are very cute, and there's many dramatic moments in the game, as well. Moreover, a bit of nostalgia also plays, since it was a huge expansion of the previous SNES and GB games.

To be honest, I just really loved Harvest Moon 64. I've enjoyed Back to Nature while playing it so far and it's nice too, but I felt really happy while playing 64 when I was a child when I used to play it at my cousins' home, and when I had gotten it on my Wii U when I was older as well. I loved the festivals and the general feeling of the way the location was along with the music. I think a lot of it is nostalgia for me, but it's one of my most favourite classic Harvest Moon titles. I want to buy the Nintendo 64 and try to get it one day if I can as well. I haven't played FOMT or MFOMT yet but got them on my Wii U before the shop closed.

Never played 64, FoMT was my first foray into this particular game. Really should try out 64 at some point, given the comments.

Maybe it had to be whichever is the first game you played? My first was BTN so it always has a special place in my heart.

Personally BTN is the one I find more fun and the one I’m always going back to play.

Honestly the one thing that makes 64 completely unplayable for me is the camera angle. Isometric games where you are effectively locked onto a grid gives me a headache trying to control. Like an actual migraine, not just some mild frustration. I was so disappointed when I finally sat down to play 64 about a decade ago. As a result fomt will always win out, as I can actually play that.

I could never get into 64 cause I have to pause to see the clock and time goes by way too quickly I just can't (may just be my OCD though)

64 has a better soundtrack too.

I can only speak for myself personally and that is that while i love Ran as a marriage candidate and the townsfolk in general have personallity it was ubderwhelminh in the way that i had nothing to do pretty mutch after fall at year 1. N64 get away with this as you could not expect mutch from its time(i grew up with n64) but for me neither is my favorite that to me is a wonderfull life and tree of tranquility

BTN KING