Portable, Nintendo, and Stardew Valley fans rejoice as the insanely popular farming simulation game is now available on Nintendo Switch today. With the first portable version of Stardew Valley now out, there are countless gamers that will be playing it for the very first time or the first time in a long time.
The moment you jump into the game, you can be quickly overwhelmed by the sheer amount of possibilities and gameplay hooks for you to sink your teeth into. Because of this, it is quite easy to not really know what to do first or, worse, do the wrong things at the beginning and set yourself up for some future mistakes.
We’ve got you covered, though, with the six things you should do right when you begin you Stardew Valley adventure.
Love Your Character
Stardew Valley gives you the option to create your own character, providing numerous options from gender to hair to skin color. It certainly isn’t the first to do so, but you will be seeing your character onscreen for seemingly endless amounts of hours.
The last thing you want to do is go about your business for several hours only to hate your Robo-Boy character (like we did) with no option but to start over. So, make sure to take an ample amount of time to customize your character until you absolutely love them.
Find Your Niche
In Stardew Valley, you’ll have several options to pick from for gameplay from the obvious farming to gathering to fishing, and more. When you start the game, it seems like you should try to do every activity every single day.
Unfortunately, that is a poor way to begin your journey due to limited time and stamina. We recommend finding the one activity (for me, it’s fishing) that you enjoy the most and focus on that for the time being.
Experiment With Different Farms
Soon after the original Stardew Valley launch, several new farm types were added to the game. Similar to seeds in Minecraft (minus the randomness), choosing a different map will change how your farm is laid out.
It’s worth checking out any of the types that sound interesting to you before committing to a specific one. Love fishing? You might want to try the riverland farm. Want a survival-ish challenge like Minecraft? The wilderness might be best for you. Just remember to pick wisely.
Meet the Town Folk
Stardew Valley features a huge overworld composed of a forest, a mine, mysteries, and your main town. The town is where you will go to upgrade your tools, buy new seeds, and complete optional sidequests.
It’s worth exploring the large, spread-out town and memorize where each important person lives. Getting to know them will open up new opportunities and, of course, potential romance.
Check Your Calendar
The calendar is your gateway to knowing what’s coming up, be it a town resident’s birthday or an upcoming event. Doing so will allow you to plan ahead to find an awesome present for that one special person and prepare for tournaments accordingly. You can check the calendar by going to Pierre’s store or by simply buying your own.
Dig up Those Worms
Every so often you will see tiny lines that wiggle on the ground. These are worms and it can be easy to assume that the worms are just there to add to the visual detail of the world.
However, they aren’t just there for looks, as you can dig the worms up for unique items. All you have to do is use your hoe on the worm’s square and collect your spoils.
