Stardew Valley
Stardew Valley is an open-ended country-life RPG! You’ve inherited your grandfather’s old farm plot in Stardew Valley. Armed with hand-me-down tools and a few coins, you set out to begin your new life. Can you learn to live off the land and turn these overgrown fields into a thriving home? It won’t be easy. Ever since Joja Corporation came to town, the old ways of life have all but disappeared. The community center, once the town’s most vibrant hub of activity, now lies in shambles. But the valley seems full of…
The farming game that ate every other farming game, and it's still getting free updates.Kit · Sadkitty Games
Loved
- Endless depth hidden behind a gentle start
- Charming townsfolk with real stories
- Great co-op and constant free updates
Not so much
- Early days are cramped by tiny energy bars
- Fishing minigame is a wall for some players
Play it if anyone who wants a relaxing routine that slowly grows into a sprawling empire.
Skip it if players who need combat, stakes or a strong plot to stay hooked.
No cheat codes
Stardew Valley doesn't have cheat codes. The tips and secrets below are the next best thing.
Play it better
- Plant your 15 starting parsnip seeds on day one and keep them watered. They're your first cash.
- Check the TV every morning. The Fortune Teller shows your daily luck and the Queen of Sauce teaches recipes on Sundays.
- Crops die when the season changes, so never plant something that won't mature before day 28.
- Buy Strawberry seeds at the Egg Festival on Spring 13. Plant them right away for multiple harvests that spring.
- In the Mines an elevator stop unlocks every five floors, so try to leave on a multiple of five.
- Work the Community Center bundles early. Finishing rooms unlocks the greenhouse, the minecart network and more.
- Kegs and preserve jars multiply crop value. Starfruit and Ancient Fruit in kegs make serious money.
- Gifts on a villager's birthday count for eight times the friendship.
Hidden in plain sight
Tap a secret to reveal it.
Trivia
- Eric Barone worked on it alone for about four and a half years, doing the code, art, writing and music himself.
- It started as a fan answer to Harvest Moon, which Barone felt had lost its way.
- ConcernedApe reported more than 40 million copies sold by early 2024.
- The big 1.6 update in 2024 was free, even though Barone was deep into his next game, Haunted Chocolatier.
