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Story of Seasons Trio of Towns: Ten essential tips to get ahead in the 3DS farming sim

Need a helping hand to boost your coffers and expand your farm in the new Story of Seasons game for 3DS? Here’s our top tips and advice, as well as some hidden secrets you may not be aware of.

Farming sim Story of Seasons Trio of Towns is a surprisingly complex and yet refreshingly relaxing 3DS game, which follows a similar muddy track to Harvest Moon. You’re a lone farmer, hoping to build your business and form close bonds with the other townsfolk – with the twist being that this time around there are three towns to explore.

The game spends a good bit of time introducing the mechanics and main characters, and you can always speak with Frank if you need a refresher course on any of the main points. However we’ve compiled some of our own tips on getting started and building your cash reserves.

Save the game by writing in your journal

You can save your game in Trio of Towns by tapping the briefcase icon on the touchscreen, followed by the little green book at the bottom of the menu. You get two slots to play with and you can save at any time. Be sure to save often, at least once a day.

Fertiliser is your friend

Although it’s not necessary to successfully grow crops, fertiliser can raise the value of your goods simply by improving the look and quality of the end result. We’d recommend spreading a bit on all of your seeds as soon as you plant them, one per square.

Don’t forget to water each square every day, too – unless it’s raining, in which case your job is done for you.

Part-time jobs are a great way to boost cash reserves and town relations

When you first get started with Story of Seasons, you’ll be in pretty dire need of cash (despite your uncle’s generous handouts). Thankfully you’ll find there are plenty of temporary jobs that you can get stuck into, which really boost your coffers.

Just head to the friendly job rep, who’s stood in the town square (in the first town, this is Horatio, although all of the towns have an equivalent rep). Speak with them to hear the day’s jobs listings. These change each day, so be sure to check in after tending to your farm; you should have plenty of time and energy for both at this early stage.

The likes of weeding and harvesting take no time at all, while the delivery jobs also tend to be quick and painless; just be sure to pay attention and learn the characters’ names and faces when you first explore, so you know where to deliver packages. The main characters can easily be located at any time. All you need to do is tap the map to see a town-wide view, complete with the whereabouts of the villagers. A helpful star will shine above the heads of your objectives.

Some jobs require that you stick a set number of produce into your farm’s delivery bin before the end of the day, so we’d recommend shoving a small number of eggs, milk and crops into your storage chest for such occasions. These jobs tend to pay well, for little effort.

As well as netting you cash for seeds, fertiliser and the rest, a successfully completed job will also boost your relations with the town. This in turn will open up new products at stores and so on.

Medical testing isn’t just for losers

Near the start of the game you might see an option to perform medical testing crop up in the part time jobs list. This will happen once Ford (the doctor) returns to town, in the first season.

You might also notice that medical testing packs quite a serious financial reward. Thousands, in fact. When you’re scraping together cash, this can really help out with your supply situation.

So what does medical testing entail? Well, you’ll be given the choice of three medicines to take, each of which have different effects. We’d recommend saving the game before taking on a testing contract, just in case! It’s a serious Russian roulette. It’s also best to complete this contract at the end of the day, as it can sometimes impact your stamina temporarily.

Stay energised

Always keep some food on you, in case your energy levels run low. You can stock up on more in the stores or restaurant in town, or of course consume your own tasty produce.

The Earth is your friend

Don’t forget to forage for goodies in the early days also. Any plants that can be harvested will helpfully sparkle, so just stand beside them and tap the A button to collect. You can sell these for a fast buck.

How to get fishing

Early on in Story of Seasons you’ll have the chance to purchase a fishing rod from the general store. This allows you to get fishing wherever and whenever you fancy.

Just walk up to a body of water with the rod equipped and you can cast off, ready to snag something tasty. You should notice a shadow appear beneath the surface. This will likely have a few crafty tugs on your line before finally chomping on the bait. When this happens, mash the A button to reel the blighter in.

Note that sometimes you’ll capture a boot or something rubbish, which can simply be discarded. Otherwise, your reward is a tasty fish that can be consumed or sold.

The likes of Gulliver’s and Jambalaya sell fishing bait, which can be used to lure better catches.

Animals are your friends

We’d recommend getting some cows and chickens as soon as possible. These creatures only need a little food each day and reward you with milk and eggs in return, for big profits.

Just remember to take care of your livestock, if you want good quality produce. Chickens should be picked up and placed outside every day, while cows should be petted, groomed with a brush and pushed out into the fields. Don’t forget to return them to their homes before nightfall, of course. And clean out their shacks with a pitchfork whenever you see black blobs appearing on the ground.

Bear in mind also that pets aren’t just cute little companions; they can genuinely be useful too. For instance, a dog can be trained to let your livestock out to graze.

How to expand your house and farm land

Head to Ludus in the Lulukoko village and you’ll be able to expand your house and fill it with new furniture. Just as well, considering what a pokey little shack you’re stuck with at the start.

You’ll need money and lumber to pimp out your shack. Lumber can be gathered by chopping down trees with your axe, or purchased if you’re desperate. You can also get Ludus to knock you up a bigger storage box, for instance, to increase how much stuff you can stash. Handy for bulk orders and so on.

You can also grow your farm land this way, giving you more room to grow loads of crops. The more you grow, the more you earn.

How to use wireless communication to chat with other farmers

Speak to Dessie by the river outside of your farm and you can connect to other players, either over your local WiFi network or the world wide web. This allows you to not only chat and share Story of Seasons tips, but also trade presents with each other.

That should be enough to get you well and truly started with Story of Seasons Trio of Towns. Enjoy the game and remember to explore often and chat to other characters as much as possible. You’ll find a few surprises here and there!

Check out some of our other Nintendo 3DS game guides and reviews:

Best Nintendo 3DS games coming soon

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