Say what you will about the general non-excitement of a series based on farming and agriculture, but Harvest Moon is one of the rare RPG franchises that actually garners my attention with each release. The fact that it’s decidedly non-swords/dragons/spells/grinding certainly helps, as that aspect of gaming has been beat to death with a dusty broomstick. So it was with much joy that I set my weary eyes on today’s news that Natsume’s Harvest Moon: Frantic Farming is heading to a Gamestop near you right now.

Set in the world of last year’s Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness, Harvest Moon: Frantic Farming is a puzzle game that continues the tale of the island’s residents. As the press release states:

Something strange is happening on Sunny Island! Crops are popping up everywhere and growing out of control! If something isn’t done soon, the once-tranquil island will be buried in an avalanche of vegetables! It’s up to the player to solve the mystery of this produce predicament as they tame the crops and gather as many vegetables as they can!

Besides dodging out of control exclamation points, players select one of 12 characters that have their own unique stories and abilities that enable them to stop the overflow of veggies. Judging by the gameplay video, characters can unleash farm-related power ups (such as chickens or cows) that trigger very cool anime-inspired cut scenes.

The game features a variety of modes, but the most interesting may be the Multi-Player mode where you can test your farming skills against a bud’s, and even play against people who don’t have the cart via the Nintendo DS’ Download Play. Unlockables include character art, music, and special surprises in the Collection Room.

Harvest Moon: Frantic Farming is available for a cool $30.