Rival Heart Events in Cute... all the reasons why I didn't want to marry these guys

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Experiencing the 2nd or Blue Rival Heart events in Cute in my 2nd year (after taking a break to play Harvest Moon Boy & Girl), in some cases reminds me of all the reasons I really DIDN'T want to marry these guys. In particular, Marlin and Gustafa in their 2nd Blue Rival Heart Events, display their more unsympathetic personality traits.

The events occur in the original Harvest Moon DS (boy version) game as the 2nd Rival Heart Events for Celia and Nami. These events cannot be experienced before the beginning of the 2nd year and they will not trigger if the eligible girl or bachelor respectively are at Green Heart level or higher.

In my game, I had to LOWER the bachelors' heart levels from deepest red to experience the events, as I had raised them originally in order to experience all proposal and marriage events (without saving the results). As I wished to receive Spring Thanksgiving Cookies from all the bachelors, I did not begin to lower their heart levels seriously until after 14 Spring. I then used the 'Secret Weapon of Hate' item on each to bring them down to Blue Heart Level.

I will be able to raise them easily back to Green Heart Level in order to experience next year's 3rd Rival Heart Event... (Sometimes, in my eagerness to wed Skye, I tend to forget that, if I wish to contrive the marriages of all other couples, I must wait at least until the third year to marry, in order to experience the 3rd Rival Heart Event and then raise bachelor heart levels another level so that I will be able to experience the 4th Rival Heart Event in the fourth year. Once you are married, both in the original HM DS and in Cute, you no longer can affect ANY ONE's heart levels. You only can affect FP or Friendship levels after marriage. This applies to Keira and her Heart Events in both games as well. You must experience her heart events BEFORE you marry if you wish to gain all rewards. There is some evidence to the effect that the 4th Mine cannot be unlocked AFTER marriage, so make certain to unlock all 4 mines before you propose to some one and marry.)

In Marlin's 2nd Rival Heart Event, he is outraged on Celia's behalf by some comments a customer made about the quality of Vesta's vegetables. Celia is not particularly bothered and is more concerned to maintain goodwill with every one. Marlin tends to display excess machismo in his desire to balance his fragility or 'weakness' in physical terms. In the course of the event, Celia essentially is reduced to BEGGING him not to confront the customer.

I personally would not like this role...

In Gustafa's 2nd Rival Heart Event, he visits Nami as she stands at the shore of the ocean in the early afternoon. Bear in mind the fact that it is HE who visits her and that his own schedule 'requires' him to stand at the shore of Turtle Pond all afternoon meditating or drawing inspiration from the 'natural beauty' of the place.

He begins one of his usual self-centred rambling monologues about why he loves the Valley and always returns to it. He then solicits a question from Nami as to why he returns...

Here is the dialogue:

Gustafa: Even if I leave, I always end up coming back to Forget-Me-Not Valley. Do you know why?
Nami (obligingly): (?) Why?
Gustafa: Because I love this place. The air, the sea, and the people. That's why.
(This is such a general answer. It does not make any reference to Nami specifically as being a reason for his love of 'this place', nor it is particularly poetic or lyrical in nature.)
Nami (evidently NOT inspired by Gustafa's confession): Yeah.

At this point, Gustafa evidently realises he should bring Nami into the conversation a little more, so he asks her why she returns always to the Valley.

Gustafa: Nami, you've lived here a long time. What is it that keeps you here?
Nami: (...) I...

Gustafa has NO patience to wait for a proper response and now displays what I consider his indifference to any one apart from himself, except insofar as they act as 'inspiration' for his music.

Gustafa: Ah, I've gotta go. See you later.
Nami: Ah.....

Where on earth could he be going??? Only back to Turtle Pond to stand!!! He isn't the most handsome of men, but if he were sensitive and attentive, it would count for much. As it is, witnessing this event, I was reminded of all the reasons he would be my LAST choice of spouse in ANY world.

The Spring Thanksgiving in Cute

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As far as the romantic Thanksgiving Festivals in Harvest Moon are concerned, playing as a boy rather than a girl really does have some early advantages.

There are two Thanksgiving Festivals in FoMT/MFoMT and in HM DS/HM Cute DS. The Spring Thanksgiving is an opportunity for boys to give Chocolate Cookies to girls they fancy. The Winter Thanksgiving is the corresponding Festival where girls are given the chance to present boys they fancy with a piece of Chocolate Cake. If you are playing as a boy, you DO have an advantage in Friends of Mineral Town but not in Harvest Moon DS. In FoMT, a simple gift of chocolate would suffice and would be recognised as a Thanksgiving gift. In Harvest Moon DS, however, nothing less than Cookies or Chocolate Cookies will do.

In Spring of your first year in ANY of these games, you will not have a kitchen and therefore will not be able to bake Cookies or Chocolate Cookies. You will have access to the Supermarket and be able to buy chocolate. In Mineral Town, you can give chocolate to EVERY ONE, and individuals of either gender will be pleased on the occasion of the Thanksgiving Festival, even those like Karen who ordinarily detest chocolate.

As a boy in Harvest Moon DS, you will feel very frustrated in your first Spring, not being able to give Chocolate Cookies to ANY ONE. As a girl, it is even worse, though, because it can hit your sense of self-esteem very hard not to receive a single visit from a boy... Even though you are a newcomer, it is one of those seminal events in life that can leave a nasty scar. Girls who didn't receive Valentines at school when other girls did or who weren't invited to a Ball... and so on...

Even so, by the second Spring, you can have every bachelor at your door with a gift of Chocolate Cookies. It is a rather heady feeling to be loved by every one! It does make up somewhat for that lonely first Spring Thanksgiving when all doors were locked in the Valley and you did not see a single soul, let alone receive any visits from aspiring bachelors!

In FoMT/MFoMT and HM DS/HM Cute DS, there is a schedule for visitors on Festivals like this.

In Cute, the visits occur as follows:


Marlin arrives first at 6.00 a.m
Gustafa will be at your door at 8.00 a.m.
Rock is amazingly early at 10.00 a.m.
Carter is willing to leave his research to appear at 12.00 noon
Griffin arrives at 2.00 p.m.
Skye braves the dangers of the law enforcement community and vigilantes of the Valley to arrive at your door at 4.00 p.m.

As previously posted, Magical Girls, despite their Winter promise to reciprocate, DO NOT do so!

I am absurdly sentimental about my Harvest Moon gifts. I have a 'page' in my Refrigerator and Shelf menus devoted solely to special gifts. In the refrigerator, the Big Fish from Mukumuku now has been joined by a stack of Spring Thanksgiving Chocolate Cookies from all bachelors apart from my darling Skye. My plate of Chocolate Cookies from Skye rests in a slot of its own! In the Shelf, I have a piece of Golden Lumber from Thomas on 2 Winter next to the Diamond that I found in my sock on 25 Winter. As the years progress, the slots will fill... I never, ever use any of these special items, no matter what their commercial value may be.

The Star Festival and Marlin

If you spend the Star Festival with Marlin, you essentially spend it with his family at Vesta's farmhouse. Every one is warm and friendly but there is very little romance to the occasion. Vesta will remark, however, that Marlin seldom invites any one to the house, making you feel rather special.

Curiously enough, only one place has been set at the table. Farmers have a reputation for their great hospitality, for large tables groaning with food. The single piece of cake displayed on the tiny table is rather surprising in the circumstances.

More Winter Thanks-Fest Responses

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In my previous post, I dealt with Rock and Gustafa and their responses to a gift of Chocolate Cake at the Winter Thanksgiving. Here are the responses of Griffin, Carter and Marlin.

Griffin; Is it okay to give me this? Come again. I didn't do it this year. I'll prepare for next year...

Carter: Oh, it's Winter Thanks-Fest. And I didn't even give you anything. Sorry...

Marlin: ... It's for me? I'm sorry I didn't get you anything this year...

As you can see, all these bachelors are slightly embarrassed by a gift from me when they failed to give me Cookies at the Spring Thanksgiving. If I do not marry before the next Spring Thanksgiving, I will be visited by each and every one of them bearing the gift of Cookies...

If you marry Marlin

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If you marry Marlin, you have married a man who wants to be convinced of his own strength more than anything. At the wedding, he will declare that he always will protect you.

His entire manner undergoes rather a sea change when you speak to him the morning after the wedding, however. He takes on rather a cowboy accent, telling you: 'I guess you and I are hitched now, by golly!' He then suggests: 'How 'bout you and I change up our names a bit?'

What on earth has happened to him? Is he feverish perhaps, thinking he is a character in the Wild West? I was very glad that I had not married him in any permanent sense, but only as a test... After that, he simply will tell you each morning that he is glad he married you without too much cowboy lingo...

Skye's Fifth Heart Event: A Moral Dilemma

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In Skye's Fifth and final Heart Event, you are called upon to declare and manifest your loyalty. Is it to your village and your neighbours or is it to Skye? I have to confess that, although my choice never was in doubt, I did experience a little qualm when I pretended not to know Skye's whereabouts. The village unites against him in force. If one didn't have sympathy (and love) for him at this point, one surely would feel a little sorry for him when Ruby, Rock, Nami, Marlin, Vesta and Celia march down the path in the manner of the Assyrian who 'came down like a wolf on the fold'. In a military wedge formation, they really did present an intimidating appearance.

A moment earlier, I had promised Skye that I would pretend I hadn't seen him... A moment earlier, he had gazed soulfully into my eyes before he disappeared south towards the beach. And yet... and yet, I am part of this village now. I owe my neighbours and friends some loyalty as well. In fact, the posse included two bachelors who are at red heart level now, making it doubly a betrayal to choose Skye.

Nonetheless, even if I weren't in love with Skye, I always would tend to side with the 'underdog' in any confrontation. To witness my lovely Skye being HOUNDED by the villagers of Forget-Me-Not Valley was a very distressing experience indeed.

I do believe in happy endings, though, and I have a feeling that Skye will be accepted by my neighbours and friends quite readily if I marry him. The people of Forget-Me-Not Valley are generous and forgiving. He never harmed any one really. His theft of a bottle of wine and a few vegetables and a possible artifact or two surely can be overlooked fairly easily, particularly if he 'retires' from his old career...

N.B. There is no error here. Skye's Yellow Heart Event is his FIFTH Heart event. He alone of the eligible bachelors has five rather than the four traditional Heart Events. The fourth is a Green Heart Event and the Fifth is his Yellow Heart Event. Other bachelors do not have a Green Heart Event, although there is a Green Rival Heart Event for each that will advance your Rival's courtship of the bachelor.

Marlin's Marriage Proposal Event

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Here are photographs of the Marriage Proposal Event with Marlin. The expression on his face is most peculiar. Marlin can be rather good-looking in his own way, but the expression he exhibited when I proposed was almost too much to bear.

Marlin has one grave flaw: his delicate health has made him hyper-sensitive, and he reacts with a rather unattractive machismo at times. When you propose to him, he will accept but then tell you that proposals of marriage should be initiated by the man! He then proceeds to propose to YOU.

When he tells Vesta and Celia of the engagement, Vesta threatens him with GBH should he misbehave. She takes the jest quite far in fact... curious when dealing with a man whom she won't allow out in the rain.

Friendship Levels can be found in Dialogue

Even if eligible bachelors and girls did not display their heart levels in bright, bold colours, you could tell where you stood with any individual by his/her conversation. This is true both in Mineral Town and Forget-Me-Not Valley. In each case, however, you must discover the location and time when you can speak to a person in order to assess heart levels.

In Harvest Moon DS and Harvest Moon Cute DS, you can buy a Love Bangle at the Casino window and wear it whenever you speak to any individual, but in Mineral Town, you have to judge most individuals, apart from eligible spouses, by their conversation.

Even in Forget-Me-Not Valley, however, it is interesting to speak to individuals at every level in order to obtain the maximum information and enjoyment of the game.

I know I have written other posts about this, but I wished to share some of the things that bachelors in HM Cute will say when they are madly in love with you.

For example, when you speak to Marlin at Vesta's house, his dialogue will not vary, but if you find him at the Storeroom, his conversation will change as his affection for you rises.

As Marlin is shy and inarticulate at the best of times, it is not so much his conversation as his expression that will indicate his state of mind. At red heart level, he will blush fiercely as he says, 'Oh, I was just thinking... It's okay, don't worry about it.' It would be evident to the least sensitive of women that he has been thinking about YOU at this point.

The dialogue both of Carter and Flora will not change if you encounter them in the Tent, but when you speak to them in the Excavation Site, you will obtain an indication of their feelings for you.

Carter at orange heart will say: 'I work much better with you by my side, Freya.'
Flora says, 'Oh Freya... I've been waiting for you. It's so much fun digging with you, Freya. You're my best friend.'

Meet Muffy in her bedroom and her dialogue remains constant. Griffin's dialogue changes in his bedroom only according to his FP level but not his AP or Heart Level. It is when they are behind the counter of the Blue Bar that you really know where you stand with them.

Muffy at maximum FP of 255 will tell you: 'I've never had as good a friend as you, Freya. I hope we stay the best of friends.'

Griffin at red heart becomes touchingly lyrical when he says, 'You're like the sun, Freya. When you come to the bar, everything just lights up.'

I suppose one shouldn't forget he is as much a musician and poet as Gustafa, although he hides HIS light under a bushel most of the time, unlike Gustafa. Few are they who have heard Griffin play...

One of the earliest events involving Griffin's hidden musical talents occurs in 'A Wonderful Life'...

My Faith in Harvest Moon is vindicated!

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When I missed Part II of Skye's 3rd Heart Event because Carter failed to enter his tent BEFORE midnight on Sunday night, I spoke to Natsume to try to find out if it would ruin my chances of marrying Skye. I was told rather depressingly that I had to experience both parts of the event in order to be able to move forward with the romance. According to Natsume, my chance of marrying Skye had gone with my failure to experience Part II of one of his heart events.

At first I was filled with despair, even beginning a new game in the 2nd slot to try to make a new life that would allow me to court Skye. Then, however, my analytical mind set to work to dissect the entire process of Heart Events... and I began to believe that I still had a chance with Skye in my first game.

I am kind of an expert in Courtship matters in Harvest Moon, but how could I be more of an expert than the people at Natsume? Well, the fact of the matter is that Harvest Moon games are not linear. Many factors determine the progress of the game. Natsume constantly is at work on new games, not having as much time to explore existing games as players do. In my Harvest Moon games, I try to court ALL the eligible spouses, then marry each and every one of them, documenting the results of every response in any event as well. In other words, I am insanely devoted to Harvest Moon...

I began to think about Harvest Events in HM Cute DS in order to try to resurrect my own hope that I could continue to court Skye.

In every Heart Event with ANY bachelor, there is a 'positive' and a 'negative' ending, sometimes even two of each in Cute. If you reject the bachelor's advances or invitation at the very start of the Heart Event, often the event will terminate abruptly and you will not experience the 'main' portion of the event...

This does not prevent you from experiencing the next Heart Event, however. What it does is lower the bachelor's heart level, setting you back a little in your courtship.

Why would Skye's events be any different?

I continued therefore to meet Skye nightly when he entered the Valley, raising his AP by +300 points slowly but surely. I grieved for the event that I had missed, but hoped that it would not prevent me from experiencing the next one.

Tonight, I discovered that my faith had not been misplaced. At 6.00 a.m., I crossed the bridge towards Vesta's farm and triggered Part I of Skye's 4th Heart Event.

At 10.00 p.m., determined not to take any chances of missing Part II, I entered Vesta's Farmhouse.

Vesta, Celia and Marlin stood together at the foot of the stairs.

Vesta: We'll get that lily-livered thief tonight!

We split up into two groups. Vesta and I accost Skye in the midst of the ripened aubergines. He uses his Chick-Beam on us, then walks north where he is accosted by the second group consisting of Celia and Marlin. He uses the Chick-Beam on them as well. Only Celia is affected but Marlin does nothing and Skye makes a leisurely exit after telling Marlin that there is no mystique in being caught by a man.

It was amusing to witness Marlin's obvious hostility towards the charming thief. I had to include a photograph of the moment when Marlin cried: 'Back off, pretty boy!'
If you recall Skye's 1st Heart Event, you will note that he used the same line that he used there on Lumina on Vesta in THIS event. To tell Vesta that anger ruins her beauty is absolutely hilarious. It appears that older women such as Vesta are not as easily seduced by Skye's flirtatious manner! She remains obdurately fixed upon the threat to her precious vegetables.

You may have noted that, on the 1st day of ANY growing season, Vesta's crops are fully ripe and ready for harvest. Why does the Harvest Goddess favour her so???

Having waited so long and worked so hard to experience this event, I found I was a little disappointed in the lack of romance. Unlike other events, he did not say anything personal to me!

Well, there is one more event... and the Yellow Heart Event usually is the most romantic in any courtship. At least I am grateful that I still have a chance to court the elusive thief!

Marlin's Blue Heart Event: Echoes of 'Cheers'

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Marlin's Blue Heart Event occurs at the Blue Bar on Monday evening, the night when you always can find him there. Although he does not work outdoors in the rain, he WILL walk to the Blue Bar when it is pouring, so you can experience the event either on a sunny or rainy day.

The event is rather interesting in its exploration of Marlin's personality. When you enter, Marlin, usually tongue-tied, will offer to buy a drink for 'this lovely lady'. Griffin asks Marlin if he would like another at that point and Marlin states that he thinks he has had enough. When you have glugged your free drink down in your usual graceless Harvest Moon fashion, you will be given the following choice:

I want more.
Marlin should have one.

Now, in the real world, I would have thought that the second option would be more polite than the first. You would be reluctant simply to ask for more drinks on Marlin's 'tab', would you not? In Harvest Moon, however, it is a trick question in a way. What would you imagine would occur if you choose: 'Marlin should have one?'

Well, in fact, Marlin's heart level will drop instantly to purple. He will be upset that you even MENTIONED the possibility of offering him a drink! He will march out of the pub and Griffin will be left to explain to you: 'Now, Freya. Weren't you listening to the man? Marlin said he didn't want to drink any more. No use trying to force him.'

If, however, you simply choose to demand MORE like Oliver Twist, Marlin will tell Griffin to give you as many as you wish. You will glug down THREE drinks in quick succession. Now you will experience (vicariously, as your character will be snoring at the bar counter) one of the more amusing scenes involving Marlin.

Marlin, ordinarily the least loquacious of individuals, will proceed to make statement after statement about the Blue Bar, heaping praise on his favourite 'local'. He will compare the Blue Bar to the bars he frequented when he lived in the city. Is Marlin the health nut actually an alcoholic??? Japan evidently has not succumbed to the negative political climate in the U.S. against regular consumption of alcoholic beverages. Many Harvest Moon games extol the social virtues of the 'local' and there usually is more than one character who drinks to excess. Karen, for example, is a renowned lush and can drink almost any man under the table. If you could have done the same, you would have earned the respect and admiration of the Valley, but in this event, you show every one that you can't hold your drink!

As you snore on, Marlin actually comes out with the old marketing phrase from 'Cheers': 'It's a place where everybody knows your name.'

Griffin thanks Marlin for his kindness but remarks that Marlin's long-windedness has put you to sleep! It couldn't have been the booze obviously!!! In fact, Griffin rather naively states: 'She must have been worn out', then asks if Marlin can carry you home.

Marlin accepts the task without any hesitation. In fact, he remarks to himself that his burden is not the least bit heavy although the journey is rather long...

Another interesting point about this event is the alternate ending if you upset Marlin with your attempt to persuade him to join you in another drink. After he leaves, Griffin will be forced to carry you home instead. He will moan: 'Oof. My back. I'm gettin' too old for this.' It is rather ironic that Marlin, who is supposedly fragile in health, has more strength than Griffin. As both bachelors are at Blue Heart level in my game, I would have thought their enthusiasm for carrying an unconscious Freya would have been equal...

Choosing your Events Wisely in HM DS or HM Cute DS

What to do? What to do? If you are playing the original Harvest Moon DS game, you can use my First Year Events Guide to plot out your game... with respect to the new Harvest Moon Cute, I am working on a First Year Events guide now.

When creating a new Events Guide and when plotting my own game, I often move ahead a day, without saving the results, to see which events can be triggered on any given day in specific weather conditions. I have reached a point now where weather is critical to define the game. It is Saturday night. Weather is determined when you awaken the next morning. I have a rainy day prediction saved in Slot 2 and a sunny day prediction saved in Slot 1.

As players of Harvest Moon DS know, it can be very confusing to save more than one game in separate slots as it is very easy to overwrite a game by saving in the wrong slot just once! Many new games for the DS do not allow the player to save in more than one slot for this reason. In any case, I need to decide which path to take.

If I allow a sunny Monday to occur, I can experience the following:
6.00 a.m. exiting the Excavation Site, Mary's 100 FP Event
6.30 p.m. at the Blue Bar, Marlin's 3rd or Blue Heart Event

If I allow a rainy Monday to occur, I can experience the following:
6.00 a.m. at the Blue Bar, Part I of Skye's 2nd or Purple Heart Event
10.00 p.m. at the Blue Bar, Part II of Skye's 2nd or Purple Heart Event

Marlin's 3rd Heart Event actually can be experienced in either situation, rain or shine, but there is a problem with this particular event, in that it will send your character straight to bed. That means that, should you experience Part I of Skye's Purple Heart Event at 6.00 a.m. but then enter the Blue Bar between 6.30 p.m. and 9.00 p.m., you will experience Marlin's Blue Heart Event and be sent to bed, unable to experience Part II of Skye's Event!

I do need to discover if, having triggered Part I of Skye's Event, if I miss Part II by experiencing Marlin's Event, will Part II trigger a fortnight later if I organise another rainy Monday? (My first chance would be fourteen days later as the blasted Chicken Festival is due to occur next Monday.) Or will it be lost to me forever? That will require a lot of organisation and time-wasting though... I am not certain I really wish to go through with that long-shot now.

In the meantime, which do I choose? Rain or shine? Players who are intent upon a single bachelor and do not care about 'non-essential' events never will experience my dilemma, but I know there are other players like me who are determined to experience EVERY possible event in any Harvest Moon game. My instinct is to experience Skye's event first as after all, he is only at purple heart level and Marlin is at blue heart level. I like to keep all the bachelors as equal as possible in terms of their heart levels until I finally choose one for my husband.

Marlin's Delicate Condition

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With the new bachelor Heart Events in 'Cute', one gains more insight into the characters and history of these individuals.

In Griffin's 2nd Heart Event, one finds him at the clinic with glass in his foot, having broken some bottles. You have a chance to call him a 'Klutz' if you are disposed to be mean-spirited. Even if you display concern instead, he will refer to himself as a Klutz ultimately in the course of the event.

In Marlin's 2nd Heart Event, you discover that he has been seriously ill in the past and therefore cannot be allowed to work in the rain... This despite the fact that you may meet him on a rainy evening on his way to the Blue Bar for a drink!

Some of the faces that Marlin makes as his emotions change are priceless. It would be difficult to marry a man who makes faces like this... in like fashion, some of Rick's expressions in More Friends of Mineral Town made it almost impossible for me to consider him as a spouse.

I have included some photographs from the event that occurs if you make the wrong choice of response. In this situation, you have the choice of telling him that Celia simply is concerned about him or to suggest that he cheer up. Telling him that Celia is concerned is the WRONG choice if you do not want his heart level to drop to black again. He will become enraged and tell you that he wants no one's pity. He then will declare that a man should be strong and that he is ashamed of his weak condition.

There is an odd moment when Celia muses aloud that she should not ask your character for help. Surely if you heard that, you would leap into the breach and OFFER your help but you are given no opportunity to do so. I suppose it is a way to manipulate the event to expose Marlin's impotence in the situation.

N.B. I wish I could take better photographs of the DS screens.

The ordinary Valley Bachelors of Harvest Moon Cute

I feel rather ashamed of myself today after I may have appeared to slag off the bachelors of Forget-Me-Not Valley by referring to them as 'older men'. They definitely ARE older men, but each has his own charm. I personally may prefer the young boys of Harvest Moon but I ultimately do try to marry each and every one of the potential spouses in my games. I certainly experience ALL the Heart Events of each in EVERY game I play...

I often receive emails from players asking me who the best wife or husband would be in any Harvest Moon game. The fact of the matter is that all are equal in most of the games, apart from 'A Wonderful Life' and 'Another Wonderful Life' where the identity of your spouse DOES influence your child. In Harvest Moon DS, it only influences the physical appearance and clothing of your child... and the appearance of the child is randomly chosen if you marry Skye or become the 'Best Friend' of a magical girl.

In any event, I thought I should give players a little idea of the personalities of the various bachelors.

Griffin is the barkeep at the Blue Bar. He is an older man who is both sensitive and shy, extremely polite and considerate. He actually has a creative side and is a 'closet' musician, as players of AWL and AnWL will recall.

In Harvest Moon Cute, you become aware of this facet of his character when you experience his first Rival Heart Event on a rainy morning, when he confides in Muffy:

Muffy: Hey, Griffin.
Griffin: What?
Muffy: Griffin, didn't you used to be a musician?
Griffin: Yeah.
Muffy: How did you get into music?
Griffin hesitates, then turns to face her.
Griffin: Hmm... I just happened to find an old guitar in the back of this store. It was like it was calling to me to come and play it. And when I asked my dad about that guitar, he said it was one of our ancestor's. Maybe it was that ancestor telling me to play?
Muffy (with music): Yeah. That's a wonderful story. Hey, play for me next time.
Griffin: Got it. I will, sometime.

Speak to him after the event and he will say:
Griffin: I know we promised... I'm a little shy, though.

(This event is Muffy's First Rival Heart Event in the original HM DS)

Gustafa is another one of the 'older men' whom you can marry in the game. He is the resident poet of Forget-Me-Not Valley and is a musician as well, from a long line of musicians. In fact, he will tell you about his heritage when you reach 100 FP with him either in the original HM DS or Cute:

Gustafa: Hey, Freya. How have you been? Is work still busy?
I nod.
Gustafa: Hahaha. You're very straightforward. But I really admire life at the ranch. You always get to pet animals and pick crops, right? I can think of lots of songs. Oops, did I say music? I guess it's in my blood to be a musician after all.
Me:?
Gustafa: My ancestors had been minstrels for the king in the country that they lived. It seems that every one in my family has had jobs involving music. That's why I've been making music since I was born. Since birth, I have followed this chosen path of becoming a musician. That's why you and I are similar. The life at the ranch was chosen for you before you were born, too.
I nod.
Gustafa: There is no 'if' in this world but if I wasn't born into a musician's family, I wonder what I would be doing now. Knowing me, I would've chosen the musician's path. After all, I love music. You probably would've chosen life at the ranch, too.
I nod.
Gustafa: Hahaha. I guess this means that things are good the way they are. Sorry to make you listen to something this boring.
I shake my head.
Gustafa: Now then, I guess I'll go sing.

If you speak to him after the event:
Gustafa: Let's both do our best.

The event that truly epitomises Rock's character is one that occurs in Another Wonderful Life when he faces your dog and later crafts an improbable tale of heroic battle against the pet he has renamed 'Crusher'.

In Harvest Moon Cute, you will discover his nature when you experience his first Heart Event at the beach:

Rock: (!) Hey, Freya. Did you come to look at the sea, too?
I nod.
Rock (with music): The sea's so nice. It's so expansive... Just so beautiful and blue! I love to look at it. Plus, it matches my personality perfectly! It's so big and beautiful. Just like me.
Me: (...)
Rock (?) What's wrong, Freya? You got quiet all of a sudden.
Rosk (with music) Oh, I know! You've been taken aback by how cool I am, huh?

My choices:

Yes, I'm mesmerised.
You disgust me.

With some amused affection for the boastful boy, I chose: Yes, I'm mesmerised.

Rock (with music): Yes, I thought so! You can look at me all you want! I'm not shy! But you have to let me look at you too, then.

Rock: ................

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Rock: (with music)
Me: (?)
Rock: Hahaha, you're pretty funny, Freya. You won't even look at me. Haha!
Me: (!) (displaying large red heart)
Embarrassed, I race from the beach.
Rock: Aww, you're so shy that you're leaving! How cute!

There is no malice in Rock and he is unabashedly lazy and irresponsible. In the original Harvest Moon DS game, it was only Kai who possibly challenged his position as the ultimate charming but rather irresponsible bachelor, although Kai does work hard at his stall at the beach in the summer. In Harvest Moon Cute, however, both Kai and Rock are relegated to the shade by the smooth-talking cat burglar Skye.

It is the 'older men' I intended to showcase in this post, however, and it is Carter and Marlin who need to be discussed now.

Carter is a devoted archaeologist who is driven by the belief that he will discover facts about his ancestors and heritage through his work. He is an avowed
sun-worshipper, as players of AWL and AnWL may recall. He actually shares a tent with his assistant Flora, but although she cooks for him (very badly!), their relationship is properly platonic. You will not be courting a married man if you court Carter!

Many of Carter's statements deal with Flora's cuisine. In fact, it is the focus of his first Rival Heart Event:

Carter was facing the northern wall and Flora was behind him.
Flora; Professor?
Carter: What's the matter, Flora?
Flora: How about Curry Rice for dinner tonight?
Carter (with cross): What?!
Flora: Don't be so picky!
Carter: I'm begging you! Anything but that!
Flora: Grrrr! Are you trying to make me mad?!
Carter: (...) Umm, n... no... Oh no...

Carter evidently is too pedantic for most people as when you visit him at his tent, morning or night:

Carter: Ah. Thank you for coming. Make yourself comfortable. Would you like to talk of ancient ruins? What? You'll 'pass' on that? Very well then...

Apparently, he never has been able to persuade any one to settle down for a long session of archaeological dialogue. One feels rather sorry for him sometimes...

Marlin, if anything, is even more shy about himself than Griffin. He is thoroughly tongue-tied, a little abrupt and unapproachable. I happen to know that many female players are attracted to these qualities, although I would not include myself in Marlin's fan group. In Another Wonderful Life, where there were but three choices in terms of potential spouses, he was my second choice after Rock. (The wedding event with Gustafa, with Gustafa hopping along on his buttocks, just was too awful for words. I cannot look at him even in Cute without recalling it! Gustafa is the ultimate laid-back hippy from the 1960s. Ironically, I really like his character, but find his personal appearance off-putting. I never have liked beards for a start.) This paragraph was supposed to be about MARLIN, not Gustafa...

Marlin demonstrates his almost pathological reticence in his First Heart Event in Cute:

Marlin: (!) ... Hey.... sorry, but Celia is upstairs sleeping. Vesta is looking after Celia right now... If you want to meet with Vesta or Celia, please come another time... Or did you come for me?

My choices:
Want to talk?
OK. I'm leaving, then.

(N.B. In any heart event, your character has two choices of response. One will raise the affection level of the bachelor and the other will lower it. I am including both here. The first response was the correct one obviously.)

I chose: Want to talk?
Marlin (startled): I don't really have anything to talk to you about...
Me (with tear):
My choices now:
Wh... what food do you like?
What do you think of Celia?

Wh... what food do you like?
Marline: ... Why do you ask that?
Me (with tear)
Marlin: ... Well, whatever... Yeah...
... What's my favourite food?
I nod encouragingly.
Marlin: (...) ... I never do have a good answer for that...
I nod again encouragingly, desperately hoping to get SOMETHING out of him.
Marlin: (...) ........................
... My favourite food is...
I nod once again with infinite patience.
Vesta now comes down the stairs:
Vesta: (!) Oh, Freya! You're here. You and Marlin together? Well, that's unexpected! What were you talking about?
Marlin: (Freya... This conversation is over.) Nothing, really... It was no big deal... More importantly... How is Celia feeling?
Vesta: Well, it's no big deal. She's just worn out. I think she'll wake up soon.
Marlin: ... Oh, I see. ... I hope so.

After:

Marlin: ... Let's talk again later.
Vesta: Don't worry! I'll be better soon!

If I had said: OK. I'm leaving, then.
Marlin: ... Oh, OK. ... Fine. Sorry that every one worth talking to is busy. .... See you.
Vesta comes down the stairs after I leave.
Vesta: ? Oh, is somebody here?
Marlin: It's not important. How is Celia feeling?
Vesta: Well, it's no big deal. She's just worn out. I think sh'll wake up soon.
Marlin: ... Oh, I see. ... I hope so.

As you can see, you will not even discover Marlin's favourite food in this event. Oddly enough, it was an important question, as each individual in any Harvest Moon game has a 'Most Favourite Item' that, when given, will raise his/her affection and/or friendship level. For any one who may be interested in Marlin, I happen to know that his 'Most Favourite' is Elli Leaves, a concoction that is more potent than any other Medicine available in the game. This makes sense when you realise that Marlin's health is as precarious as his ability to socialise. If you meet him outside the farm, he will tell you:

Marlin: Our farm was near town at first, but my ancestors came here looking for more land. It looks like my ancestors were sickly too. It must be hereditary...

I dealt with Skye exhaustively in an earlier post. I will discuss the bachelors of Mineral Town later. Any one who has played Friends of Mineral Town or More Friends of Mineral Town will be very familiar with their characters. Moreover, unless you insert a cartridge of FoMT or MFoMT into your DS, you never will meet any of them in HM Cute...