The True Secret Prince of Princess Debut

I had intended to work on advanced forging options in the 2nd Generation of Rune Factory 2 today to try to complete my Items List Guide, but emails from players made it clear that an important video for Princess Debut as well as information for the Walkthrough was missing and needed to be added as soon as possible. I had intended to wait until Friday to do this, but suddenly realised that it would be best to do it now before Princess Debut emails deluged me completely.

In the process of completing the game yet again in order to film the two endings with the 'true Secret Prince', I discovered some new Events and added those to the Walkthrough as well.

Here then is the true 'Secret' Prince of Princess Debut, one who is 'under your nose' virtually the entire game:

Happy Endings with Klaus in Princess Debut

Although I have left his endings almost to the very last, it is Klaus who is your 'natural' partner in Princess Debut in many ways. The Emerald Necklace displayed on the wall of your room in the Castle is his special Accessory. He is the only Prince for whom you actually will weep at the end of the day at the Amusement Park when you contemplate your impending separation. When you dance with him at the Ball of Saint-Lyon, the entire Kingdom will rejoice, including all of your erstwhile female rivals. In fact, there is no dramatic disclosure of your masquerade as there is if any other Prince is your partner. Apart from your option to accept or decline Klaus' offer of a Diamond Ring, the only choice you must make at the Ball is that of deciding the colour of sparkling apple cider you wish to imbibe in celebration.

Klaus may be the most desirable choice in terms of the Flower Kingdom but is it better to live the rest of your life concealing the fact that you are not the person every one believes you to be or is it better to be loved despite the fact that you are a 'fake'? All the other Princes are exposed to the truth and then declare that it is YOU they love, irrespective of your true status in life. Klaus never is given that option.

Klaus fell in love with the Princess years ago and is drawn to you because of that early connection. He refers to it again and again. In fact, you must reinforce those old memories for him in order to have the opportunity to make him your Partner.
Perhaps all that is required of you is a willingness to BE the Princess he loves.

The relationship with Klaus is complicated in another way. At the beginning of the game, the 'real' Princess warns you against ever touching the Emerald Necklace displayed on the wall. This leads one to suspect that Klaus is special to her. It is Klaus himself who later takes the Emerald Necklace from the wall to give to you at the Ball... but when you accept it, what effect will it have on the Princess?

I suspect that the reason you are free to love Klaus is because the real Princess actually prefers YOUR world to her own. She does not like Princes, nor does she care for dancing. In the Flower Kingdom, dancing apparently is a vital social activity. If you fall in love with Klaus, no doubt she will pursue his counterpart, Kyle, quite happily...

This would make the ending with Klaus truly a 'Happily Ever After' situation for every one in both worlds. The King never will realise that his daughter is missing and he appears to be unaware of any differences between you and the daughter he raised. In fact, the castle guard appears to know the real Princess better than her own father! Quite early in the game, the guard will remark that you appear to have become a very different person.

Magic is a wonderful device. If there are any unresolved issues, surely they will be erased through the effect of Magic...

Here then are both Happy Endings with Klaus:

All Princes in Princess Debut with Partnership Opportunities

As with the Heart Events in Harvest Moon games, Events that offer an option for Partnership are critical to your success in 'matters of the heart' in Princess Debut. Here is the list of all Eligible Partners with the 1st and Last Opportunity for each to become your Partner in the game.


Eligible Princes in the 1st and all Subsequent Games


Prince Klaus

Klaus Rosencrans
Initial Level: 10
Age: 15
Sign: Gemini
Birthday: 20 June
Most Favourite: Cabbage Roll
Initial Technique: 75
Initial Artistry: 70
1st and only Opportunity for Partnership: Day 17
Klaus Rosencrans is the childhood sweetheart of the ‘real’ Princess. In order to obtain an opportunity to become his partner, you must set up the ‘Emerald Reunion’ Event on the 17th Day as follows:
On Day 3, when he asks about the magical powers of the Royal Tiara, choose: ‘You can fly!’
On Day 17, when he comes to your room, your response must be: ‘No, go on!’
When he asks what you told him long ago, the correct response is: ‘You look like a frog!’ If you respond incorrectly, however, you will have a chance to guess again until you choose the right response.
Note: There are NO other opportunities to become Klaus’ partner.

Prince Liam

Liam Goodrich
Initial Level: 5
Age: 17
Sign: Taurus
Birthday: 5 May
Most Favourite: Spaghetti
Initial Technique: 50
Initial Artistry: 50
1st Opportunity for Partnership: Day 6 before the Competition
Last Opportunity for Partnership: Day 29 at night at the Amusement Park

Prince Vince

Vince Wright
Initial Level: 3
Age: 13
Sign: Aries
Birthday: 28 March
Most Fav: Tuna Steak
Initial Technique: 40
Initial Artistry: 40
First Opportunity for Partnership: Day 4
Last Opportunity for Partnership: Day 28 at night before you go to sleep

Prince Cesar

Cesar Dubois
Initial Level 6
Age: 16
Sign: Libra
Birthday: 10 October
Most Favourite: Beef Stew
Initial Technique: 30
Initial Artistry: 80
1st Opportunity for Partnership: Day 6
Last Opportunity for Partnership: Day 27 if you refuse Vince's escort to the Concert

Prince Luciano

Luciano Barbosa
Initial Level: 11
Age: 15
Sign: Cancer
Birthday: 4 July
Most Favourite: Sushi
Initial Technique: 80
Initial Artistry: 70
1st Opportunity for Partnership: Day 6 AFTER the Competition
Last Opportunity for Partnership: Day 29 at night at the Amusement Park
Note that you MUST ask Luciano to be your Partner on the 19th Day at the Practice Hall if you wish to be able to be his Partner for the Ball. He will refuse but then will return on the 29th Day to ask you to be his Partner.

There is a way to become Luciano's partner before the Foundation Day Contest and still experience his return on the 29th but it is tricky. You must avoid ALL opportunities to become another Prince's partner and make certain that you do not dance with any one else while awaiting his return.


Prince Tony

Only opportunity for real partnership: 30th Day AFTER the Ball


Eligible Prince only in 2nd and subsequent games:


Prince Kiefer


Kiefer Bergmann
Initial Level: 8
Age: 14
Sign: Scorpio
Birthday: 17 November
Most Favourite: Fondue
Initial Technique: 65
Initial Artistry: 65
1st Opportunity for Partnership: in your 2nd Game on Day 20 in the Dance Hall
Last Opportunity for Partnership: in your 2nd Game on Day 27 if you meet him in the Dance Hall after refusing both Vince's and Cesar's invitations.

My Walkthrough for Princess Debut is available on IGN. Thanks to Alice for telling me about Cesar's offer on the 27th. I discovered a further opportunity for partnership with Kiefer because of it.

Guys who play Princess Debut...

A visitor to this site asked if it were strange that a guy would play 'Princess Debut'. I have seen comments on the internet in the past on various sites intended to discourage any 'right-minded' guy from playing a female character in any game. I personally think that is utter rubbish.

It really is similar to a statement that a boy or man shouldn't read any books that feature female protagonists as though his real character would be effected or his manhood diluted by the experience.

Video games such as Harvest Moon and Princess Debut are interactive novels. We explore other worlds and other characters in these games, and one need not BE anything like the protagonist in order to play the game successfully and enjoy it thoroughly.

It could be perceived as even more challenging intellectually for a guy to play a game where he must assume a female persona, as it might require more thought and more inventive reasoning. I certainly enjoy playing games that feature male protagonists.

Often, one of the greatest gifts a game offers is the ability to free oneself of all the restrictions that real life imposes. At the same time, games that involve romance allow us to explore our own emotional responses to various situations and characters and sometimes even to learn from the experience.

The difference, when one plays the opposite gender, may be that you are a little less involved personally, especially where a game has a strong romantic component to it. Your character is involved and you want him or her to succeed but you don't go away and daydream about it as much as you may when you are playing your own gender in a game that involves romance. That having been said, one may hesitate to admit that one sometimes daydreams about fictional characters in Harvest Moon or Princess Debut, but the truth is that any truly powerful work of fiction creates its own reality in your psychic landscape.

In Rune Factory 2, your character in the 1st Generation is male and you have no choice in the matter. What happened to me was that I developed a very profound admiration and liking for my own character. I caught myself wishing that I knew more guys like him... Being female myself, I could not BE him in my own life, but I could respond to all of his sterling qualities. I enjoyed his Events immensely, and although he was the protagonist, I watched the unfolding of his life both as a participant and as a spectator.

In Princess Debut, because the protagonist is female, I find that I sometimes am in danger of losing my objectivity. I want to experience all possible results and events and yet, there are times when my own personal emotional reactions almost make that impossible. Witness the Event in Foxtrot Forest where I was able to betray Klaus with Kiefer. I couldn't stand it! (Even so, there was the guide-writer aspect of my character who was delighted to have discovered another twist in the game.)

As far as guys who play games that feature female protagonists are concerned, I admire their creativity and their ability to enter into the spirit of another role. I think it requires courage in a way, not least because there are elements in society that would sneer or view it in an absurdly negative fashion. If you are given a chance to experience a very different sort of existence in a game, why on earth would you not take advantage of that possibility? A game does not commit you ultimately to ANYTHING.

Male and female humans are two halves of a single species. If you are a guy, you probably have a mother, grandmother, aunts, female cousins, even sisters... Why should you not be able to see what it is like to play a female role in an adventure? I sometimes have found American culture to be particularly negative in terms of its expectations of what is allowed to a 'normal' male. In England, for example, it is quite common for guys to dress as girls or women strictly 'for laughs'. No one ever would extrapolate anything serious or significant from that.

Actually, many perceived differences between genders often are cultural rather than real. Every one has the right to create boundaries in his/her own personal life, based on his/her social or cultural traditions or preferences, but games should be free from those considerations. Enough said.

A Shocking Betrayal in Princess Debut

It is only through exploration that one discovers all possible paths or Events in any game. As Klaus' partner, I took a leap on the 23rd day that left me breathless. Breathless not with excitement or fear but horror! Seldom am I truly appalled with any result in Harvest Moon games or games that resemble the series. I doubt my 'actions' were quite as horrific as they appeared to me at the time. In any case, the possibility shown here is extremely interesting and rather dramatic. I overreacted perhaps. Needless to say, given my reactions, I reloaded the game without saving, erasing the shameful episode from my life in the Flower Kingdom.

Here, then are two rather dramatic episodes that can occur on or near the 23rd day when Klaus is your partner in Princess Debut:



Later: Instead of creating a new post, I simply will append this information here. After experiencing the 'Betrayal' Events with Klaus, I reloaded and replayed the Foxtrot Forest Event, never opting to ask Kiefer to become my partner. I had danced with Klaus twice at the Practice Hall before I even went to Foxtrot Forest that day. I therefore returned to the Practice Hall to dance with Klaus again. When you do this, you find poor Klaus 'practicing alone'. You then can exhaust your Stamina by resuming your practice with him.

What is interesting here is that, on the next day, when I went to Foxtrot Forest, Kiefer met me there as before but THEN told me that Klaus was waiting for me at the Practice Hall! I then had two options. I could bid Kiefer farewell and return of my own volition to my partner Klaus OR I could ask Kiefer nonetheless to dance with me. If I had bidden Kiefer farewell, his Affection would decrease by 5% to 95%. If I had asked him to dance with me nonetheless, he would tell me that if I would not leave, HE would and his Affection would decrease by 10%. Thus, EITHER option would result in a decrease of Affection with Kiefer. It therefore is clear to me that you have a limited number of opportunities to make Kiefer your partner if you have an existing partner when he spies you in the Dance Hall practicing by yourself. A couple of days later, he will take you for your first 'secret lesson' at Foxtrot Forest. You then can return to Foxtrot Forest the next day to continue with the 'secret lessons' and if you wish, can betray your existing partner by asking Kiefer to become your partner instead. I believe I had TWO days with this option before the day on which Kiefer declared that my own partner awaited me at the Practice Hall.

Here is the video of that Event with Kiefer:



Yes, Kiefer is a decent chap who does not wish to do anything dishonourable!


What an interesting little game this is! As I had hoped, it can be as complex as any Harvest Moon game in terms of the Courtship events.

Happily Ever After with Prince Luciano

In my first game of Princess Debut, I lost Luciano after the Founding Day Dance when his father commanded his presence at the World Dance Competition. One laughs at oneself a little for allowing a character in a game to inspire intense emotions but I really was very disappointed by that turn of events. I tried to be philosophical about it and even saw it ultimately as an opportunity to explore all my alternatives at the 11th hour.

In my second game, I decided that I would experience partnership both with Klaus and Kiefer before finally taking a different approach with Luciano in my third file. As I played through the file that, in theory, was allocated to partnership with Kiefer, however, I suddenly reversed my plan, refusing to save my progress after a certain point in order to arrive as soon as possible at the 29th Day without any partner.

The longest part of this evening was the 28th day when, at maximum stamina and maximum Level 20 Skill, I was forced to practice dances again and again and again... before finally being allowed to put myuself to bed. Needless to say, I had to experience a final visit from poor Vince, who once more begged me to tie the blue string on my finger.

When I heard a knock at the door on the morning of the 29th day, I almost was afraid to hope, even though I had no reason to believe it would not be Luciano. A part of me remembered Liam's visit in the 1st game when, on the 29th Day, Luciano failed to return. I steeled myself for possible disappointment, but then, as I had hoped and dreamed, Luciano appeared before me.

What extraordinary power good fiction has, whether it is in the form of a novel, a game or a film! I confess to a few real tears of joy at that moment. The fact of the matter is that it was a far more exciting and satisfying conclusion than it would have been in the 1st game for a number of reasons.

The first reason, not surprisingly was the fact that his value to me had increased when I was cheated of a happy ending with him in my first game. As I began the 2nd game, I was very conscious of the risk of losing Luciano again, despite an avowed intent to experience partnerships with Klaus and Kiefer.

Beyond this, however, was the knowledge that Luciano had kept the promise he made on the 20th Day to me. Better by far this ending than the situation in my first game, where I had to beg him again and again to stay against the command of his King on Foundation Day (and was told that it would be impossible.) I felt ignoble and weak BEGGING him to stay! It was tantamount to asking him to behave without honour.
In my 2nd game, although I had asked him to become my partner on the 19th Day, he had not accepted, knowing he planned to leave the next day. When he announced his intention of competing in the World Dance Contest, I told him I would wait for him and I did. He promised for his part that I would be 'the first to know' the results, giving me hope for the future. To have that hope realised was very thrilling indeed.

It never ceases to impress me how games such as these capture the emotions with the imagination and incite different responses in different players. I know there are players who would be equally thrilled by the happy endings with Cesar, Kiefer, Klaus, Liam and Vince. I myself was touched by each to some extent but there is something special about Luciano, even though I deprecate the instinct in me that responds to a 'difficult challenge'. Luciano is not straightforward in his love or his life, unlike some one like Klaus, who wears his heart on his sleeve. All the Princes in Princess Debut have sterling qualities and unique charms but I would be surprised if any player responds equally to each.

In any case, here is the 'Happy Ending' with Prince Luciano, at long last. The 2nd Ending is not included here as it would have made the piece too long. It is one of the least satisfying of the 2nd Endings in any case, as there is no personal connection really between your character and Luciano's counterpart in the her original world. The only personal touch is her declaration to her friend Lucas that he should feel free to get lost as often as he pleases.

Rumba in Sorrow and Hilarity

I experienced this Event with Cesar in my first game but forgot about it as it was not significant at the time. It was only in my 2nd Game that I realised its occurrence on the 20th Day balanced the sad departure of Prince Luciano by affording the player with some comic relief.

Long ago, in 'Another Wonderful Life', there was an Event that gave you the option to slap a guy in the face and THAT option actually produced the best result. Although I tend to accept that physical responses usually are not as effective or just as verbal reason, it is rather refreshing to discover that Harvest Moon and Princess Debut both contain Events that exist as the 'exception to the rule'. Here you will see an Event with Cesar where the very best result is obtained by slapping him soundly!

It is an act of kindness, by the way, and not of cruelty...



Note: The text was quite clear when I made the video. Is there something wrong with my viewser or is there something wrong with the video?

Happily Ever After with Prince Cesar in Princess Debut

As promised, I made a video of Cesar's events from the 26th Day yesterday. Unfortunately, it was the longest video I ever made and was rejected for that reason. I was so exhausted by then I almost resigned myself to failure. Instead, I summarily separated it into two videos. One contains all the events up to the Day of the Ball. The other consists of both endings.

Despite an earlier post where I referred to Cesar as a womaniser (and he would be the first to agree with that assessment), his Events in Princess Debut are quite romantic and his behaviour can be extremely thoughtful.

One of the more impressive aspects of his behaviour is the way he creates a perfect event at the Concert in the Forest. Although I only included a single 'path' in the video, if your character tells him that her thoughts about the forest are of 'hunger' rather than the 'power' or 'beauty' of Nature, she will continue by mentioning berries, nuts and fresh fish. When Cesar announces he has prepared a picnic, the dishes that are set on the table include items made from berries, nuts and fresh fish!

It is a very long video as it stands. I chose to include the 'beauty of Nature' response as it is the one that elicits agreement from Cesar. Both the 'beauty of Nature' and 'power of Nature' responses elicit a wonderful little historical anecdote that it important because it epitomises the marvelous philosophy of Nature that pervades all Harvest Moon games as well as Princess Debut.

Here are 'Part I' and 'Part II' of Romance with Cesar from the 26th Day in Princess Debut:





Incidentally, I intended to include the earlier event at Samba Square where Cesar's scar is discovered... but the piece became too long even without this Event. I explored EVERY response from the Events that occurred from the 26th day until the end of the game, hoping to discover more details about Cesar's secret. There is one path that leads to a situation at the Amusement Park where it is obvious that the roller coaster causes excruciating pain... but Cesar divulges nothing and your character does not speak of the scar that she saw previously. It is included in the 'Part I' video.

Actually, having begun a second game in order to document Kiefer's Events and see what any other options may be with respect to Luciano, I believe I have solved the mystery of Cesar's scar.

It is an earlier event rather than a later one that is the key. When you go with him on a date to Viennese Lake, he will speak of his sister who taught him to dance and who is the 'prettiest' person he ever knew. He speaks of her in the past tense and when you ask where she is, he points to his heart and declares that she remains here.

One would take this for nothing more than a common sentimental expression of love except for the scar that you see later at the Shop... and then, Cesar's own admission before the roller coaster ride that he only fears he may die of 'terror'.
He actually suffers palpitations or some sort of severe physical pain during the ride. A heart transplant patient might be more careful than others of the extreme stress caused by a ride like that.

I have come to the conclusion that Cesar's secret is that he had a weak heart and his sister's heart after she died saved his own life perhaps.

There may be a sequel to Princess Debut. Perhaps if gamers embrace the first with enough enthusiasm, a sequel will be produced???

First and Last Opportunities in Princess Debut

Although you can play Princess Debut perfectly well without a strategy guide, it may be useful to write a brief walkthrough of the game.

One aspect of the game that may be of interest to players is the first and last opportunity to ask any specific Prince to become your partner. In my own first game, I had asked Luciano too soon, apparently, and although we had some wonderful times together and his affection remained at 100% throughout, he was called away inevitably by his King to participate in the World Dance Contest, leaving me without a partner.

In vain did I remain constant to his memory, refusing the options to ask any other Prince to act as his replacement in the hope that he would return at the 11th hour to be my partner for the Ball.

He did not return, sadly. This placed me in a position where knowing the last possible moment at which you can ask any specific Prince to be your partner was critical information in my game.

I had one file saved on the 26th day. Unfortunately, that was the earliest save point I had retained. From that Save point, however, one still can obtain Liam, Vince or Cesar as a Partner for the Ball.

It is interesting to note that you can obtain a couple of events with Klaus but at this point in the game, although it is evident that he truly WANTS you to be his partner, there never is another opportunity to pose the question. (He and the 'real' princess were childhood companions if not actually sweethearts and in many ways, he should be your natural choice of partner.)

As far as the 'last chances' with Cesar, Liam and Vince are concerned, you actually will profit more if you make your decision on the 26th rather than waiting any longer. An Accessory can be obtained from the Animals after the Forest Concert only if you have a partner. If you accept Liam as your partner BEFORE the day of the Forest Concert, you will receive two Accessories from him before the game ends rather than one, quite apart from the Diamond Ring. There was one other Accessory that I received from a fan in a letter on the 28th. I therefore obtained a total of five Accessories between the 26th Day and the end of the game when I chose Liam as a partner on the 26th, rather than waiting until the last opportunity, which occurs at the end of the day at the Amusement Park. With respect to Vince, you only gain the Accessory from the Animals by choosing him before the date of the Forest Concert as well as obtaining the Accessory from the fan. In Cesar's case, you have no options to make him a partner after the 26th.

Accessories do not carry over in Story Mode from one game to the next but once obtained, are included on your Accessory Completion page in the same manner in which the Photos are saved independently on the Photos Page.

If you are the sort of player who rises to the challenge to attain '100% completion', timing in terms of your acceptance of a Partner may be vital. In two separate files where I chose Liam as my partner, doing so on the 26th Day generated far more Accessories for my character than choosing him at the last possible opportunity at the Amusement Park on the night of the 29th Day.

There is one problem with any Walkthrough that I create now. Although I kept a rather sketchy game journal for my first game of Princess Debut, at that point I was playing the game strictly for personal relaxation and enjoyment, as a 'break' from my work on my Rune Factory 2 Guides. In fact, I was advised NOT to approach the game as a possible guide assignment simply in order to give me that much-needed relaxation.

Once you have completed the initial game of Princess Debut, however, the entire game changes as 'clearing' the game unlocks a new character. It is possible that nothing else changes much, but I am not certain of that and there is no way to restore the cartridge to an untouched state. I will go forward with the Walkthrough on the assumption that the only aspect of the game that changes is the addition of Kiefer as a potential Partner, but if I were to predict any other changes, it would be that Accessories may be obtained differently in a second or subsequent game...

I will try to compare my 2nd Game Journal with the 1st whenever possible, but I did not keep the detailed sort of Journal that I usually keep with respect to any game I intend to cover in terms of a strategy guide.

What motivates me most to create a guide for Princess Debut is my own experience with Prince Luciano. I felt absolutely desolate when he failed to return for the Ball after being my partner for almost a fortnight at 100% Affection!

The game is very tricky as well with respect to Luciano as Kip will urge you to ask him to become your partner as early as the 6th Day after the Contest. You have only two options here if you wish to remain single: do not ask him or give the wrong response to the question of WHY you want him to be your partner. I opted not to ask him at all at that point in my second game, with a sad memory of how thrilled I had been in the 1st game when he accepted me after I told him I 'wanted the best'.

The conditions under which you can make Luciano your partner are given in a later post but I realised I had best add the information here as well.

Ask him to be your partner only on the 19th Day, entitled 'Farewell Dance'. He will not accept as he knows that he is planning to leave the next day, but will dance once with you at the Practice Hall. If you give either of the other possible responses at the Practice Hall, he will announce there and then that he is intending to compete in the World Dance Competition. If, however, you ask him to be your Partner, he will ask you to meet him the next morning.

This Event can occur even if you have a Partner at the time and he still will meet you the next morning on the 20th Day, Rumba in Sorrow. If you have a Partner, however, he will not return before the end of the game. If you are single when he asks you to meet him on the 20th Day, he will announce that he plans to participate in the World Dance Competition. When you declare that you will wait for him, as long as you remain single during his absence, he will return on the 29th Day to take you to the Amusement Park. There, he will ask you to be his Partner.

Romantic Endings with Prince Liam in Princess Debut

If you are the sort of player who needs to be surprised by games, please do not watch the following as it definitely contains what some people like to call 'spoilers'. I personally write game guides because I think that sometimes it is good for a player to know precisely how to obtain the 'happily ever after' ending in a game... but I can understand that there are those who would prefer not to experience the endings 'secondhand' as it were.


In any case, after Luciano failed to return, I first became Liam's partner, then Vince's and finally Cesar's partner in order to experience their endings. In my next game, I will split my experiences between Kiefer, Luciano and Klaus. By the time I realised Luciano would not return, it was too late in the game to appeal to Klaus for rescue and Kiefer cannot be unlocked in the first game.

Here, then are Liam's endings:

In Defence of Prince Vince in Princess Debut

Having completed an initial game of Princess Debut by experiencing endings with three different Princes, I have to admit that I am at a bit of a loss to comprehend the deep hostility that some players express towards poor Prince Vince. At the age of 13, he is 5 years younger than some of the others and his behaviour should not be compared with that of those princes who are almost old enough to marry! The fact that he took the time and effort to MAKE an accessory in the form of a Beaded Choker for my character was quite touching. His tradition of the blue string tied round the finger was quite romantic.

From the point of view of some one who really loathes ALL insects and never has responded positively to practical jokes, I would be the first to be disgusted by a box of worms but in the spirit of the game, I was able to forgive and forget...

It is interesting that Cesar's endless rather shameless womanising at every turn does not appear to generate half the hostility engendered by Vince's innocent pranks.

Vince wasn't my first choice, nor even my second, but when he gave me the Beaded Choker and then declared he no longer was nervous about the competition, my heart warmed to him...

I did not intend to make this video but somehow felt compelled to show the positive aspects of the much-maligned young prince.

It includes the ending:



On a more general note, I am debating whether or not to write a brief Walkthrough for Princess Debut. I made some errors in my own game that could be avoided easily by other players. For example, the option to 'dance by yourself' in various locations, imagining the company of one of the princes WILL increase your Levels but at the same time, may cause you to lose the opportunity to obtain some of the Accessories available to players who dance exclusively at the Practice Hall.

Romance and Mischief from Prince Vince in Princess Debut

Each of the Princes in Princess Debut has a distinct personality and each interacts different with your character. Of all the Princes whom you can meet in your first game, Vince is the youngest and the most naive in terms of romance. Like many boys in their early teens, his way of expressing an interest in a girl is to play pranks on her. Here are some early encounters with Vince:



My personal favourite is the encounter where he purchases your character a 'Mimic Cookie.' As you can see, choosing the Turtle or Rabbit ends the Event quickly. If, however, you choose the cat, Vince's behaviour is very sweet and he endeavours to please his feline companion until he is utterly 'exhausted' by the exercise.

In my current game, I took Prince Luciano as my partner. Much to my dismay, directly after we gave a dazzling dance performance on 'Founding Day', he received a message from the King of his own land ordering him to return. He could not refuse a royal command, apparently, however much I begged him to stay and I abruptly found myself partnerless!

Part of me wants to remain unattached to see if he returns at the 11th hour to squire me to the Ball. Another part would be interested in exploring partnership with one of the other princes... Klaus perhaps?

My real favourite probably is Liam, but Luciano represented a bit of a challenge early in the game and that was what determined my choice.

Making Prince Luciano your Partner in Princess Debut

I had not intended to make any videos of Princess Debut, but it really is quite endearing. There are three Princes who will be eager to become your partner almost from the very beginning of the game. Luciano is not one of them. If you wish to persuade Prince Luciano to become your partner, you must refuse to invite any one else, then participate in the first Dance Competition with a large Rabbit instead of a romantic Prince! The Rabbit, whose name is Tony, is your character's dance instructor.

Here is the series of events that involves Prince Luciano, giving an early option to make him your partner.



After making this video, an Anonymous player wrote a comment to the effect that, if you make Luciano your Partner before he leaves to participate in the World Dance Competition, he never will return and you will be left without any hope of dancing with him again.

As I am a stubborn individual and was appalled moreover by the prospect, I tried to disprove this assertion... Having played through every possible scenario, however, I still failed to elicit Luciano's return on the 29th day in my own game.

Now, another player has informed me that he/she did likewise, playing through the game FOUR times in every possible manner to see if there was any way to bring Luciano back if he had become your partner BEFORE his departure.

I therefore believe it may be necessary to caution players against any decision to make Luciano their partner BEFORE the 29th day... What this means in practical terms is not having ANY partner throughout most of the game as Luciano only returns to become your partner on the 29th day if you have remained partnerless throughout the game.

Later: The video showing the 'happily ever after' ending with Prince Luciano is included in a later post. In order to have Luciano as your Partner for the Ball, you must ask him only on the 19th Day when he goes with you to the Practice Hall for one dance. You must ask him to be your partner then, although he will refuse, knowing he plans to leave for the World Dance Competition. If you do ask him, however, he will invite you to meet him the next day.

On the 20th Day, meet Luciano and promise that you will wait for him. If you do not have a Partner and remain single throughout the period of his absence, he will return on the 29th Day to take you to the Amusement Park, where he will ask you to be his Partner.

Introduction to Princess Debut

I mentioned 'Princess Debut' after first reading reviews of it, but it was only yesterday that I finally obtained a copy of the game. I have no plans to write a guide for it but thought a little video introduction might be of interest to other fans of Harvest Moon as 'Princess Debut' offers some of the same components in terms of romance and different 'paths' based on your own responses to other characters in the game.

The basic premise of the game is that of entering another world through your wardrobe, as in 'The Lion, the witch and the Wardrobe'. Here, however, your quest only potentially endangers your heart and not your life! When you exchange places with your counterpart in the 'Flower Kingdom', you only need to learn how to dance and then choose a partner for the Grand Ball from the Princes who oddly resemble your schoolmates in your own world.

There is a Practice Hall where you learn steps to various dances by tracing movements with your stylus. Encounters with the Princes and other situations are affected by your responses as you experience the 30 day period before the Ball.

Any one who enjoys the social interactions in Harvest Moon games will enjoy the flirtations in Princess Debut. It is NOT an action game, although you need to make the appropriate moves during dance practice and actual dance encounters with the Princes. What it is, essentially, is an Events-based Courtship game. So far, I am intrigued by it.

I think players will enjoy 'Princess Debut' if they RELAX and simply go with the flow... you can't expect too much and you cannot expect the game to be something other than a delightful exercise in Courtship.

I initially thought that the game resembled Island of Happiness by creating different paths based on your character's responses during Events. This is not the case. Evidently, events can occur on specific days if you go to a specific location and make the correct response that allows them to occur but there are no alternate events that are based on incorrect responses.

Here is the introduction to the game:



A few of the early encounters and events can be seen here:

'Princess Debut' DS Game by Natsume

For Harvest Moon fans who are addicted to Courtship rituals as well as any DS player who loves dancing and stylus manipulation, a new game has been released by Natsume that is based on the old fairytale fantasy of the Princess finding her true love at the Ball. Unfortunately, I do not have this game so any review I write is based on secondhand information. By all accounts, it is not difficult to master, but is filled with humour and unpredictable interactions between characters.

The storyline is simple in essence: your character is a Princess who has a full season to court one of 6 Princes and master dance steps to prepare for her official Debut at the Court Ball.

There are four different modes of gameplay: Story, Ballroom, Practice and Movie.
The actual Dances are taken from motion-captured video of professional dancers, so any one who wishes to learn how to dance in real life can practice the steps if he/she likes in person. (I doubt many could work the stylus AND execute real ballroom dancing steps simultaneously but that would be another challenge...)

The game has 14 different possible endings and 18 different kinds of dance styles and music as well as 20 outfits to find/unlock.

It was designed in a way to make it easy for young players to succeed in finding true love's dream, but players of all ages have been enchanted by it, not only for its visual charm but for the humour and the many different outcomes that one can experience.

It may not be as complex as Harvest Moon but it sounds rather delightful. As an inveterate Romantic at heart, I very much would welcome a chance to play it!