Review Farming Simulator 16-Bit Edition (Mega Drive) - From Little Acorns

When Giants Software—creator of the best-selling Farming Simulator series—announced it was creating a version for the beloved Sega Mega Drive / Genesis, many people glanced at their calendars to make sure it wasn't April 1st (it was the 11th, so quite close).

This wasn't some kind of low-effort prank, however; Giants Software really has created a retro version of its monster franchise, and while it naturally can't hold a candle to the main series, it's a fun little bonus for longstanding Farming Simulator fans.

As is the case with the mainline franchise, the objective in Farming Simulator 16-Bit Edition is to grow a bumper crop and, in turn, your bank balance. The action takes place across three maps (you unlock the second and third maps by earning enough cash to secure the license to work on them) and can be split into four main tasks: cultivating, sowing, harvesting and transporting/selling.

To undertake these jobs, you'll be making use of a tractor (plus various bolt-on machinery) and a harvester. The core gameplay essentially involves driving your currently selected vehicle up and down the fields, either cultivating the land, sowing seeds or harvesting crops. The controls are relatively simple, but the lack of analogue input can make things feel a little clunky; an unavoidable throwback of making the game for 16-bit hardware.

One of the big selling points of the main series is the rewarding yet slightly chilled experience of running a commercial farm, and that's present in this retro version, too—with one big difference. You're viewing the action from an isometric viewpoint, so the "in the cab" thrill of the franchise is absent. Also missing are some of the more detailed elements of the main series; there's no livestock to manage, for example.

This is mitigated slightly by some lovely 2D visuals and a great soundtrack, composed by the legendary Chris Huelsbeck, known for his work on the likes of Turrican, Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams and Apidya. Huelsbeck's music is ideally suited to the relatively sedate nature of the gameplay and is a real highlight of this package. By default, you only hear the sounds of your vehicles during gameplay, but in the options menu, you can toggle this so Huelsbeck's music plays instead.

Mastering the game takes time, so the inclusion of on-cart saves is handy. Outside of purchasing better equipment, unlocking the extra maps, and generally amassing oodles of cash, there's not a massive amount to keep you coming back to Farming Simulator 16-Bit Edition—and it understandably lacks the scope of the mainline games, making it feel, at times, little more than a novelty. Even so, it's one that we're glad exists, and should be an essential purchase for Farming Simulator fans.