Farming Simulator 16-Bit Review

It feels incredibly odd to be writing this, but today we’re reviewing a new Mega Drive title – Farming Simulator 16-bit Edition. As well as providing a digital download and emulator, this includes a physical cartridge, compatible with Sega Mega Drive and Genesis.

I’ve been amazed to have a new (and not just “new to me”) Mega Drive game, and one which works in our original Mega Drive II console. Read on to find out what we thought of the game, but if this has already piqued your interest you can find this physical cartridge over on the Strictly Limited store! Bear in mind that as the name suggests, these physical copies really ARE Strictly Limited.

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The Basics – What is Farming Sim 16-bit Edition About?

This one harks back to times of yore (and considering the Mega Drive is going to be 40 years old before long, I mean that) when things were simpler and the old Sega sound chip was doing the gods’ work in the late 80s and early 90s.

The 16-bit edition of Farming Simulator strips things right back, allowing retro farmers to tackle the tithes with just a three-button Mega Drive controller. This gives a relatively simple farming cycle, where players will cultivate, sow, grow, harvest and sell.

This does mean that you don’t have to worry too much about what types of crops you’re growing, but the game store does still give you a decet little selection of machinery to progress through as well. In addition, after earning enough you can also unlock licences for new maps and expand your farming empire (Farmpire?).

In light of all these unlocks, you may also be happy to hear that the physical cartridge is also capable of holding your save games, which is pretty neat. Overall, it’s just nice to have a new cartridge to slot into the Mega Drive, and fast loading times make it really easy to jump in and out.

Is Farming Sim 16-bit Edition Safe for Kids?

While there’s no PEGI or ESRB ratings on the box, Farming Sim 16-bit Edition is not one I’m too worried about for our Micro-Bandits. In terms of content there’s nothing here which could cause any issues and it’s one I’m happy to let all of our young ones have a go with. Farming is a simple life, and with a lack of any kind of violence, bad language, blood, or any of the typical warnings, they can range through the fields to their hearts’ content.

In addition, the stripped-back and simplified nature of the title actually makes it pretty accessible for younger gamers to play. With simple goals and controls, we can make budding young farmers out of our Micro-Bandits yet! If young ones have shown an interest in the Grown Up Farming Simulator™ then the 16-Bit Edition may be a great one to start them off on, without overwhelming them.

The Run Down

Our Five-Point Quality Check for Farming Sim 16-bit Edition

Gameplay – 4: While it’s definitely more streamlined, the simplified gameplay here allows a much more relaxed approach to farming. There’s a fairly straightforward approach and while this does mean players won’t find incredibly varied tasks, it lends itself well to arable relaxation.

Visuals – 4: While it’s a new engine, the visuals are extremely reminiscent of Desert Strike, and the menus and gameplay really do really well to echo the Mega Drive visuals of the early 90s. It would have been nice to have a little more animation on the vehicles, but overall it really strikes the look it’s aiming for.

Audio – 5: The Mega Drive is fairly well known for its unique audio chip capabilities, and Farming Sim 16-Bit really leverages it well. Music and effects are nostalgic from the off, and really draw you into the past quite effectively. I really have to praise the soundtrack here, which has been an absolute highlight.

Narrative – 2: As you may expect from a 16-Bit recreation of Farming Simulator, there’s really not much in terms of narrative here. You do have progression through new machinery and maps, but that’s about all we can really hope for. A few story elements would have been great to round things off, but I can live without them.

Replay – 3: The lack of task variety does hurt replayability a little here, but overall it’s still one which I’ve been keen to jump back into. The on-board save games empower some slow and steady progression and with simple tasks comes relatively easy-to-hit goals. It’s not going to be one for those looking for in-depth farming strategies, but at least it’s honest work.

The Verdict

Is Farming Sim 16-bit Edition Worth Grabbing?

Overall, our Pixel Bandits’ Soil Quality score for Farming Sim 16-bit Edition is a respectable 8 / 10 . While it does lack variety, I’ve found the streamlined gameplay to offer a more zen farming experience. This is coupled with the fact that I’m literally playing a new game on an original Mega Drive II. Which makes me insanely happy.

For anybody looking for an in-depth farming title, this will of course not be one for you, but it’s never aiming to be. There are options for digital download and emulator, but in honesty there really is something special about grabbing an original controller and playing on Mega Drive or Genesis hardware.

It might be the incredible sound. It could be the simplified control scheme. It could be the fact that the team were quite obviously inspired by Desert Strike (only one of the greatest video games of all time). But for those of us who were playing in the late 80s and early 90s this one will seriously bring back some memories.

If you’re looking to get Farming Sim 16-bit edition just for the software it might be worth just grabbing it as part of the regular modern Farming Simulator Deluxe Edition. If, however, you’ve got a Mega Drive or Genesis ready to go, it’s definitely worth taking a look at Strictly Limited’s physical cartridge run, even if there’s no other reason than pure nostalgia.

As ever, to provide our Pixel Bandits review and common-sense parent’s guide for Farming Sim 16-bit Edition we received a game code (and a physical Mega Drive Cartridge) from the folks at Giants Software