Desperately Need More Stardew Valley? Try Stardew Valley Expanded

Like most human beings, I have spent countless hundreds of hours playing Stardew Valley across multiple systems. It’s a joyfully engaging game, with one of the most satisfying progression loops, and all while being so very charming. But there comes a time when you need more. You’ve grown every crop, married every eligible bachelor or bachelorette, and raised a barnyard of animals. What then? Mods! Step in, Stardew Valley Expanded.

Suggested ReadingEx-Witcher 3 Devs Are Making A ‘Summer Souls,’ Hard But Cheery Game

Suggested ReadingOne of the most expansive and well-regarded mods, the totally unofficial Stardew Valley Expanded is an overhaul by FlashShifter that touches upon most aspects of the game in some way, expanding the town and its unique characters, and even introducing new crops and romanceable partners.

If you’re after more Stardew Valley, here’s everything you need to know about Expanded!

How to install Stardew Valley Expanded

Screenshot: FlashShifter / ConcernedApe / Kotaku

Step number one in expanding your Stardew Valley experience tenfold is to install the mod, alongside any supported maps accompanying the overhaul. While they’re not required, the recent 1.5 update includes the Frontier Farm, the largest player farm to date, and offers tons of room for crops and animals!

Here’s how to install Stardew Valley Expanded:

Download Nexus Mods’ Vortex mod manager.Download the required mods: SMAPI, Content Patcher, and Farm Type Manager.Select ‘ Files’ from the Stardew Valley Expanded mod page, and then you will want the first option under ‘Main Files.’ In the box, select ‘Mod Manager Download.’Thanks to Vortex, modding a game like Stardew Valley is more straightforward than before. Don’t forget to download and install the required mods, as Expanded will not work without them.

What’s new in Stardew Valley Expanded?

Screenshot: FlashShifter / ConcernedApe / Kotaku

Stardew Valley Expanded features:

278 new character eventsExpanded Joja storylineThree new farm maps: Frontier Farm, Grandpa’s Farm, and Immersive Farm 2 Remastered58 new world locations900 new location messages40 new fish to catchAdditionally, there are new consumables, weapons, monster loot, monsters, festivals, and secrets to uncoverBut perhaps the most prominent change that will add more than just flavor to the game is the abundant number of additional NPCs: marriage candidates, non-marriage candidates, and non-giftable NPCs who you can speak to for lore tidbits.

You’re likely most curious about the marriage candidates, because you know what you’re like. They include:

ClaireSophiaVictorScarlettLanceMagnusOliviaDoes Stardew Valley Expanded work on existing save files?If you’re keen on exploring more of the charm that makes Stardew Valley so enticing, but don’t want to lose your long-lasting save file you’ve likely spent years of in-game time perfecting, you’ll be happy to know that this mod does work with your existing save file. You shouldn’t have any trouble playing an existing single or multiplayer save, so long as everyone has the mod installed for the latter.

That said, whenever you mod a game, starting a new save file is usually best to avoid compatibility issues, and ensure all new files and assets load correctly. It sucks to start fresh, but the early game of Stardew Valley is still one of the most satisfying experiences ever.

Speaking of Stardew Valley, did you see that someone recreated the entire game map using a staggering 75,000 Lego bricks? We’d rather just mod the game and play through a few years but to each their own!