Hay Day Facebook Game Review

 

The game starts off like most farm simulation games.  In Hay Day, you’ve been give a farm that you have to take care of.  It’ll be your job to raise farm animals (livestock, chickens, sheep, etc.) and of course try your hand at farm crops like corn and wheat.  Not only do you have to man the farm, but you also need to make sure your ranch is top notch meaning decorative upgrades too.  This is a social game, so visitors (computer and human) will drop by where you can exchange yields, perform requested tasks etc.  Gameplay is driven by “achievements” that need to be unlocked as you progress through Hay Day.  Farm yields are structured in real time unless you speed up game play by utilizing diamonds which can be obtained in the game.

If you’re new to simulation games, the starting tutorial will be a godsend.  It directs the play actions for about the first twenty minutes of game play telling you what to do while simultaneously introducing you to all the main aspects of game play.  If you’re more experienced, this will be more irritating as you cannot skip or bypass the initial tutorial sessions.

Besides, the nice, professional graphics, the social aspect of the game allows for more interesting gameplay.  Other human players can put up classified ads to sell their yields to any other human player.  That enables human players to connect their farms and commercial enterprise in any number of advantageous ways to push progression through the game.

There are tons of crops, farm critters, goods, and tasks to keep a player engaged – but be warned, game play is slow in terms of progressions and building/farming times.  There is in-app purchases to speed up game play, but Hey Day is a good free game that allows you to progress and enjoy the game without real-dollar purchases if you have the patience.

Leveraging the social aspect of the game is key to advancing.  Try to connect with others and build your social network and interactions within Hay Day.  This is key to success.

Because Hay Day is pretty complex, the smart players will plan for the future as they play the game.  Always use your resources in the best way possible.  Don’t be too hasty.  Make sure you have a handle on your tasks – especially concurrent ones.  Guard your gems and use them smartly.  You really only get them when you finish certain tasks, levels, or random games of chance.   Always watch the “movie” to get a free gem (usually for watching an ad/commercial) whenever the opportunity comes up.

Be sure that you visit the supercell forum specifically for Hay Day.  It’s a rich resource that has excellent reference charts, starting guides, FAQ’s, and a well-trafficked player help and support area that will answer any questions you may have and or swap valuable strategies and tips on rocking Hay Day.   The developers also use the forum for game announcements, contests, and even soliciting ideas and future upgrades and enhancements to the game.  More and more, game forums of this type are becoming required visiting in order to master game play.  It’s also a great way to connect to other players and neighborhoods.   Few games have content rich forums that contain useful gems.  Hey Day is definitely one of them – so use it!

The overarching strategy, tip, guide, logic, and recipe for success in Hay Day can be summed up in one word:  Patience.  This is a slow moving game that requires patience to maximize gameplay without spending real currency to speed up and advance the game.  Bearing that in mind, here’s the pro-tip consensus from a lot of high-levelling advanced Hey Day players:

• If you need coins more than anything else, ignore truck and boat orders to help you level up faster (and unlocking more machines)
• Sell!  Sell!  Sell!  Always sell your yields for the maximum price at the Road Side shop.
• Prioritize sugar and dairy (higher levels will definitely need it).
• Use your free diamonds on extra production slots in the machines.
• It can be overwhelming to try and do everything in the game at the same time.  Pick and focus on a few priorities first.  If you don’t need extra land, don’t open it up.
• Hunt for toolboxes.  When you visit the farms, tap the box.  If it’s locked, don’t close it out, but searching the farms.  When you fine something, go back to your farm, play for a bit, and then repeat.
• Be patient and play slowly – that’s the best way to progress in the game without spending real money.
• Get into a neighbourhood as soon as you can.  It’s a good way to do a lot of trading… safely.
• If you want to move a bit faster, sell crops that grow quickly (like carrots) for low cost and replenish.   Sell wheat 20 for 10.  Sell bread 5 for 100