I’ve restarted multiple times but never made it through year 2. It's better than some of the newer ones like Two Towns but worse too. The game isn't bad to me but it's really dated compared to the newer ones.

You need to talk to everyone to get sun stones and give gifts and there's a ton of sun stones.

There are also fishing points and there isn't anything to track that either, although you can determine what tier you are by the fish size/variety.

There isn't anything to track mine points and you are basically guessing when you can access the further levels. 501 through 2000 Points takes you to 25 while 2001 through 5000 Points gets you to 50.

EDIT: There are mine points needed in order to explore further in the mine.

You can't pick save files so if you want to marry someone else you have to start over from the start.

It's really easy to lose them on your farm unless you have a fence.)

Wild dog is in this game (This is a problem because if you can't find your animals they will be injured.

Only time to find out about the weather is through the old man and that's once per day so if you forgot the conversation you can't trigger it again.

Conversations don't change much through the seasons.

Winter there's nothing to do but fish and mine.

You need to talk to everyone or they will leave the island if you ignore them for a month (if I remember).

Weather point system that you can't control (and there's no radio) that can wreak your crops (Go to fogu to figure out how to water crops and pray.).

REALLY easy to get a kitchen and house upgrades compared to the newer ones.

Tons of events for everyone and you can just watch events too.

Marriage options are not so bad (Witch princess is in this one.).

No one seaosn crap like Two Towns, only limitation are materials

You can upgrade your farm through the whole season.

No freshness but quality does go down which can be fixed with fridges that are easy to access.

After marriage option does more than the 3DS games.

I'm going to list all of the good and bad of SI.

Sunshine islands was one of my first HM games next to FoMT.

Harvest moon sunshine islands faq