New Frontier Days ~Founding Pioneers~ is a town-building simulation game that challenges players to colonize a new land and develop a thriving settlement from the ground up. Originally released on March 23, 2017, this title is available on PC and Nintendo Switch, offering players the ability to manage resources, construct buildings, and guide their pioneers toward prosperity. The game draws inspiration from classic resource management simulations, providing a fast-paced loop of gathering, processing, and expanding your community.

New Frontier Days ~Founding Pioneers~: Core Gameplay Mechanics

At the heart of the experience is the management of your pioneer workforce. You command your pioneers to perform essential actions such as logging, mining, hunting, fishing, and shearing sheep. These activities yield raw materials that are vital for construction and trade. A key aspect of the gameplay involves processing these resources through specialized buildings; for example, logs are converted into lumber, wool is woven into textiles, and stone is transformed into bricks. These processed materials allow you to build more advanced structures and expand your town efficiently.

Progression relies on monitoring three critical metrics: food, money, and happiness. As your colony grows, you must unlock new ages to access higher-tier buildings. The development system features over 290 Invention Cards that provide various effects to aid your journey. These cards can shorten farm harvesting cycles, increase fishing time, or boost the value of saleable goods. Cards are categorized as usable or passive, and selecting the right ones is crucial for optimizing your settlement's efficiency.

Game Modes and Story Overview

The game offers three distinct modes to suit different playstyles. Story Mode introduces players to the basics through a guide named Jessica, a lovely assistant who helps you build your dream town from scratch. In this mode, you must overcome obstacles and ensure your villagers remain fed and happy; running out of food or currency for two consecutive years results in a game over.

For experienced players, Survival Mode provides five levels of difficulty and drops the player directly into the action without a tutorial. Free Mode removes the pressure of game over conditions, allowing you to use your Invention Cards freely and build your frontier town at your own pace.

Notable Features and Platform Availability

  • Pet System: You can keep wild animals as pets. These companions can go out with pioneers to gather materials, assist in hunting, or allow pioneers to ride on their backs for faster traversal.
  • Customization: When adding new villagers, you can choose their gender, though their abilities remain identical, allowing for unique colony compositions.
  • Platform Support: The game is available on PC and Nintendo Switch. On the Switch, players can enjoy the game in handheld mode with touchscreen support, docked mode, or attached Joy-Con controls.
  • Resource Processing: A deep crafting loop where raw resources are upgraded in specific buildings to unlock new construction options and trade opportunities.

New Frontier Days ~Founding Pioneers~ appeals to fans of colony management, simulation, and strategy games who enjoy watching a small outpost evolve into a bustling metropolis. Its mix of resource gathering, strategic card usage, and flexible game modes provides a comprehensive town-building experience for dedicated players.