Stardew Valley free expansion is one for the Studio Ghibli fans

A new fan-made expansion for Stardew Valley is an unexpected crossover with the works of Studio Ghibli, and I’m all for it.

The wonderful world of Stardew Valley already feels like it could exist within the creative mind of Hayao Miyazaki.

Sole developer Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone was clearly inspired by the rich watercolour art style, environmentalist themes, and cosy European vibes that Studio Ghibli films embody.

More specifically, the various creatures that appear throughout the films would also fit perfectly within Stardew Valley’s setting, and one modder has set out to accomplish exactly that.

The new 'Catchable Ghibli Creatures' expansion is a mod for Stardew Valley that adds nine new creatures to the game that roam the land and can be caught.

Developed by mod creator Xan, Catchable Ghibli Creatures is an add-on for the mod framework 'Nature in the Valley', which allows for a creature-catching system similar to Animal Crossing.

The Studio Ghibli creatures featured in the mod include the Totoro creatures from My Neighbor Totoro, Kodama from Princess Mononoke, No Face and Soot Sprites from Spirited Away, The Gray Heron and Warawara from The Boy and the Heron, and Jiji from Kiki’s Delivery Service.

Each creature in the mod has their own sprites and animations, and also their own unique spawn conditions.

So they might not pop up right away after installing, but be sure to explore the game and find them.

You may also have to wait for certain seasons to arrive before they’ll start spawning in your game, as some can only appear at specific times of the in-game calendar year.

Once caught, the mod allows these creatures to be added to the Terrarium or donated to the museum, adding a little extra flair to the catching gameplay.

If you’d like to check out the 'Catchable Ghibli Creatures' expansion for Stardew Valley, be sure to download it from the NexusMods page.