Since the release of Stardew Valley in 2016, many independent games have been created that build upon the farming simulation genre. Starsand Island is a recent addition, clearly inspired by Stardew Valley, but with enough unique elements to make it its own distinct experience.
A major difference between Starsand Island and Stardew Valley is that Starsand Island uses fully 3D graphics with an anime art style. While some longtime Stardew Valley players might prefer its simpler 2D look, Starsand Island offers a visually striking and modern take on the farming sim genre. Despite these differences, Starsand Island still captures the enjoyable essence of Stardew Valley. Like its inspiration, it focuses on farming and building relationships, and it might even have more compelling romantic options.
When It Comes to Romance Options, Starsand Island Actually Has More to Offer Than Stardew Valley
- Stardew Valley features 12 NPCs that players can romance and marry.
- Starsand Island has 15 possible candidates that can be romanced.
Stardew Valley offers players a good selection of characters to romance, with six male and six female options. You can even continue to build relationships with other characters after getting married, though this can have consequences. The game allows for flexible relationships, letting you connect with any NPC regardless of their gender. Starsand Island expands on this, offering an even wider range of romantic interests with eight female and seven male NPCs to choose from.
Every Romanceable NPC in Starsand Island
- Alex
- Aurelis
- Delphin
- Graminova
- Loren
- Lunelle
- Neona
- Pastelle
- Selena
- Solara
- Stella
- Sylvain
- Youfang
- Zephyria
- Zerine
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Stardew Valley’s Romance Options May Catch Up With Starsand Island Soon
Eric Barone, the creator of Stardew Valley, hasn’t announced a release date for the upcoming 1.7 update, but he’s given players a sneak peek at what’s coming. The update will include two new characters you can marry. This will bring the total number of marriage candidates in Stardew Valley to just one shy of the number available in Starsand Island. Both games have the potential to add even more romantic options later on. Currently, Starsand Island has one more female marriage candidate than male ones, so a future update may add another male character to balance things out.
Starsand Island Takes Note of Stardew Valley’s Relationship System and Brings Its Own Flare
As a huge Stardew Valley fan, I love building relationships with the townspeople! But honestly, it can feel a little…structured. You basically have to reach eight hearts with someone before you can even think about romance – that means giving them a bouquet. Then you grind to ten hearts, and then you can propose with a Mermaid’s Pendant! Even after you get married, you have to keep them happy or they won’t help around the farm. It sometimes feels like ticking boxes rather than really connecting, and that’s where I’m really excited about Starsand Island – it seems to focus more on genuine bonding.
Right Now, Starsand Island is a Slow Burn
Because Starsand Island is still being developed, the romance features aren’t complete. However, you can still start building relationships with characters. The game uses a five-heart system, like Stardew Valley, where relationships develop gradually. The developers plan to add more detailed stories and personalities to these characters, which should make the romances feel more meaningful in the future.
| Heart Level | Relationship Reward |
| 1 Heart | Players will start receiving gifts from the chosen NPC. |
| 2 Hearts | Taking pictures with a romance option |
| 3 Hearts | Access to a romance option’s room |
| 4 Hearts | Make requests that specifically involve the character |
| 5 Hearts | Love interests can move in with the player |
Seed Sparkle Lab, the developers of Starsand Island, are planning to expand the game’s romance options when version 1.0 is released. They want to improve the existing romantic interactions and add complete dating features. Once these features are live, it will be fascinating to compare the romance system in Starsand Island to the one in Stardew Valley.
Seed Sparkle Lab hasn’t announced a firm release date for version 1.0, but they’re aiming to launch it in the summer of 2026.
Stardew Valley Continues to Inspire Charming Life Sim Games
While clearly influenced by the popular game Stardew Valley, Starsand Island is developing its own identity within the farming simulation genre. Many successful farming games owe a debt to Stardew Valley, and Starsand Island looks to be the next in a long line of inspired titles. Though still under development, it’s already gaining a dedicated following.
Currently, Starsand Island is only playable on PC and Xbox Series X/S because it’s in early access. When the game officially launches, it will also be available on Nintendo Switch 2 and PlayStation 5.
The romantic relationships in Starsand Island aren’t quite finished yet, but the current features show a lot of potential and are comparable to those in Stardew Valley. The game already has more characters you can interact with than Stardew Valley, and it will be exciting to see if it can surpass the popular farming game in other areas as well. Building relationships with townspeople is a key part of games like Stardew Valley, and Starsand Island seems to recognize just how important those connections are to the player’s experience.
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2026-02-25 16:06