Harbor Town Days: getting your harbor going

Harbor Town Days doesn't explain everything up front, which is part of its charm, but a few early decisions make a big difference. First, repair the main dock before anything decorative. It unlocks your fishing capacity and everything flows from there.

Overfishing is a real trap. The waters recover slowly, and if you strip a spot bare you'll wait days for it to return. We rotate between fishing zones to keep stocks healthy.

Hire townsfolk as soon as you can afford it. Manual tasks eat your time, and a couple of workers free you up to plan rather than tap. The game becomes far more relaxing once you delegate.

Cooking sells for more than raw fish, so once you've got a steady catch, invest in the kitchen. It's the biggest jump in your little economy.

Mostly, though, just enjoy it. This isn't a game to rush. Some of our favorite moments were just watching the harbor wake up in the morning.