Since its 2016 release, Stardew Valley’s popularity has endured through the ensuing years. Part of that stems from the vast number of mods available for its PC version, which can make Stardew Valley the best possible version just for you.
Its mod options are pretty outstanding, with anything ranging from gameplay improvements to full-sized expansions. Regardless of extensiveness, all Stardew Valley mods require SMAPI, so anyone interested in taking that plunge needs to install that before doing anything else.
Fashion Sense by PeacefulEnd
I might be cheating a bit with this one since it’s a framework, but I love “Fashion Sense’s” functionality. The idea is it adds a Hand Mirror tool that players use to change their hair and outfits from anywhere. Many clothing mods are built with “Fashion Sense” in mind, with some older mods even having conversions for it. As an incredibly indecisive person who loves fashion in games, this is a dream.
What distinguishes it for me compared to other frameworks is its providing a nice and convenient way of accessing mod clothing and hairstyles. The flavor of it being a hand mirror is also really cute, in my opinion.
The reason I give this a nod over the “Customize Anywhere” mods more concerns update frequency. Both are wonderful, but “Fashion Sense” sees more active updates and is friendlier with other mods.
Lookup Anything by Pathoschild
As the name implies, “Lookup Anything” allows players to look up various facts about a selected person or object. While it doesn’t provide a glossary on everyone’s likes, it lets players see NPCs’ information and various likes. It can also be tooled to give more or less information depending on players’ needs and is a must-have for anyone.
Something I like quite a lot about “Lookup Anything” is it provides crop information. Not only does it remind players when crops should be ready for harvest, but it also helps ones planted with mixed seeds. Having that information helps with planning a tad better while remaining unobtrusive to the overall experience.
Its NPC tracking also helps with expansion characters like those from “Stardew Valley Extended” and “Ridgeside Village,” making it easy to learn about them as they warm up to you. I do recommend turning off the default option that displays likes if you would rather discover those. Another recommendation is pairing this with “CJB Show Item Sell Price” for more quick cursory info.
NPC Map Locations by Bouhum and Pathoschild
“NPC Map Locations” is an absolute godsend of a mod. It does exactly what the map says it does and executes that promise brilliantly.
Much of Stardew Valley‘s appeal comes from its cast and learning who they are. Each character also has an individualized schedule, meaning trying to focus on a specific person could mean a lot of running around unless you memorize their schedule, like a stalker.
Now, following NPCs is easier and more convenient than ever, and I couldn’t be happier. Its compatibility with expansion mods also makes tracking them far more convenient too!
Seasonal Outfits – Slightly Cuter Aesthetic by Poltergeister and various artists
Seasonal outfits for characters are coming in Stardew Valley‘s 1.6 update, but the Seasonal Outfits mod still deserves credit. The clothing designs combine cuteness while remaining faithful to the characters they’re designed for.
As the name states, each of Pelican Town’s residents receives several new outfits that correspond with the season. Most of them use the vanilla outfit for the Spring season, but even those see some alterations.
All the characters’ alterations are high-quality, and it was difficult to spot initial differences. Even if the vanilla version of this mod could potentially become obsolete, its spin-off for “Stardew Valley Extended” will remain accessible.
TimeSpeed by cantordust and Pathoschild
Time management can be a pain in Stardew Valley, and TimeSpeed is meant to address this. As with other farming sims like Sun Haven, TimeSpeed implements some customization over time passing.
On top of adjusting how fast or slow time goes, TimeSpeed allows players to pause time temporarily using a hotkey. It only works until transitioning to a new area, but disabling time allows players to slow down and focus on slower activities like fishing.
Because this mod does affect time, multiplayer functionality is slightly funky because while it works, it only does so for the main player. Regardless, TimeSpeed is wonderful for taking the stress away concerning time which otherwise would be ticking away, and reminding us of mortality.
