Stardew Valley 1.6 has brought a sense of excitement and discovery back to Pelican Town, and I'm losing myself to it all over again

I wake up to what feels like a whole new world in Stardew Valley. A small message appears telling me that "a green rain has descended", and everything on screen is blanketed in a subtle emerald hue. When I step outside, the unusual rainfall is showering my farm, with unfamiliar verdant plants and vegetation growing over every corner of land. With my trusty scythe in hand, a few slices here and there immediately delivers some surprises – and there's no stopping the gasps and "ooohs" that escape me when I see some unfamiliar resources bounce on the ground.

Checking my inventory is like opening presents on Christmas morning. I'm met with the sight of some moss and colorful new seeds I've just pocketed from cutting down curling leaves and shrubbery, and I'm positively giddy about it. Moss and seeds might not sound particularly exciting on the surface, but the simple act of discovering something new absolutely is. After all, I've spent hundreds of hours in Pelican Town, and nothing beats experiencing new events and coming across fresh finds in a place I've come to know so well.

This rainy morning is all thanks to the Stardew Valley 1.6 update, and it's just one example of many new additions that have pulled me right back into the pixelated farming sim on Switch. I've entirely lost myself to it again, because not only is it giving me a renewed sense of purpose by introducing more goals to work towards, but it's also packed full of little additions that have been bringing me no end of joy.

Squid game

Actually, it's all of the little things that have really made the Stardew Valley 1.6 update for me. I mean, what could rival putting a paper hat on my dog Rhubarb? Or finding out you can adopt more pets – including a big purple turtle that costs the hefty sum of 500,000G? If ever there was a reason to save my pennies, that is certainly it. With such an extensive changelog of new additions in the update, it's been such a delight to set out each day to see what else I can discover. From major add-ons with questlines and seasonal events, to the introduction of new equipment and upgrades, right down to minor quality of life tweaks, every feature I've come across is making me fall right back in love with farm life all over again.

Take, for example, the day I discovered a new cosmetic machine in Willy's shop that let me change the bobber on my fishing rod. As an avid angler in Stardew Valley, being able to customize my bobber to look like a little rubber duck means that whenever I cast a line and see it, a big smile spreads across my face without fail.

Plus, the addition of a sonar item to add to my rod that lets me see what fish I'm catching is proving to save me so much time when I'm after a specific catch. In fact, it was particularly handy when I took part in the new SquidFest event that saw me try to catch a certain amount of tentacled friends to earn myself some prizes.

From seeing the residents of Pelican town wrapped up in coats, hats, and scarves in the wintertime, to finding mystery boxes and looting power books - that give my skills a boost or unlock helpful perks - there's been no shortage of new things to discover since I returned to the pixelated lands of my farm.

The green rain was really only the beginning. Ever since I stepped back into Stardew Valley, I've been constantly surprised by the sheer amount of additions 1.6 has introduced, and each and every one I've come across has surprised and delighted me in equal measure. Who knows what the next morning will bring, but I certainly can't wait to see what else is in store for me.

For more, check out our pick of the best farming games.