I don’t care what video game haters and protesters say - video games are educational. They can teach you better hand-eye coordination, decision making, leadership skills, and, perhaps most importantly of all - dating secrets.

Why else would Harvest Moon be around for so long? Do you really think that it’s the exciting premise of waking up every morning to do chores, raise and water crops, and pull weeds from your farm? Of course not! It’s the dating and courting aspect that makes the game so appealing. Every Harvest Moon game is about two things: farming, and getting married. But you don’t just pick a girl you like and marry her. You have to win her heart, increase her affection towards you, and only then can you try to push your relationship beyond “just friends” to “just married.”

I think some men need to play Harvest Moon, to learn a thing or two. Here are 7 lessons that Harvest Moon teaches you about dating and winning a woman over (and please note that while these are addressed at men, and are about women, most of them can be applied to either sex).

Lesson #1: Conversation is essential to a relationship.

One of the most important things you can do in Harvest Moon do get your lady’s attention is talk to her every day. The more you talk to her, the more she likes you. While this is not always the way real life works, it’s definitely a good start. If you want to keep a relationship strong, have conversations regularly. I know it’s a novel, radical idea, but take it from Harvest Moon - it works!

Lesson #2: Listen.

Ok, so you’re talking every day. Now try this - actually listen to what your love tells you! In all seriousness, women love to drop hints about things that they like or things that they would like you to do. The women in Harvest Moon are great at this. If a girl says something like: “I heard about this flower that not many people have seen. I really wish I could see it at least once in my lifetime,” this might mean you should get a move on in searching for that flower. Sometimes they are less obscure and just mention things they like: “I LOVE milk!” or “I would love to get corn at the Harvest Festival…” Don’t forget to listen to your love, or these little things will slip by unnoticed (which might, in turn, upset the lady).

Lesson #3: Surprise your love with gifts once in a while.

Along with conversation, another essential part of courting is giving gifts. In Harvest Moon, if you give your love a gift randomly once in a while, she will be pleasantly surprised and her affection level for you might rise. Try this in real life and you’ll find that it holds true then too.

Lesson #4: Choose your words carefully.

It’s not always as obvious as “Does this make me look fat?” Sometimes when a woman asks you a question, she is really asking so she can hear a specific answer (and I’m not stereotyping here… remember, I’m a woman myself. I know I’ve done these things too). But generally, it’s nice to be nice. In some of the Harvest Moon games the ladies will ask you a question once in a while, and your response will influence how she feels about you.

Lesson #5: Don’t Litter.

Harvest Moon DS and Harvest Moon Cute DS frowns on littering. If you throw items out anywhere but in your field, the people of the town (including your love) will start to dislike you. And hey, let’s face it - there’s nothing attractive about littering, in a game and in real life.

Lesson #6: Be a gentleman to everyone, not just the woman you care about.

In Rune Factory you must befriend certain townspeople so that you can get access to areas you need to successfully court the woman you love. Just because you like a girl doesn’t mean you should only be nice to her. Be nice to everyone, and it will pay off (especially the parents). Not only will the girl see that you are a true gentleman, but other people will like you.

Lesson #7: Don’t forget to take your love out on a date once in a while.

Sometimes once you’ve been in a relationship for a while already, you get used to just being around the person. The number of dates you go on gets less and less. Don’t let that happen! In Harvest Moon games, there are special events where you can find the woman you are courting and take her out on a special star gazing night, or go dancing with her. In real life, you don’t need special events or reasons - surprise your love by taking her out once in a while, out of the blue. Just like the girls in the Harvest Moon series, she will love it.

So if your love life isn’t going all that great, try these 7 tips. Are there any other relationship lessons to be learned from Harvest Moon games?