Can You Kiss Multiple People in Stardew Valley? Exploring Romance and Relationships
The simple answer to the question “Can you kiss multiple people in Stardew Valley?” is no, not in the traditional sense. While Stardew Valley offers a rich tapestry of relationships, including dating and marriage, the game limits physical affection, specifically kissing, to your spouse. You can certainly date multiple people, but kissing is reserved for that special someone you’ve chosen to marry. Let’s delve deeper into the nuances of affection, relationships, and the limits the game imposes on your romantic escapades.
The Kissing Mechanic: Spouse-Only Affection
The primary way to engage in a kiss in Stardew Valley is with your spouse. This interaction is a daily feature, rewarding you with a small stamina boost and a visual of a heart appearing above your heads. However, this is a one-time-per-day benefit. You can try to kiss your spouse multiple times, but you will only receive the stamina bonus once.
How to Kiss Your Spouse
The process is relatively straightforward:
- No Active Dialogue: You must not be in the middle of an interaction with dialogue with your spouse.
- Stationary Spouse: Your spouse must be done walking, not moving from place to place.
- Interact: Once those conditions are met simply interact with your spouse as if you were going to talk to them, and you will receive the “Kiss” prompt.
The kissing mechanic emphasizes a monogamous relationship and is one of the many ways to show affection for your chosen partner in the game.
Dating vs. Marriage: A Crucial Difference
While you can only kiss your spouse, you have the option to date multiple NPCs simultaneously. This involves giving them gifts, building friendship, and eventually, asking them to be your boyfriend or girlfriend. However, there are some potential consequences to dating the entire town.
The Jealousy Cutscene
Dating all the townspeople can lead to a special cutscene. It can be triggered once per save file by taking certain actions. This cutscene will penalize you and will drop your heart levels with all the bachelors and bachelorettes if you are caught. This can be avoided by carrying a Rabbit’s Foot in your inventory at all times. The game does allow you to date everyone at once, without repercussions if you can avoid the cutscene.
The Single Life After Marriage
If you date someone, and then get married, they will go back to being single. That person will not be “taken” by you in any sense. They will go back to being a datable character, even if you still have a bouquet with them.
Multiplayer Romance: Kissing Your Player Spouse
Stardew Valley’s multiplayer mode introduces another layer to relationships. You can marry another player, using a Wedding Ring rather than the standard Bouquet used with NPCs. Once married to a player, the kissing mechanics mirror those of marrying an NPC. You can kiss your player spouse once per day to receive the stamina bonus and visual heart. It adds a fun dynamic to cooperative farming, emphasizing the shared life and growth of the couple.
NPC Kissing: A Technical Limitation
Why can’t you kiss random NPCs? It’s not necessarily a story limitation but a technical one. Stardew Valley’s sprites are designed with specific animations for their activities. The kissing and hugging animations are tied to the datable NPCs’ tilesheets. This is why you can see characters like Emily and Haley hug but other characters cannot. They simply do not have the correct sprites designed for the action.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can you date multiple people in Stardew Valley?
Yes, you can date multiple bachelors and bachelorettes simultaneously in Stardew Valley. However, be prepared to face the possible cutscene if caught doing so!
2. Does dating everyone in Stardew Valley have consequences?
Yes, dating all the eligible bachelors/bachelorettes can trigger a unique cutscene that will drop your heart levels with them. This is only once per save file. Carrying a Rabbit’s Foot will prevent this cutscene.
3. Can you kiss your spouse too much in Stardew Valley?
You can try to kiss your spouse as much as you like, but you will only receive the stamina bonus/heart icon for the first kiss of the day.
4. How do you kiss your spouse in Stardew Valley?
You can kiss your spouse by interacting with them when they are done moving and not actively in dialogue with you. The “Kiss” prompt will appear if those conditions are met.
5. Can you have children with another player in Stardew Valley?
Yes, if you marry another player in multiplayer mode, you can have children. The process is the same as with NPC spouses, with a prompt appearing at random, and the farmhand will also be asked.
6. Can two players marry the same NPC in Stardew Valley?
No, only one player can marry each NPC. Whoever gives them the Mermaid Pendant first will marry that NPC.
7. Can you date someone while married in Stardew Valley?
Yes, you can date others while married, but be aware that your spouse can get jealous if you give gifts to someone of the same gender.
8. Can you sleep with other players in Stardew Valley?
You can share a bed with other players, but you will always start the day in your cabin when you start up the game with the host.
9. Do boyfriends/girlfriends get jealous in Stardew Valley?
No, only your spouse can get jealous if you date someone of the same gender.
10. What are the benefits of getting married in Stardew Valley?
Married NPCs will live on your farm, helping with chores, cooking, and giving you gifts. They also have 14 hearts instead of the 10 heart max of the other villagers.
11. Who is the hardest person to marry in Stardew Valley?
Many find Haley to be one of the more difficult villagers to romance due to her initial snobbery and difficult personality.
12. What happens if you cheat on your spouse in Stardew Valley?
If you give a gift to someone of the same gender as your spouse while you are married, and dating that person, your spouse may get upset but the effect is temporary and there are no major repercussions.
13. What is the most popular person to date in Stardew Valley?
While popularity varies amongst players, Abigail is often cited as one of the most popular romance options in the game.
14. Can you kiss other characters?
No, you can only kiss your spouse, whether they are an NPC or a player. Other characters do not have animations available for kissing.
15. How long do children stay in the game?
Children in Stardew Valley only reach the toddler stage and never grow up past that.
Conclusion
While you may have fantasies of a polyamorous life in Stardew Valley, the game enforces a monogamous relationship when it comes to kissing. You can date multiple people at once, but the stamina boost and special heart animation is specifically reserved for the first kiss of the day with your spouse. This emphasizes the focus of the game to be on a singular and committed relationship. Whether you are playing solo or with friends, Stardew Valley offers a unique and rewarding experience in its approach to love and marriage.