Stardew Valley for iPhone and iPad received a major update today, introducing several new, improved control options.

There are new options for a virtual joystick or invisible joystick, along with the option to add an action/attack button. A joypad adjuster tool lets you customize your onscreen controls, and there's now support for Made for iPhone Bluetooth controllers.


The auto attack feature has been improved so you're always facing the nearest foe, and it's easier to run from monsters in dangerous situations.

From the toolbar, you can now slide up and down to access everything in your inventory, and there are stability improvements when exploring in the mines.

Today's update also introduces an auto-save feature that lets you continue the game where you left off. The full release notes for the update are below:

New control system options and improvements:
- Virtual joystick, invisible joystick options
- Action / attack button option
- Auto-Attack - targeting improved to always face the nearest foe. Easier to flea from monsters
- Joypad adjuster tool - complete customization of your onscreen controls
- MFi controller support
- Slide toolbar up and down to access whole inventory
- Stability improvements particularly in mines
- Game auto-saves so you can continue where you left off even if you kill the app or the device unloads it*
- Game saves optional backup each time you exit an area
- Other bug fixes

*does not save during festivals/cutscenes. Only 'end of day' saves can be loaded to/from other platforms.

Introduced on October 23, Stardew Valley also lets players fight monsters to earn money, mine ores, fish, get to know townspeople, and engage in social activities in the town. The game cycles through different seasons with various crops and activities to partake in as the game progresses through the years, so there's always something new and exciting to do.

Stardew Valley offers hundreds of hours of gameplay, and there are no in-app purchases to deal with. A farming simulation might not sound appealing, but Stardew Valley sucks players in with crop and farm strategies, min/maxing profit each season, engaging combat, a never-ending list of achievements to earn, and much more.

Stardew Valley can be downloaded from the App Store for $7.99. [Direct Link]

Top Rated Comments

infiniteentropy Avatar
92 months ago
If I buy the iPad version do I get the iPhone version for free?
Yes
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Kaibelf Avatar
92 months ago
Wow they basically addressed all the major complaints in the first month! Chucklefish/ConcernedApe is such a great dev house when it comes to their audience.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macduke Avatar
92 months ago
Is this optimized for the new iPad Pro now? I probably shouldn't ask that. I almost bought it the other day. I was mildly addicted to it last autumn on the Switch. I eventually just had to walk away from it and never return. I already had God-like powers to teleport around everywhere and had basically conquered everything. I was just making tons of cash on high level wines using rare fruits. Whole fields of barrels. It was disgusting. I loved it.

I might play it again when they add multiplayer on either Switch or iOS because then my wife and I can finish it in half the time, though we might try a higher difficulty or something.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
fumi2014 Avatar
92 months ago
Great update to a fantastic game. However, iCloud syncing is still the elephant in the room.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 26

15 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.2

Friday December 5, 2025 9:40 am PST by
Apple is about to release iOS 26.2, the second major point update for iPhones since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least 15 notable changes and improvements worth checking out. We've rounded them up below. Apple is expected to roll out iOS 26.2 to compatible devices sometime between December 8 and December 16. When the update drops, you can check Apple's servers for the ...
ios 18 to ios 26 upgrade

Apple Pushes iPhone Users Still on iOS 18 to Upgrade to iOS 26

Tuesday December 2, 2025 11:09 am PST by
Apple is encouraging iPhone users who are still running iOS 18 to upgrade to iOS 26 by making the iOS 26 software upgrade option more prominent. Since iOS 26 launched in September, it has been displayed as an optional upgrade at the bottom of the Software Update interface in the Settings app. iOS 18 has been the default operating system option, and users running iOS 18 have seen iOS 18...
Intel Inside iPhone Feature

Apple's Return to Intel Rumored to Extend to iPhone

Friday December 5, 2025 10:08 am PST by
Intel is expected to begin supplying some Mac and iPad chips in a few years, and the latest rumor claims the partnership might extend to the iPhone. In a research note with investment firm GF Securities this week, obtained by MacRumors, analyst Jeff Pu said he and his colleagues "now expect" Intel to reach a supply deal with Apple for at least some non-pro iPhone chips starting in 2028....
iOS 26

Apple Seeds iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 Release Candidates to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Wednesday December 3, 2025 10:33 am PST by
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 updates to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming two weeks after Apple seeded the third betas. The release candidates represent the final versions of iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found during this final week of testing....
Photos App Icon Liquid Glass

John Gruber Shares Scathing Commentary About Apple's Departing Software Design Chief

Thursday December 4, 2025 9:30 am PST by
In a statement shared with Bloomberg on Wednesday, Apple confirmed that its software design chief Alan Dye will be leaving. Apple said Dye will be succeeded by Stephen Lemay, who has been a software designer at the company since 1999. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Dye will lead a new creative studio within the company's AR/VR division Reality Labs. On his blog Daring Fireball,...
iOS 26

When Will Apple Release iOS 26.2?

Monday December 1, 2025 4:37 pm PST by
We're getting closer to the launch of the final major iOS update of the year, with Apple set to release iOS 26.2 in December. We've had three betas so far and are expecting a fourth beta or a release candidate this week, so a launch could follow as soon as next week. Past Launch Dates Apple's past iOS x.2 updates from the last few years have all happened right around the middle of the...
maxresdefault

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Monday December 1, 2025 3:00 am PST by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...
ive and altman

Jony Ive's OpenAI Device Barred From Using 'io' Name

Friday December 5, 2025 6:22 am PST by
A U.S. appeals court has upheld a temporary restraining order that prevents OpenAI and Jony Ive's new hardware venture from using the name "io" for products similar to those planned by AI audio startup iyO, Bloomberg Law reports. iyO sued OpenAI earlier this year after the latter announced its partnership with Ive's new firm, arguing that OpenAI's planned "io" branding was too close to its...
iphone air camera

iPhone Air's Resale Value Has Dropped Dramatically, Data Shows

Thursday December 4, 2025 5:27 am PST by
The iPhone Air has recorded the steepest early resale value drop of any iPhone model in years, with new data showing that several configurations have lost almost 50% of their value within ten weeks of launch. According to a ten-week analysis published by SellCell, Apple's latest lineup is showing a pronounced split in resale performance between the iPhone 17 models and the iPhone Air....
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

iPhone 17 Pro Lost a Camera Feature Pro Models Have Had Since 2020

Thursday December 4, 2025 5:18 am PST by
iPhone 17 Pro models, it turns out, can't take photos in Night mode when Portrait mode is selected in the Camera app – a capability that's been available on Apple's Pro devices since the iPhone 12 Pro in 2020. If you're an iPhone 17 Pro or iPhone 17 Pro Max owner, try it for yourself: Open the Camera app with Photo selected in the carousel, then cover the rear lenses with your hand to...