Monster Hunter

This article is about the video game series. For the first video game in the series, see Monster Hunter (video game). For the book series, see Larry Correia. For the 2014 thriller film starring Kevin Durand, see Dark Was the Night (film).

Monster Hunter
File:Monster Hunter logo.png Logo for Monster Hunter
Genres	Action role-playing
Developers	Capcom
Publishers	Capcom
Platforms	PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, PlayStation Vita, Windows, Wii, Wii U, Xbox 360, Nintendo 3DS, iOS, N-Gage

Promotion of Monster Hunter at the Tokyo Game Show 2010

The Monster Hunter (モンスターハンター, Monsutā Hantā) franchise is a series of fantasy-themed action role-playing video games that started with the game Monster Hunter for PlayStation 2. The series is developed and published by Capcom. As the title suggests, the player takes the role of a hunter in a fantasy environment and completes quests by hunting out specific kinds of monsters to kill or capture. The series has branched out into PlayStation Portable games and a massively multiplayer online game. In Japan, the Monster Hunter series is immensely popular, and it has gained a cult following in the west, with the port Monster Hunter Freedom (known in Japan as Monster Hunter Portable) and its sequels, Monster Hunter Freedom 2 / Monster Hunter Portable 2nd, Monster Hunter Freedom Unite / Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G, Monster Hunter Portable 3rd and an online game called Monster Hunter Frontier Online selling millions of copies, and Monster Hunter Tri becoming the highest-selling third-party Wii game in Japan. Since the series debuted, it has sold 28 million units as of March 31, 2014. As of February 17, 2015, the series has sold 32 million units. There is also an anime based on the spin-off game Monster Hunter Diary: Poka Poka Airou Village and a book called Monster Hunter EPISODE (モンスターハンター　EPISODE~).

Gameplay

Gameplay in the Monster Hunter series consists of players embarking on various quests whose goals vary from gathering certain materials to hunting or capturing specific monsters. Players are able to choose from a wide variety of weapons, each catering to a specific style of combat. For example, a Great Sword is a slow but powerful weapon, requiring deliberate and calculated strikes in combat. Dual Blades, on the other hand, allow speedy strikes at the cost of lower damage per hit.

The primary goal of the game is to complete quests by successfully hunting or capturing powerful monsters, retrieving their parts through carving or receiving them as rewards, and using them as materials to craft or upgrade armors and weapons. Additionally, players may also gather insects, minerals, plant life, or fish to improve their arsenal.

Unlike most traditional RPGs, players do not "level up" and must instead rely on obtaining better equipment for improving their characters. Players are also not restricted by job/class systems commonly found in other RPGs. Instead, they are able to freely switch between different weapons, each offering a different playing experience. There is also no way to "complete" the game per se; players are essentially able to replay quests repeatedly.

Originally designed to be played as an online game, the earlier games in the series featured distinct online (cooperative) and offline (solo) modes, with many monsters, items, and quests being only accessible in online play. The more recent entries in the series have bucked this trend, and the focus has shifted to offering fully featured single-player experiences first, before layering on a rich but optional online multi-player component. In online mode, the game allows for up to four players to connect in cooperative play.

Games

Below is a list of games in the Monster Hunter main series. Each generation has a number of entries that are derivative of the original release.

Main series

First generation

Title	Details
Monster Hunter Original release date(s):	Release years by system: 2004 – PlayStation 2
	Notes: First game in the Monster Hunter series
Monster Hunter G Original release date(s): PlayStation 2 KOR: January 20, 2005 Wii	Release years by system: 2005 – PlayStation 2 2009 – Wii
	Notes: Released only in Japan (both versions) while in Korea was released for the PlayStation 2 only. An expansion of the original title
Monster Hunter Freedom Original release date(s): KO: September 21, 2006	Release years by system: 2005 – PlayStation Portable
	Notes: Released in Japan as Monster Hunter Portable First game in the series to appear on a Handheld Console Based on Monster Hunter G

Second generation

Title	Details
Monster Hunter 2 Original release date(s):	Release years by system: 2006 – PlayStation 2
	Notes: Released only in Japan First game in the series to add the use of gems.
Monster Hunter Freedom 2 Original release date(s): KO: August 28, 2007	Release years by system: 2007 – PlayStation Portable
	Notes: Released in Japan as Monster Hunter Portable 2nd Based on Monster Hunter 2 New weapon classes include Long Sword, Gunlance, Hunting Horn, and Bow
Monster Hunter Freedom Unite Original release date(s): PlayStation Portable KO: March 29, 2008 NA 20090622June 22, 2009 AUS 20090625June 25, 2009 EU 20090626June 26, 2009 iOS	Release years by system: 2008 – PlayStation Portable 2014 – iOS
	Notes: Released in Japan as Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G Released in Japan for iOS as Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G for iOS An expansion of Monster Hunter Freedom 2 Available in the PlayStation Vita Store, with enhanced graphics and second stick support for control the camera iOS version features addition of intuitive touch controls, virtual camera, automatic tracking, MFi licensing program support, and more

Third generation

Title	Details
Monster Hunter Tri Original release date(s):	Release years by system: 2009 – Wii
	Notes: Released in Japan as Monster Hunter 3 (tri-) First game in the series to include underwater exploration and combat New weapon classes include Switch Axe and Medium Bowgun Weapon classes Dual Swords, Gunlance, Bow and Hunting Horn were not included
Monster Hunter Portable 3rd Original release date(s):	Release years by system: 2010 – PlayStation Portable 2011 – PlayStation 3
	Notes: Has an overall more eastern setting compared to previous games in the series Not a port or expansion of Monster Hunter Tri but a completely separate game Released only in Japan Missing weapon classes returns (Dual Swords, Gunlance, Bow, Hunting Horn) Does not have underwater exploration and combat PS3 Edition is high definition remastering of PSP Edition Cross-platform play between both versions
Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate Original release date(s): JP December 10, 2011 (3DS) JP December 8, 2012 (Wii U) NA 20130319March 19, 2013 EU 20130322March 22, 2013 AUS 20130323March 23, 2013 KO: April 24, 2013 (3DS)	Release years by system: 2011 – Nintendo 3DS 2012 – Wii U
	Notes: Released in Japan as Monster Hunter 3 (tri-) G An expansion of Monster Hunter Tri Features new monsters and locations Weapons brought back in Portable 3rd remain Has underwater exploration and combat Wii U Edition is high definition remastering of 3DS Edition 3DS edition has 3D graphics Cross-platform play between both versions Online mode is only available in the Wii U version. Only time the series was released on the Wii U.

Fourth generation

Title	Details
Monster Hunter 4 Original release date(s):	Release years by system: 2013 - Nintendo 3DS
	Notes: Announced on "Nintendo 3DS Conference 2011" (September 2011) Released only in Japan.
Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate Original release date(s):	Release years by system: 2014 - Nintendo 3DS
	Notes: Announced on "Monster Hunter Festa 13" (January 2014)
Monster Hunter Generations Original release date(s):	Release years by system: 2015 - Nintendo 3DS
	Notes: Announced in a Nintendo Direct presentation on May 31, 2015

Spin-offs

Title	Details
Monster Hunter Frontier Online Original release date(s):	Release years by system: 2007 – Microsoft Windows 2010 – Xbox 360
	Notes: Differs from other games in the series by being a full-fledged Multi-player Online Game. Released only in Japan
Monster Hunter Diary: Poka Poka Airou Village Original release date(s):	Release years by system: 2010 – PlayStation Portable
	Notes: Released only in Japan.
Monster Hunter Diary: Poka Poka Airou Village G Original release date(s):	Release years by system: 2011 – PlayStation Portable
	Notes: Based on and expanded from Monster Hunter Diary: Poka Poka Airu Village
Monster Hunter Dynamic Hunting Original release date(s):	Release years by system: 2011 - iOS
	Notes: First game in the series to be on the iOS system
Monster Hunter Online Original release date(s): CN: August 18, 2013	Release years by system: 2013 - PC
	Notes: Second Monster Hunter, Multi-player Online Game as a collaboration between Tencent and Capcom Uses Crytek's CryEngine 3 Free-to-play business model Beta in Cancini began on July 6, 2013 Planned to be released only for Windows Though developed primarily for Chinese players, and solely uses the Chinese language, the game is not region locked, and only limited by the language limitations. Tencent has approved the distribution of an English-language patch created by a fan group in May 2016.
Monster Hunter: Frontier G Original release date(s):	Release years by system: 2013 - Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii U 2014 - PlayStation Vita
	Notes: Not released outside of Japan.
Monster Hunter Diary: Poka Poka Airou Village DX Original release date(s):	Release years by system: 2015 – Nintendo 3DS
	Notes: Based on Monster Hunter Diary: Poka Poka Airu Village
Monster Hunter Explore Original release date(s):	Release years by system: 2015 - iOS 2015 - Android
	Notes: Name was changed from Monster Hunter Smart
Monster Hunter Stories Original release date(s):	Release years by system: 2016 - Nintendo 3DS
	Notes: Not yet announced to be released outside Japan.

Other media

Monster Hunter
Anime television series
Directed by	Mitsuru Hongo
Written by	Natsuko Takahashi
Studio	David Production
Network	Fuji TV
Original run	October 2016 – scheduled
Episodes	48

Anime

A series of anime shorts titled MonHun Nikki Girigiri Airū-mura Airū Kiki Ippatsu (ja:モンハン日記 ぎりぎりアイルー村) was broadcast beginning August 10, 2010. A sequel, MonHun Nikki Girigiri Airū-mura G, was produced. An anime series based on the franchise is planned to premiere in 2016.

Manga

A manga titled Monster Hunter Orage was published jointly by Kodansha and Capcom in April 2008. The author of the manga is Hiro Mashima. There are four volumes total with the last volume published on May 4, 2009. An English release of Monster Hunter Orage first took place on June 28, 2011.

Card game

A trading card game titled Monster Hunter Hunting Card was released in October 2008 with periodic updates planned.

Comics

Elements from Monster Hunter were later included in the Worlds Unite comic crossover from Archie Comics, which featured several other Capcom and Sega franchises making guest appearances in the previously running Sonic the Hedgehog and Mega Man comic lines.

Film

In 2012, it was reported that Resident Evil director Paul W. S. Anderson might direct a film adaptation of Monster Hunter.

See also

• List of Japanese role-playing game franchises

External links

• Monster Hunter official website for North America
• MonHun Nikki Girigiri Airū-mura Airū Kiki Ippatsu (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia