Summary
- Monster Hunter Rise combines classic gameplay with quality-of-life changes from World, such as the Wirebug and Palamute sidekick.
- Monster Hunter World’s success exploded the franchise in the West, simplifying core mechanics while adding new monsters and accessibility.
- Monster Hunter Stories 2 offers a more polished Pokemon-esque gameplay with a diverse roster of monsters, appealing to non-fans.
Starting humbly as a hidden gem from Japan, Monster Hunter has slowly grown in popularity since its success on the 3DS and Wii U, only bolstered by the release of Monster Hunter: World, which brought a whole new crowd to what was once a niche grind-em-up boss bananza.
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Welcome to Monster Hunter – Presented by Daisy Ridley
Daisy Ridley gives audiences a ten-minute dive into the Monster Hunter universe, just in time for the February 2025 release of Monster Hunter Wilds.
For a lot of players, World is their first encounter with the series, while others have been around since the 3DS days with YouTube’s Game Grumps Present: Hunting Monsters, and some even longer with the archaic Playstation releases and PSP breakouts. Regardless of where players fit in, there’s a lot to love about the franchise, and a pretty big backlog of under-the-radar games that deserve a lot more love than they found on initial release.
Updated January 2, 2025 by Blaise Santi: It’s officially 2025, which means that the next generation of the Monster Hunter franchise is only two months away. Monster Hunter Wilds is set to release on February 28, featuring lots of new gameplay mechanics: a new riding mount called the Seikret that allows players to switch weapons mid-hunt, monsters’ wounds being susceptible to attacks, and invading monsters attacking targets with more focus on predators hunting their own prey alongside hunters. With the franchise’s future in the near future, let’s take a look back on every title (released in the west) from the Monster Hunter series and rank them from worst to best.
15
Monster Hunter Dynamic Hunting
Hunt On The Go, But Not For Long
|
Platform(s) |
Android, iOS |
|---|---|
|
Released |
June 1, 2011 |
|
Developer(s) |
Capcom |
|
Genre(s) |
Fighting |
This is as primitive as the Monster Hunter franchise has ever been, debuting on iOS and Android in 2011. The familiar gameplay mechanics are much more limited in Monster Hunter Dynamic Hunting: players choose a monster to hunt, tap the screen to attack, block, and evade, and defeat them to gain items and gold, then move onto the next monster.
Some critics felt the game suffered from poor controls and execution of what would otherwise be an interesting concept. Thankfully, the Monster Hunter franchise has had more successful attempts at transitioning to smartphones in recent years, while Dynamic Hunting is not even available to download anymore through legitimate means.
14
Monster Hunter
The Franchise Had A Long Way To Go
Monster Hunter
- Released
-
September 21, 2004
The original beast was obviously a bit of a hard sell for new audiences, seeing as this is the first installment in a famously hard-to-master series. However, it also introduced a lot of future staples of the series, from 7 of the eventual 14 weapon types to iconic monsters like the Rathian, Rathalos, Khezu, and Diablos.
With its intense gameplay loop, often clunky controls, and big-time-grind, it’s no surprise that the first entry has its fair share of quirks to work out. Nonetheless, the game has an undeniable charm, and revolutionary mechanics and animations for something of its era.
13
Monster Hunter Freedom
The Series Has Always Worked On Handheld
Monster Hunter Freedom
- Platform(s)
-
PlayStation Portable
- Released
-
May 23, 2006
Monster Hunter Freedom was the series’ first installment on a handheld console, the PSP, which made a huge difference when it came to the games’ most core component: multiplayer. The series is now known for highlighting fellowship over all else, bringing players together to hunt the seismic beasts with unadulterated cooperation and team chemistry, and Freedom was the start of that.
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Elder Dragons may be tough, but there are other monsters that can be just as tough to take down.
The handheld aspect was a huge influence on this concept, allowing players to bring their consoles with them to group up with friends on the go, without needing to configure complex servers or LAN parties. However, it still remained a primitive iteration of the future best-selling video game franchise.
12
Monster Hunter Freedom 2
It Improves Upon Its Predecessor, But Not By Much
Monster Hunter Freedom 2
- Platform(s)
-
PlayStation Portable
- Released
-
February 22, 2007
The sequel to the handheld title Monster Hunter Freedom only proved to enhance the experience of the original, bringing more content to the game’s classic formula. The PSP game builds on the PS2’s Japanese exclusive version, adding over 50% more content, with 100% of the addictive gameplay the series was becoming known for.
While still relatively low on the critics’ list, the Freedom games remain fan favorites, some still finding ways to play with friends over emulators and ad hoc servers.
11
Monster Hunter Now
A Proper Mobile Monster Hunter Game
- Released
-
September 14, 2023
As far as the franchise’s survival on smartphones goes, Monster Hunter Now is simple but nevertheless addictive. The AR game takes real-life map data from players’ phones to allow fights against monsters that appear. It’s like if Pokemon GO allowed players to simply just fight monsters rather than catch creatures, which is to be expected given that it comes from the same company, Niantic.
Given how much simpler it is than the mainline series, there’s only nine of the traditional 14 weapon types, but an astounding 40 different monsters that players can encounter. If players are a fan of the world of Monster Hunter, this is the best way to take it on the go (aside from its Switch installments).
10
Monster Hunter Tri
It Has One Glaring Flaw, But A Lot To Love
The first on Nintendo consoles, Monster Hunter Tri was released on the Wii in 2010, the first since the original to launch exclusively on a home console. Tri brings players a living, breathing coastal ecosystem, with new creatures and mechanics to challenge hunters with their AI companion, Cha-Cha, an alternate take on the Felyne companions the series was used to.
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Monster Hunter Wilds: Features That Could Be Added
With Monster Hunter Wilds months away from launch, there are a few features that would be most welcome if Capcom chose to add them.
Between hunting and trapping, players can join a friend for split-screen co-op, or up to three others online through Nintendo’s servers as they confront some of the most creative and crafty monsters yet. It’s far from the most accessible entry in the series, but it remains an innovative entry in the iconic series.
9
Monster Hunter Stories
This Monster Hunter Looks A Lot Different
- Released
-
October 8, 2016
- Developer(s)
-
Capcom
, Marvelous - OpenCritic Rating
-
Strong
Monster Hunter Stories was a point of tension for a lot of players, seeing how absolutely different it is from the rest of the franchise. The series, while cute in its own moments, was never known for being particularly vivid in its presentation. This venture provided an adorably simplified look into the universe, somewhat more akin to Pokemon rather than the traditional dragon-slayer style.
Despite its lack of appeal to Monster Hunter series veterans, Monster Hunter Stories is still regarded by many as one of the best games on the 3DS, if not the franchise as a whole. For players that have ever desired to fight alongside the monsters of the series rather than hunting them down, then this RPG title is a dream come true.
8
Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate
It’s More Accessible And Addicting, But Still Niche
Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate
The first of the Ultimate era, Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate was also the first game to return to the handheld formula, releasing on the 3DS and Wii U and continuing the series’ Nintendo exclusivity. As a result, Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate was a first for a lot of players who might haven’t heard of the series until its new advertising campaigns and more accessibility compared to the Wii’s controls.
Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate had an interesting islander charm, challenging both expert players and Tri returners with new underwater monsters, swimming mechanics, and a bigger-than-ever roster of beautifully designed monsters and weapons in the new coastal-themed environment. However, some have chosen to forget about the difficult and often frustrating underwater mechanics.
7
Monster Hunter Generations
A Tribute To The Series’ Past
- Released
-
July 15, 2016
- OpenCritic Rating
-
Mighty
Monster Hunter Generations was the 3DS-exclusive predecessor to Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate, and as a result, takes a lower spot on this list simply for a lack of content. However, the game still deserves a ton of respect for its innovations on the classic formula, from introducing special moves called Hunting Arts, a variety of Hunting Styles, and numerous returning monsters and locations.
Additionally, this was the first entry in the Monster Hunter series that allowed players to control their Felyne companions in the all-new Prowler mode. With this new gameplay mechanic, players could even join friends online while playing as Prowlers, offering a totally new experience to the series that has yet to be outdone in more recent titles.
6
Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate
Switch Users Waited Too Long For This
Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate
- Released
-
March 18, 2017
- OpenCritic Rating
-
Strong
Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate was a bit of a disappointment for Switch owners who wanted a brand-new title in the series. Nevertheless, it’s still a fantastic addition to the series, bringing the cross-generational effort to the big screen (as well as an easier-to-control handheld one), with the ability for 3DS players to transfer their save data over to this expansion pack.
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Most Replayable Monster Hunter Games, Ranked
The following Monster Hunter games provide countless hours of entertainemnt that is fun to revist year after year.
Sadly, a lot of players’ biggest gripe with this entry is that it wasn’t the far-superior Monster Hunter World. Classic fans regard this as a Switch favorite for its accessibility and gameplay enhancements, but an equal amount found themselves frustrated with the differences in difficulty between this and World, finding it a bit more pandering to Western newcomers and PC pro gamers.
5
Monster Hunter Freedom Unite
A Fan-Favorite Entry That Still Holds Up
Monster Hunter Freedom Unite
Action RPG
Fighting
Adventure
Shooter
One of the best in the series, as well as one of the best games on the PSP, Monster Hunter Freedom Unite was a fantastically addictive enhancement to the former games. Hitting right at the peak of handheld multiplayer gaming, Freedom Unite was the western-released Monster Hunter title on a Sony console for a while, since Monster Hunter Portable 3rd never saw a release outside Japan.
Monster Hunter Freedom Unite boasts over 500 hours of gameplay, the biggest thus far in the series, and brings out a cast of new monsters and environments to challenge players, as well as new weapons and equipment to optimize stats for any situation. Most of all, it introduced the fan-favorite monster, the Nargacuga, to the series.
4
Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin
At Least It’s More Polished Than Pokemon Scarlet & Violet
Monster Hunter Stories transitioned from 3DS to Switch with its 2021 sequel, Wings of Ruin, with a far superior version of the previous title’s Pokemon-esque gameplay. This new title includes a “Buddy” system, allowing Riders and their monster teams to be joined by additional characters. It still might not appeal to the most hardcore fans of the mainline games, but it might be perfect for non-fans.
Where Monster Hunter Stories 2 might catch veteran players’ attention is with its roster of “Monsties,” including a healthy mix of monsters from throughout the franchise. Where else can players assemble a team that has the Barroth, Nergigante, Seregios, and Velkhana?
3
Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate
We Have This Game To Thank For More Versatile Combat
- Released
-
February 13, 2015
- OpenCritic Rating
-
Mighty
This was the point where Monster Hunter was starting to get increasingly interesting, taking hold of its classic campy charm and bringing in several fun collaborative efforts to try and appeal to new audiences. This much-anticipated expansion of the Japan-exclusive Monster Hunter 4 also included two new weapon types: the Insect Glaive and Charge Blade.
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Best Monster Hunter Spin-Off Games, Ranked
Outside of the iconic mainline games, Capcom’s Monster Hunter series has featured a ton of spin-off titles, some of which are better than others.
With its much more vivid visual style compared to Monster Hunter Tri, Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate brought players into a more fun and fast-paced version of the world, replacing the divisive swimming mechanics with aerial attacks. Between this and Monster Hunter Generations, the series was really finding its stride before Monster Hunter World took western gamers by storm.
2
Monster Hunter Rise
Switch Users Won’t Be Left Out Of The Fun Of World
- Released
-
March 26, 2021
- OpenCritic Rating
-
Mighty
Switch users didn’t have to wait long for the innovations of Monster Hunter World to make its way to Nintendo consoles. Monster Hunter Rise brings this back to basics while still keeping all the quality-of-life changes from World, including consistent maps and the Wirebug, a re-interpretation of the Clutch Claw that appeared in Monster Hunter World: Iceborne.
However, Rise also came with its own innovations, included the new Palamute sidekick that players could ride and attack on, as well as an all-new game mode known as Rampage, in which teams of four hunters must protect a fortress from incoming monsters. It might be more limited graphically than the PC’s capabilities, but Rise and its expansion, Sunbreak, still provided a lot of content for new players.
1
Monster Hunter World
There’s A Reason The Franchise Exploded In The West
- Released
-
January 26, 2018
- OpenCritic Rating
-
Mighty
Everybody knows the story of Monster Hunter World’s success. It’s one of the biggest games of the generation, and popularized the previously niche franchise with a bigger game than ever before, simplifying and adapting a lot of the games’ core mechanics to make the game easier for new players, and bringing the series back to its roots on the PlayStation, with the addition of Xbox and PC ports.
Monster Hunter World, and its expansion pack Iceborne, stands as a top-tier example of bringing a franchise to new audiences. From turning maps into seamless environments, to innovating weapon combos and mechanics, as well as a whole slew of new monsters, this title is not only the most accessible of the series, but seven years later, it’s still just as fun.
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Biggest Changes Coming in Monster Hunter Wilds
Monster Hunter Wilds is essentially the sequel to Monster Hunter World, but there are a lot of things changing between these two games.