Monster Hunter facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Monster Hunter
Logo for Monster Hunter
Genres	Action role-playing
Developers	Capcom
Publishers	Capcom
Creators	Kaname Fujioka
Platforms	PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PlayStation Portable, PlayStation Vita, Windows, Wii, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS
First release	Monster Hunter March 11, 2004
Latest release	Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak June 30, 2022

Monster Hunter (モンスターハンター, Monsutā Hantā) is a super popular Japanese media franchise. It's all about a series of fantasy-themed action role-playing video games. The first game, also called Monster Hunter, came out in 2004 for the PlayStation 2.

Since then, Monster Hunter games have been released on many different gaming systems. You can find them on computers, home consoles like PlayStation and Xbox, portable consoles like Nintendo Switch, and even mobile phones. Capcom is the company that makes and publishes these exciting games.

In these games, you play as a "Hunter." Your main job is to hunt down or trap huge, powerful monsters across amazing landscapes. You get quests from people in the game, and sometimes you need to collect items. But watch out! Even gathering items can lead to a monster encounter.

A big part of the game is using the stuff you get from hunting monsters. You also earn rewards from quests and find resources in the world. You use all this to craft awesome new weapons, armor, and other useful items. This helps you get ready to face even stronger monsters!

Most Monster Hunter games let you play with friends. Up to four players can team up to hunt monsters together. But don't worry, you can also play all the main games by yourself if you prefer.

The early Monster Hunter games were a huge hit in Japan and other parts of Asia. They became super popular because you could easily play with friends using portable consoles. This made the series a big cultural event there.

While these games were loved in Japan, they didn't sell as well in Western countries at first. This was partly because the games could be a bit tricky to learn. But everything changed with Monster Hunter: World in 2018. Capcom wanted to reach players all over the world. They used the power of modern consoles and computers and released the game everywhere at the same time.

Monster Hunter: World became the fastest-selling Monster Hunter game ever. It also became Capcom's best-selling video game of all time! By May 2024, the entire Monster Hunter series had sold over 100 million copies worldwide. Almost half of those sales came from Monster Hunter: World and Monster Hunter Rise and their expansions.

Gameplay

The main idea behind Monster Hunter is a fun cycle of play. Your Hunter character doesn't get stronger by leveling up like in some other role-playing games. Instead, your Hunter's power comes from the weapons and armor you choose to use.

You pick the best weapons, armor, and items for each mission. If you succeed, you get in-game money (called "zenny") and monster parts. These parts, plus other things you find, help you make or upgrade new weapons and armor. Then you can use your new gear to fight even tougher monsters and take on harder missions! This is the core cycle of the game.

Harder missions often require you to have a higher "hunter rank." This rank goes up as you complete special missions. Sometimes, you might need to hunt the same monster a few times to get the specific parts you need. Weapons and armor also have special bonuses or weaknesses to different types of damage. They can even give you unique skills that you can mix and match.

The games have many different types of weapons, like swords, hammers, and bows. The newest games have fourteen different weapon classes! Each weapon has its own special moves and play style. Some are fast, some hit hard, and some can help your teammates or weaken monsters.

In Monster Hunter, when you start an attack, your character has to finish the animation. This means you need to be careful, as you can't stop your move once it starts, which might leave you open to a monster's attack. You also need to watch your Hunter's health and stamina. If you lose all your health, you go back to a base camp. If this happens three times, you fail the mission. Using most combat moves uses stamina, which recovers quickly. But if you run out, your Hunter gets tired and can't move for a moment.

Monsters can also give you bad status effects that make it harder to fight. The key to combat is watching the monster's movements. You learn their "tells" (hints) before they attack so you can dodge or counter-attack. Then you look for chances to unleash your attack combos, depending on your weapon. Many players say that fighting monsters in Monster Hunter feels like a series of exciting boss battles!

Almost all Monster Hunter games have a single-player mode. In these modes, your Hunter often gets help from a Felyne or Palico. These are cute, cat-like creatures that walk on two legs. They help you in combat with their own attacks. Felynes also help you cook meals, tend gardens, and even bring you back to camp if you get knocked out. The sounds these Felynes make in the game are actually made from recordings of real cats owned by the game developers!

Most Monster Hunter games also support online multiplayer for up to four players. This lets you hunt stronger versions of monsters with your friends. The games usually have a main story, often called "Low Rank" or "Village Quests," which can take many hours to finish. After that, new "High Rank" or "Gathering Hall" quests open up. These have tougher monsters, new monsters, and special versions of foes. They give you even better parts for more powerful gear, offering hundreds of hours of gameplay! Many games also have a third difficulty level called "G Rank" or "Master Rank," which adds even more monsters, areas, and gear.

Development History

The first Monster Hunter game was one of three games Capcom made for the PlayStation 2. This console was becoming powerful enough to create games like those in arcades. The game was designed for players to work together to defeat huge creatures.

Monster Hunter was a big hit, especially in Japan, selling over 1 million copies. Later, improved versions of the early games were released. These often had a "G" or "Ultimate" in their name and added harder monsters and more quests.

A second team at Capcom started making games for the PlayStation Portable. These games often had a lighter, more fun feel and added more to the Palico system. In Japan, they were called "Portable" games, while in the West, they were called "Freedom" games. This started a tradition where one team made games for home consoles and another made games for portable systems.

The series really took off in Japan with Monster Hunter G and Monster Hunter Portable/Freedom on the PlayStation Portable. It became even more popular with later games like Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G/Freedom Unite, which supported up to four players. Handheld systems are very popular in Japan, and it was easy for players to meet up and hunt together.

While Monster Hunter was huge in Japan, it wasn't as popular in Western countries (like North America and Europe) for a long time. In the West, players often preferred home consoles and computers. Also, it was harder for players to meet up in person, so they relied more on online gaming. The games were also known for being a bit hard to get into, which put some Western players off.

The series started to gain more fans in the West with Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate on the Nintendo 3DS. Capcom saw the chance for more growth and worked to make the next games more appealing to Western players. Monster Hunter 4 was the first game in the series to sell over a million copies in Western markets.

Capcom knew there was still more room to grow. They decided to make Monster Hunter: World for home consoles and computers. This game was designed to be more welcoming to Western players without making it too easy. The Japanese development teams worked closely with Capcom's Western offices to make improvements. For example, older games had separate zones that needed loading screens, but World had seamless areas, making the world feel more connected.

World became the series' best-selling game, selling over 21 million copies by 2022. This made Monster Hunter Capcom's second best-selling series, right after Resident Evil. Because World was so successful, Capcom decided to continue this approach with future games, like Monster Hunter Rise for Nintendo Switch and PC, and Monster Hunter Wilds for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

Games

Here's a look at some of the main Monster Hunter games. The first four main games had numbers, but newer ones like World use a keyword instead. Capcom sees each game as unique, based on what they want players to experience and which gaming system they're targeting.

Main Series

Portable Series

Other Games

Other Media

The Monster Hunter world has expanded beyond just video games!

In-game crossovers

Sometimes, characters or monsters from Monster Hunter appear in other games.

• A female Monster Hunter character appeared in Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite.
• The famous Rathalos and Tigrex monsters made a cameo in Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker.
• Rathalos also appeared as a special boss in Final Fantasy XIV, and a monster from Final Fantasy appeared in Monster Hunter: World.
• Rathalos is even a boss and helper character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
• Monster Hunter World has had special events with characters and gear from games like Resident Evil, Mega Man, Assassin's Creed, and The Witcher.

Anime

There have been a few anime series based on Monster Hunter.

• Short anime shows called MonHun Nikki Girigiri Airū-mura Airū Kiki Ippatsu started in 2010, starring the Felynes.
• An anime series based on the franchise started in October 2016.

Manga and comics

• A manga (Japanese comic) called Monster Hunter Orage was published in 2008. It was written by Hiro Mashima.
• Elements from Monster Hunter also appeared in the Worlds Unite comic crossover, which featured characters from other Capcom and Sega games.

Film

A live-action movie based on the series was released on December 4, 2020. It was directed by Paul W. S. Anderson and starred Milla Jovovich. The story is about a United Nations task force that falls into a world filled with monsters. They team up with Hunters to stop the monsters from coming to Earth.

Animated film

An animated film called Monster Hunter: Legends of the Guild was released on August 12, 2021, on Netflix. It's about a young hunter who tries to take down a powerful Elder Dragon.

Images for kids

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  Logo for Monster Hunter

See also

In Spanish: Monster Hunter para niños

• Dauntless, a free-to-play game with similar gameplay
• God Eater, another video game series with similar gameplay