Friday, February 19, 2021

You can pre-order your Monster Hunter Rise Edition Switch from GameStop

Eager for the next installment in the Monster Hunter series? So are we! Here's everything you need to know about it.

Capcom has officially announced the next installment of the Monster Hunter franchise, Monster Hunter Rise, on September 17, 2020, during a Nintendo Direct Mini Partner Showcase event. The game will be exclusive to the Nintendo Switch (make sure you have enough room on your microSD card for it) and launches March 26, 2021. We feel like it will be one of the next best Nintendo Switch games. Here is everything we know about Monster Hunter Rise so far.

What's new with Monster Hunter Rise?

January 7, 2021: Capcom have uploaded a Digital Event showcasing a new map, more monsters and a new gameplay mechanic called 'Wyvern Riding'.

October 6, 2020: The folks over at Reno Gazette Journal did a Q&A session with Monster Hunter Rise Producer Ryozo Tsujimoto and Director Yasunori Ichinose. They discuss the new Wirebug game mechanics, Palamutes, weapon and armor designs, elaborate on some of the online aspects, and more.

What is Monster Hunter Rise?

Monster Hunter Rise is the next mainline game in the Monster Hunter series, following Monster Hunter World on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.

In Monster Hunter Rise, you'll find yourself in the "ninja-inspired" Kamura Village. You'll discover the locals telling you that a horrible beast has been spotted nearby, and it threatens to plunge the world into chaos, just like another monster did half a century ago. The villagers will turn to you, as a Monster Hunter, to slay these dangerous monsters and prevent another disaster.

Like the other Monster Hunter games, you will hunt monsters by slaying them or capturing them for even more rewards. The loot you gain from carving up monster remains and captures allows you to craft new armor and weapons, making it easier to take on tougher monsters. The different armor sets not only look cool, but they provide useful skills for your specific playstyle and preferred weapon — there will be a ton of options, so experimentation is critical.

Monster Hunter Rise continues to have the 14 weapon types from other mainline games: Great Sword, Long Sword, Sword and Shield, Dual Blades, Hammer, Hunting Horn, Lance, Gunlance, Switch Axe, Insect Glaive, Charge Blade, Light Bowgun, Heavy Bowgun, and Bow. Unfortunately, the Prowler mode that was introduced in Monster Hunter Generations will not be returning.

One of the new areas that Monster Hunter Rise will feature is called the Shrine Ruins. It was once a spiritual place, but it appears to have fallen into shambles and has been taken over by monsters.

What is the gameplay like in Monster Hunter Rise?

Before Monster Hunter World, the Monster Hunter games did not have open-world maps, it was cumbersome to use items during battles, and gathering resources and making items on-the-fly was slow and tedious. However, Monster Hunter World brought about many quality of life improvements to the franchise, and those changes are being carried over to Rise.

In Monster Hunter Rise, you will find open world exploration for each map, so there will no longer be loading screens between areas. The map will just be one large locale to explore seamlessly, just like in Monster Hunter World, but with slightly toned down graphics. It also appears that the QOL changes from World when it comes to item management and gathering will continue in Rise.

There is a new gameplay element in Rise: the Wirebug. This looks like a bug that will always be with the player, similar to the Scoutflies that debuted in World. With the Wirebug, hunters are able to easily traverse and explore terrain like cliffs and elevated platforms that they wouldn't be able to reach otherwise. The Wirebug can also be used to perform special weapon attacks called 'Silkbind attacks', giving players new options in battle.

Wirebugs even have the ability to briefly take control of monsters using a new gameplay feature called 'Wyvern Riding'.

After doing enough damage with aerial attacks, Wirebug attacks or even getting monsters to hurt each other, you will be able to mount a monster. While riding, you can attack other monsters using the one you're currently riding orslam your stead into walls to do some serious damage.

You will need to master all these new mechanics in order to stop The Rampage.

The Rampage is an unnatural phenomena where monsters of all kinds have joined forces to destroy Kamura Village. You must defend your home from wave after wave of monsters using siege weapons and traps provided to you by the villagers. After dispatching enough monsters, the leader of the pack, classified as an 'Apex' monster will appear. You must defeat the Apex monster to drive back the monsters and save Kamura village.

In addition to your feline friends, the Palicos, Monster Hunter Rise also introduces a new companion: Palamutes.

What do the Palamutes and Palicos do in Monster Hunter Rise?

Palicos are not new and have always been a part of the Monster Hunter franchise. Palicos are companions that you can take with you on your hunting quests, and they will support you in battle by healing you or getting hits in on a monster. They can also take some heat off of you if you need to use a potion or item. And when you're not in combat, Palicos can help you gather useful resources.

Palamutes, on the other hand, are brand new to Monster Hunter Rise. From what we've seen so far, Palamutes can help attack monsters, and they also double as a mount to traverse the map quicker than by on foot. Similar to the Palicos, Palamutes will be able to wear armor and themed skins, offering players more levels of customization.

You're allowed to take two animal companions out on quests. You can take two Palicos or two Palamutes, or one of each. Hunters will also be able to interact with Palamutes by doing things like shaking paws, giving them a treat, or just petting them.

Are there new monsters in Monster Hunter Rise?

As with every new Monster Hunter title, there are new flagship monsters that are introduced. We got to see four new, never-before-seen beasts in early trailers and gameplay footage.

  • Magnamalo: This is the new flagship monster for Rise. It is a Fanged Wyvern that "relentlessly attacks foes." It reminds me a bit of my personal favorite, Zinogre.
  • Aknosom: This is a new Bird Wyvern that is also very territorial.
  • Great Izuchi: Another Bird Wyvern, but with a scythe-like tail that is deadly to its prey.
  • Tetranadon: This is an amphibian beast with a gigantic, rotund body. It appears to be very gluttonous and can swallow anything that moves.

Will there be any returning monsters in Monster Hunter Rise?

A wide variety of monsters from the older games have been confirmed to return for Monster Hunter Rise.

  • Rathalos: The mascot of the Monster Hunter franchise. This Flying Wyvern is known as the 'King of the Skies', as it hunts its prey from the sky by breathing fireballs and striking with poisonous talons.
  • Khezu: This is a disturbing Flying Wyvern that lurks within cold, dark caverns. It has the ability to paralyze its prey with electricity and extend its neck out to devour them from afar.
  • Tigrex: This flying wyvern is a cross between a tiger and a tyrannosaurus rex. Its powerful jaws can crush through rock and its scream is so powerful, it can damage your whole body, not just your ears.
  • Mizutsune: This beautiful creature was one of the flagship monsters from Monster Hunter Hunter Generations Ultimate. It has the ability to produce giant bubbles that will hinder the mobility of anything that gets soaked by them.

The developers have also confirmed that for any monster that is returning from Monster Hunter World, they will be using the armor and weapon designs from World. Monsters from older games will be using the older designs, but they will be polished up a bit to look better. For monsters that have made an appearance in older games as well as World, they will be going with the World design for armor and weapons.

Check out our list of confirmed monsters for more details on what monsters you will face.

Monster Hunter Rise: List of confirmed monsters (so far)

Can I play with friends in Monster Hunter Rise?

Multiplayer has always been a big part of Monster Hunter games, and we're sure that Rise will be no different. If previous Monster Hunter games are any indicator, we should expect multiplayer hunts with up to three other players. Early images show animal companions battling alongside a group of at least three hunters, so they seem to have changed it from previous games, where you could only bring a Palico companion if the group was only two hunters.

Monster Hunter Rise will go back to the older method of separating single player village story missions from the multiplayer online Gathering Hub quests. Quests in the Gathering Hub will have cutscenes, but players are able to skip them at any time, instead of being forced to watch them in its entirety. There will also be no required story progression point before you can play online with friends.

When you play online with other players, the monster HP will be scaled for the number of players.

A Nintendo Switch Online subscription will likely be required if you want to hunt with friends online.

Will there be any special event quests?

Since Monster Hunter Rise will be on the Switch, where players may not be online all the time, the game will go back to the old system for special event quests. This involves downloading event quests in advance before you play them.

Does Monster Hunter Rise work with amiibo?

Capcom has confirmed that there will be three amiibo available for Rise: Palamute, Palico, and Magnamalo. The Monster Hunter Rise amiibo will be store-exclusive, and the store depends on your region:

  • US: GameStop
  • Canada: EB Games
  • Europe: My Nintendo Store

What bonuses come with Monster Hunter Rise?

Capcom includes a few different bonuses with the purchase of Monster Hunter Rise, depending on whether you pre-order, and if you get the Deluxe Edition or not.

If you pre-order the game before the March 26, 2021 release date, you will get the following:

  • Palamute Retriever Costume layered armor (changes appearance)
  • Palico Forest Cat Costume layered armor (changes appearance)
  • Novice Talisman: Helps your stats early on in the game

If you get the Deluxe Edition ($70), you get the following:

  • Kamurai layered armor set
  • Shuriken Collar Palamute layered armor piece
  • Fish Collar Palico layered armor piece
  • Samurai pose set
  • Kabuki face paint
  • Izuchi Tail hairstyle
  • Gestures (4 Jumps)

And for the die-hard fans, there is also a Collector's Edition ($100), you get everything in the Deluxe Edition, as well as these extras:

  • Kamura Mark – enamel pin
  • A Magnamalo amiibo
  • 10 Monster Hunter Rise stickers

How much will Monster Hunter Rise cost?

Monster Hunter Rise will cost $50 for the standard game. The Deluxe Edition will be $70, and the Collector's Edition runs $100.

Is there a limited edition Nintendo Switch console?

You can also purchase a limited edition Monster Hunter Rise Deluxe Edition Nintendo Switch Console for $370 at GameStop. This bundle includes a special edition Nintendo Switch console that is decorated with Monster Hunter artwork on the Switch and the Dock, and you get a digital copy of Monster Hunter Rise, along with the Deluxe Kit DLC.

The hunt is on

Monster Hunter Rise Deluxe Edition Nintendo Switch

$370 at GameStop

This limited edition Nintendo Switch console features Monster Hunter artwork on the console and the Dock itself. It comes with a digital copy of Monster Hunter Rise and the Deluxe Kit DLC.

When can I get Monster Hunter Rise?

Monster Hunter Rise will be available on March 26, 2021. While this is the official release date, please note that changes may occur in the schedule due to COVID-19.

Updated February 2021: Added information about Monster Hunter Rise Deluxe Edition Nintendo Switch console.

Rise to the top

Monster Hunter Rise

$60 for Standard Edition at Best Buy

$70 for Deluxe Edition at Best Buy

$100 for Collector's Edition at Best Buy

Take on at least four new monsters as you protect the ninja-like Kamura Village from a new threat.

Get More Switch

Nintendo Switch

$299 at Amazon


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