9 Best Monster Hunter Games That You Should Know Update 04/2024

best monster hunter games

Is there a better monster hunter in the history of the game? In a series where half of the titles have the word “Ultimate” at the end, it can be hard to figure out what to say next to this question. We’re not afraid of making hard decisions, so we’ve ranked every single Monster Hunter game (yes, even the ones that aren’t made by Nintendo) to figure out which is the best.

In this list, we only have western releases because we haven’t played the other ones. We’ve been lucky enough to have some of the best titles in the world around here, though. For non-fans, it can be hard to tell the Monster Hunters apart at the best of times, so hopefully the list below will help you remember and get up to speed on the mainline and spin-off games we’ve had in the West. With Monster Hunter Rise and Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin coming out in 2021, there’s a lot to play on Nintendo’s system for both long-time fans and newcomers to the series.

To find out which game is the best one ever, keep reading.

1. Monster Hunter Dynamic Hunting (iOS, 2011)

Monster Hunter Dynamic Hunting (iOS, 2011)

Monster Hunter Dynamic Hunting is an iOS version of the game that was released when the App Store was still very new. It gave people a more linear way to hunt back then. Were you going to hunt a monster? You’d pick a type of weapon, then head out into the woods to look for it. Taps and swipes are then used to perform different attacks, such as blocking or evading. You can also make special moves like this. Beat the monster and you’ll get a grade and be able to hunt more monsters. If we’re being honest, it’s not the most important thing.

2. Monster Hunter (PS2, 2004)

This is the first Monster Hunter game, which came out on the PS2 in 2004. It may not have aged as well as later games in the series, but the framework it set up stayed mostly the same until Monster Hunter: World came along to change things up.

3. Monster Hunter Freedom 2 (PSP, 2007)

Monster Hunter Freedom 2 (PSP, 2007)

There are parts of the Monster Hunter timeline that don’t make sense to people in the western world. When Monster Hunter 2 came out in Japan, we didn’t get a copy for us. Rather, we got Monster Hunter Freedom 2, which is a direct sequel to the PSP version of the first game, Monster Hunter Freedom. When Capcom tried to make the game more portable, it felt like a watered down version of both the original and Monster Hunter 2 because of the way the game looked.

4. Monster Hunter Freedom (PSP, 2005)

“Monster Hunter Freedom” is a better version of the original game that came out in 2006. It was made in 2006. It was a lot like Monster Hunter G, the Japanese expansion pack for the original Monster Hunter. It changed the formula so that you could play a lot of the game alone. It took a long time to load and was too slow for a game that is meant to be played on the go.

5. Monster Hunter Freedom Unite (PSP, 2008 – iOS, 2014)

Monster Hunter Freedom Unite (PSP, 2008 - iOS, 2014)

Monster Hunter Freedom Unite is the best version of Monster Hunter Freedom 2. For that game, it was a stand-alone add-on. Later, it became the first true Monster Hunter game on mobile. The big new thing in this game was the Felyne fighter, who could help you on your quests. That’s been a big part of the game since then.

6. Monster Hunter Stories

Monster Hunter Stories was a game that came out for the 3DS in 2016. It was a spin-off game. This game has a different way of playing. Instead of being a hunter, the players become riders instead of hunters. As a bonus, Stories has RPG-like turn-based battles instead of the normal action-style battles.

Instead of fighting monsters, players make friends with them and have them fight with them in battle. Monsters could be bred from eggs, and players could change their looks and abilities. Even though the game is very different from the normal Monster Hunters game, Stories was a new twist on the series. The game sold well when it came out. MH2: Wings of Ruin is set to come out for Nintendo Switch on July 9, 2021.

7. Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate

Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate

If you have a Wii, Monster Hunter 3 (also known as Monster Hunter Tri) came out in 2010 and you can play it now. Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate was later released for Wii U and 3DS in 2013. It had a lot more features. This book was a big hit with both critics and people who bought it.

Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate had underwater combat, which seemed to be a feature that split fans. Some people liked it, while others didn’t. When the game was made, it also made a lot of changes and added new features that were not in the original Monster Hunter 3.

8. Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate

Monster Hunter Generations was first released for the 3DS in 2016. In 2018, a new version called Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate was released for the Nintendo Switch. Because this game isn’t part of the main series, people think of it as a “spin-off.”

Generations made a lot of changes from the way the game usually works, including letting fans play as Felynes, who had always been companions to hunters. Four new monsters were added, as well as four new types of monsters called Deviants, which were mutated versions of well-known monsters. All of these new types of monsters also added new types of armour for players to make.

9. Monster Hunter World: Iceborne

Monster Hunter World Iceborne

Monster Hunter World: Iceborne is not a separate game. It was an expansion for Monster Hunter World that added new monsters, features, and more to the game. It came out for Xbox One and PlayStation 4 in 2019. It will come out for PC in 2020.

A lot of people who play Monster Hunter: World, as well as the game’s critics, liked Iceborne. The expansion had almost as much content as the main game. Because Iceborne wasn’t just more of the same, it added new gadgets and battle mechanics to keep the gameplay interesting.