Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate

Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate from 2018 was the international release of an expanded version of the Japanese Monster Hunter XX, itself an enhanced Monster Hunter Generations that had previously only been released in Japan on New Nintendo 3DS. For Switch, Capcom expanded the content further, offering the most comprehensive portable entry in the series to date - players could choose between four different combat styles and so-called Hunter Arts, special abilities that allowed for far more varied combat than in the classic entries. This was in fact the very first opportunity to play the content of Monster Hunter XX outside Japan, and on top of that, on more powerful and versatile hardware.

Compared to previous portable games on PSP and 3DS, this was a technical and content-wise leap forward - the game ran more smoothly, offered dozens of monsters including the return of iconic creatures from across the series' history, and the Switch additionally allowed players to play just as well handheld on the go as docked to a television on the big screen, which was a novelty compared to older handhelds. Thanks to the Switch's power, some of the technical limitations that previously plagued the older 3DS hardware version were also eliminated. It's precisely the combination of the huge amount of content from Generations and the Ultimate expansion with the versatility of the hybrid console that made this release one of the most comprehensive entries in the entire series, whether players held it in their hands on the go or ran it on their television at home.

Why play it: Generations Ultimate will appeal to players who want the largest possible dose of classic Monster Hunter on a single device - at home and on the go - and who are tempted to experiment with more than just one fixed combat style. It's a great choice for Switch owners who want to sink dozens if not hundreds of hours into the series without needing another console, and it's also a treat for those who want to enjoy the Hunter Arts style as an alternative to the standard combat system from the main entries.