Monster Hunter Stories

Monster Hunter Stories is a role-playing video game developed by Capcom and Marvelous and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS. It is a spinoff title in the Monster Hunter series and features a drastically different gameplay focus. Unlike previous titles in the franchise, Monster Hunter Stories lets players take on the role of a Rider instead of a Hunter, and are able to take part in a traditional turn-based battle system. Major changes and additions featured in this title include hatching eggs and befriending monsters, battling alongside them, executing special kinship techniques, and customizing monsters' abilities and appearance. The game was released in Japan on October 8, 2016, and in North America, Europe and Australia in September 2017. Later, a high-definition mobile version of the game was released on December 4, 2017, in Japan and September 25, 2018, worldwide. The Nintendo 3DS version includes support for Amiibo figures, with a first set launching alongside the game, and a second set launching two months later. An anime series Monster Hunter Stories: Ride On is a loose adaptation of this game, and the sequel Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin was released in 2021.