You can play online on Wii U, but not on 3DS – and if there’s four of you in a room together, you can play locally on three handheld consoles and one Wii U, and the TV screen becomes an HD showcase for your battle - which is by far the most exciting way to play. You can transfer your save between the two platforms using a free app from the eShop. Whether you’re playing on 3DS or Wii U, you’re getting the same experience, which is pretty remarkable in itself.
It’s got the same finely-tuned selection of weapons, the same storyline, and many of the same single-player quests, though they have been reshuffled to incorporate new monsters and the difficulty curve is slightly gentler this time around - some of the toughest missions have been moved up a rank or two, evening out a few of Tri’s difficulty spikes. There are a few new monsters, a rearranged single-player experience and a whole new multiplayer area, but the meat and bones are the same as 2010’s Monster Hunter Tri – with updated graphics on Wii U, of course, and much better loading times. All you need is someone to show you the ropes. In Japan this is a game played by mums, little brothers, couples… something like five million people, going by Monster Hunter Portable 3rd’s sales. It’s challenging, sure – thrillingly challenging – but it’s hardly Dark Souls. Monster Hunter has a reputation for being intimidating, but really it’s a lot easier to get to grips with than it looks.
There are 12 weapons, hundreds of items, and more than 100 hours’ worth of quests, but it’s the thrill of the chase and the addictive rush of hard-earned victory that continually hooks me in.
The basic idea is to venture out into the wilds, find an impressive monster, kill it, and then make hats and swords out of its entrails – but there’s a lot more to it than that. Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate is the slickest game in the series to date, and it’s an ideal introduction to the hugely enjoyable business of cooperative monster-slaying. It's because Monster Hunter’s world is so absorbing, and the gentle rhythm of prepare, hunt, and collect is so innately satisfying. After several hundred hours over at least three versions, I’m not going to get sucked in again. Every time a new Monster Hunter games comes out, I think: surely, I must be done with this now.
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