Capcom was the headlining developer for this morning's Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase, and they officially revealed two new Monster Hunter games: Monster Hunter Rise, and Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin. The prior is the first mainline Monster Hunter title on Switch since 2018's Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate, an updated re-release of a 3DS game from 2015, so this promises to be an exciting return to form for fans on Nintendo hardware.
Three Amiibo will be released for the game, including one based on Monster Hunter Rise's box art monster, the Magnamalo, another based on a Palico, and finally one for the new Palamute companion. The Palamute is emblematic of new traversal mechanics being introduced in this title, as players can ride their canine allies across open-world environments, climb up walls ala The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and grapple freely using a feature called the Wire Bug.
When Monster Hunter Rise releases on March 26, 2021, it will also have a Collector's Edition set that includes the Magnamalo Amiibo, a sticker pack, an enamel pin, and unique in-game content also included in a Deluxe Edition. All three Amiibo will unlock "a special layered armor" in the game, according to Capcom, as well as let players utilize a daily lottery to win "useful items."
The Monster Hunter franchise is one of Capcom's most successful properties, especially hot off the release of Monster Hunter World — which recently passed 16 million units sold. Long-time fans will notice that Monster Hunter Rise is clearly hoping to iterate upon some features introduced by World on Nintendo's hybrid console, providing open-world areas to hunt in and better traversal with grappling on the go.
One reason why Monster Hunter Rise seems to have a lot of potential following titles like Generations Ultimate is because of the new tech at its core. Capcom confirmed that the new Monster Hunter uses a version of the RE Engine that has also been used for games like Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, Devil May Cry 5, and Pragmata.
Those who are looking forward to the next main Monster Hunter experience on Switch will likely be interested in getting at least one of the three Amiibo figures. However, there are other things fans can do to get a jump on the game, as pre-ordering Monster Hunter Rise will offer players a unique layered armor for their in-game Palico and Palamute, as well as a Talisman that provides "some extra assistance in the early stages."
Monster Hunter Rise will be available March 26, 2021 for Nintendo Switch.