Summary
Monster Hunter Nowcould get a lot of mileage out of adapting a mechanic thatPokemon GOoffers to its players. While there are a lot of prominent differences betweenMonster HunterandPokemon, there are still some surprising benefits that could be shared between their mobile spinoffs.Pokemon GO’s longevity makes it seem like an obvious inspiration for other mobile games to follow. In the case ofMonster Hunter Nowthough, a specific part of the game’s design could be adapted into an excellent mechanic for the upcoming title.
As of now, it looks likeNiantic’s spinoffMonster Hunter Nowwill be an ambitious attempt to bring the popular action RPG series' gameplay to mobile devices. WhileMonster Hunterhunts traditionally take several minutes or up to a half-hour depending on the difficulty,Monster Hunter Nowwill greatly compress the experience while still retaining the series' spirit. Similar toPokemon GO, players will find monsters to fight while they are walking around, although inMonster Hunter Now’s case, the purpose is to fight them rather than catch them. Even so, withPokemon GOas an example,Monster Hunter Now’s planned gameplay is certainly achievable.
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Monster Hunter Now Could Benefit From Connections to Other Games
One feature worth looking at is how players cantransfer Pokemon fromPokemon GOto other games. The benefits of this system are obvious. For one, it allows the player to use the Pokemon that they catch for something other than filling out a collection or taking part inGO’s gym battles. Second, and arguably more important, it givesPokemon GOan interaction with the rest of the series. Transferring Pokemon fromPokemon GOtoPokemon HOMEunlocks strategies that may not have been available to the playable otherwise in otherPokemontitles, without making the game unfair for those who don’t playPokemon GO.
WhileMonster Huntermay not have the same approach to its creatures asPokemon, it’s worthexperimenting with inMonster Hunter Now. Although players can’t collect monsters inMonster Hunter, they can gather supplies and materials that come in handy for hunts and crafting new gear. In that sense,Monster Hunter Nowcould have a similar use asPokemon GO’s connectivity withPokemon HOME.Monster Hunter Nowcould let players collect items and materials by traveling or participating in hunts, then connect to mainlineMonster Huntertitles in order to give their characters in the main games a boost.
Of course, there may be some obstacles in pursuing such an idea. One potential complication could be that, whileMonster Hunter Now’s gameplay was just revealed, the latest mainline titleMonster Hunter Riseis already two years old. Unless a new game is coming in the near future, the developers would have to go back to the already-completedRiseand add new functionality to supportMonster Hunter Now, which could prove difficult. In addition, there’s no guarantee that the two games will share many of the same monsters. While certainly not impossible, this could cause some complications for such a feature.
Monster Hunter Nowis new grounds for the series, and it’s possible that more functions can be added to the game as its playerbase grows. Thefuture of theMonster Hunterfranchisecould go in several different directions, andMonster Hunter Nowcan be a part of its path if its launch goes well. If the nextMonster Huntergame ends up being compatible withMonster Hunter Now, players could thrive by collecting items during the day and importing them into the console games when they get home.Monster Hunter Nowcan definitely find success inPokemon GO’s footsteps.
Monster Hunter Nowwill be released on June 15, 2025 for mobile devices.
