Famitsu serves up Monster Hunter 3 screens, deets
With the Wii desperately struggling for survival in Japan, it needs a big title to turn things around, and if there's anything bigger (in Japan) than Monster Hunter, we're yet to clap eyes on it. Monster Hunter 3 was trumpeted as a Wii exclusive almost a year ago, yet it's only now we're hearing and seeing anything substantial about the project.
Producer Ryozo Tsujimoto and director Kaname Fujioka granted an interview to Famitsu, in which the pair describe how the switch from PS3 to Wii prompted a major overhaul, including a large number of fresh monsters. Set on an unexplored island, the new game will prominently feature underwater sections, where several monsters hang out. Some creatures (such as the game's main monster, a huge dragon) will be capable of surviving on land or in the water, and can be successfully hunted in either environment.
Tsujimoto and Fujioka also touched on what promises to be Monster Hunter 3's most appealing mode: online play. As in the PS2 versions, this can be played with four player groups, and there are lobby areas (in the form of a "city") that can be developed and expanded by offline play. The game makes a playable appearance at the Tokyo Game Show, so we should learn more soon.
[Translation via IGN]
