monster-hunter-g
Latest
Ten minutes of poorly played Monster Hunter 3
YouTube user laucc001 somehow got an early copy of the Japanese Wii port of Monster Hunter G, which happens to include a demo for the upcoming Monster Hunter 3. He set to work immediately recording over ten minutes of gameplay! Thanks to his work, we can now at least see the Monster Hunter 3 demo, which is after the break. It's a bit lacking in visual quality due to the off-screen recording. It's also a bit lacking in player proficiency -- the title of the video features the explanation "Yes, I'm Sucks :P" and laucc001 offers a similar sentiment in the video description in English, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, and Portuguese. Despite the slight awkwardness, the video is worth watching if only for the giant sword. Seriously, it's like he's swinging an airplane wing around.
Analyst: Poor Wii Music, Animal Crossing sales stamina to blame for downturn
Wii sales have been the lowest they've ever been in Japan. Is the Japanese public losing interest? Screen Digest analyst Ed Barton told GameBizBlog that the Wii sales downturn is mostly due to the lack of staying power exhibited by Animal Crossing: City Folk and Wii Music. Barton says that the continued success of Wii Fit and Mario Kart Wii only back up his claim. "These are older games that obviously have shown tremendous stamina, but Nintendo always needs to bring out new ways to drive console sales forward, and we just didn't see that with Wii Music and City Folk." Even though both titles sold decently enough (Animal Crossing was one of the region's top 10 selling games in 2008 and Wii Music debuted with 92,000 units sold in its first week), they lacked the necessary sales stamina of Wii Fit and Mario Kart Wii. He says that there isn't much hope on the horizon either, despite the imminent release of Monster Hunter 3 on Wii. He warns that trying to transfer the user base from handheld to home console is risky and that the gamble may not pay off for Nintendo. Barton is of the mind that "it won't have the same level of success that it had on the PSP."
Monster Hunter G's online Monster Hunting Fees
Capcom's Japan-only Wii port of the PS2 Monster Hunter G adds two significant features: online multiplayer and a fee for online multiplayer. The company announced the fee structure today at an event celebrating the fifth anniversary of the Monster Hunter series.For 800 Wii Points, players will get a 30 day subscription. 1,500 Wii Points provides access to Network Mode for 60 days, and a 90 day subscription costs 2,000 Wii Points. Each game comes with a 14-day free trial.Why are the fees for a Japanese game that isn't being localized significant to us? Because this is most likely a preview of the pricing scheme for online play in Monster Hunter 3, which is being released worldwide.Update: commenters are pointing out that Monster Hunter games have always been fee-based in Japan, but not the US. That puts the situation regarding Monster Hunter 3 right back up in the air. It doesn't change anything for G, of course, which is not leaving Japan.[Via Siliconera]
Japanese Monster Hunter G bundle includes special-edition blue Classic Controller, Monster Hunter 3 demo [update]
[Update: for those of you lusting after the game or (more likely) the controller, Capcom's Christian Svensson has announced that there will be no US release for either. "Sorry. :(" Thanks to Samfish for pointing this out!]For such a lazily-developed game, Capcom is putting significant resources into the Wii port of Monster Hunter G. In order to get around the Classic Controller requirement (and promote sales, of course), they've announced a Monster Hunter G Starter Pack bundle featuring this awesome blue, dragon-adorned (but not Blue Dragon-adorned) Classic Controller. This is, as far as we know, just the second special-edition (Nintendo brand) Wii controller -- the first was also a Classic Controller, specifically the Club Nintendo Super Famicom Classic Controller. This is also the first official Wii controller to be released in a color other than white. In other words: a big deal. And it's so cool-looking!The Starter Pack will retail for 5,240 yen ($59) when it is released in Japan on April 23. Both this release and the game-only release of Monster Hunter G (3,990 yen, or $45) will include a demo of Monster Hunter 3. And just like that, Monster Hunter G has become a guaranteed bestseller.
Monster Hunter G's online mode: play an old game together
Okay, so the remake of Monster Hunter G isn't entirely a quick cash grab by Capcom as they work on Monster Hunter 3. Well, actually, it is, but it's a quick cash grab with online play, which seems a lot better. Monster Hunter G's online mode revolves around various quests given to players from their guild hall. They're about what we'd expect: kill this monster, get this item, etc. Groups of up to four can participate in the same quests, using equipment (traps, bombs) found within the quest to complete their objectives.The game's quest-mode environments (or the real game) look much, much better than the in-town stuff we've seen, but MHG still looks exactly like the old Monster Hunter it is!
At home in Monster Hunter G's Kokoto Village
Our first devent look at Monster Hunter G's Wii visuals comes from Famitsu's introduction to Kokoto Village, the main town location in the game. As for those visuals, they fall squarely into the "kinda rough" range, as we'd expect from an unaltered PS2 game.The town features a farm, which provides extra items to players willing to spend the time on upgrades and minigames. It also features various shops including weapon and armor shops. Many of the Famitsu shots show possible armor configurations, against a backdrop of the house containing the item box you can use to store those weapons and armor.
Monster Hunter G is for Classic Controllers only
Just how lazy is Capcom's port of Monster Hunter G? Pretty dang lazy, according to the official website, which just opened. While the new Monster Hunter 3 tri- offers multiple control schemes that allow use of Wiimote/Nunchuk motion controls or a traditional-style Classic Controller layout (as well as multiple variations on "three" in the title), the newly-announced Wii version of the PS2/PSP Monster Hunter G only works with Classic Controllers. At least it also has four-player online play. Chances are, most people won't miss the waggle. Or they could get Monster Hunter 3 and not really miss out on anything.Speaking of Monster Hunter 3, do check out that game's website for new monster renders. %Gallery-32281%[Via NeoGAF]
Monster Hunter G coming to Wii, for some reason
Not that we're complaining! Monster Hunter 3 (tri-) will probably launch in Japan next year, but first the port-happy Capcom wants to get you in the mood/tide you over with ... more Monster Hunter! Famitsu reveals that Monster Hunter G, an extra frills edition of the first Monster Hunter game, will be coming to Japanese Wiis in the spring. The Wii version, which Famitsu says (with ridiculous specifity) is 77% complete, will allow you to choose from PS2 or PSP controls, has widescreen support, and is apparently a near-identical port. Will we see this in places that aren't Japan? We hope so! The title already came to the west (as Monster Hunter Freedom), but only on the PSP. %Gallery-32281%
