The Nintendo 3DS had tons of amazing exclusives, and in its heyday, there were a lot of them in the Monster hunter series. One gem that really stands out from its glasses-free 3D siblings is Monster Hunter Tales. Developed as a collaboration between Capcom and Marvelous, this turn-based RPG was quite a departure from anything that came before and is highly regarded by those who have played it. However, Stories was overlooked by many at the time because it had the unfortunate hand of launching six months after the console that would replace the 2DS and 3DS, the Nintendo Switch.
Flash forward to 2024, and not only has the Switch sequel to Stories been released, but that first game that fans loved so much is finally coming to Switch. We had a chance to ask a few questions to the Monster Hunter Stories team at Capcom, and the game’s producer, Yoshihiro Akira, was kind enough to give us his insight into co-developing the game with Marvelous’ 3DS-exclusive features, and what it’s like to make this game. bring to a new audience.
Nintendo Life: How did the idea for a spin-off, turn-based RPG in the Monster Hunter series come about? Was this a magical elevator pitch from someone at Marvelous?
Yoshihiro Akira, producer: During the first month of development, we were unable to deviate from the established convention of Monster Hunter as an action game, and we worried a lot about how to illustrate the “monster adventure” through action.
A turn-based RPG that doesn’t require heavy controls was very compatible and feasible from a systems standpoint, and production ran relatively smoothly once we started considering an RPG. However, it was a lot of trial and error until we arrived at the “Three Types of Attacks” for the battle system, and with the help of Marvelous’ suggestions, we were able to achieve the current style of play.
What was it like working with Marvelous on the Stories series? What duties do Capcom and Marvelous each have when it comes to co-developing a game like this?
The game was produced in-house by Capcom to the prototype stage, and from there we continued to build and manufacture the game system, drawing on Marvelous’ experience in RPG development.
Capcom’s role was to manage the quality of the Monster Hunter series and oversee the game setting, both of which were very demanding, and I still remember the hard work Marvelous put in. I believe that this was still worth it, because we managed to create a unique and high-quality RPG.
Monster Hunter Stories was pretty graphically impressive for the 3DS launch, but anyone playing on a non-New 3DS could notice a little stuttering here and there. What kind of performance can we expect this time on Switch?
Since we are bringing Monster Hunter Stories to the development environment based on its sequel, we hope you will feel that the performance is similar to Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin.
The 3DS itself was home to some really unique features, which Monster Hunter Stories took full advantage of! Have some of these elements like StreetPass Dungeons and scanning player QR codes with the camera been redone for the Switch? Can you talk about that process if so?
Features created specifically for the Nintendo 3DS have not been ported to other platforms.
Aside from the graphical upgrade, what other differences can newcomers or fans of the series expect between the 3DS and Switch versions of Monster Hunter Stories?
The most significant new element is that the game is now fully voiced in both English and Japanese. This makes it easier to get emotionally involved in the game than it was originally on the Nintendo 3DS or smartphone versions, and we believe it will allow players to enjoy the story of this title more deeply.
Another aspect is the Museum. It features more than 200 pieces of artwork showing behind-the-scenes development of the game and commentary from the developers giving insight into their thoughts when designing the original game. This edition also includes character designs that didn’t make it into the original version, so this is one of the new features to look forward to. You can also listen to music tracks in museum mode so we hope you enjoy!
The Nintendo fan in all of us is curious if the Link and Epona-themed Legend of Zelda DLC from the first game will also make the jump from 3DS to Switch?
Non-Capcom collaboration content will not be carried over to this release.
Does the team have any advice for anyone picking up this game for the first time?
The two titles in the Monster Hunter Stories series are RPGs created so that even those with no experience with action games can enjoy the world of Monster Hunter. They are designed to be played by a wide variety of people, including those who enjoy RPGs (especially turn-based RPGs) and those who like to develop their characters.
Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin takes place four years after Monster Hunter Stories, and the worlds are connected, with the same characters appearing in both games. We hope you’ll play both titles, paying attention to the characters that have grown up over the course of the series.
Players who have played Monster Hunter Stories in the past will be able to enjoy it again with English and Japanese full voice and museum mode. And of course, Monster Hunter players will also be able to enjoy it to the fullest, so we hope you’ll give it a try!
We thank Yoshihiro Akira for taking the time to answer our questions. Stay tuned for our full review of Monster Hunter Stories when it hits Switch on June 14, and in the meantime you can read our hands-on review here.
