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While this monster-hunting series started on the PS2, it also made portable consoles as its home. From PSP to 3DS and Switch, there is always a place to hunt on the go. However, that’s not all — turns out Capcom has been pumping out Monster Hunter games on mobile for all these years! You might have heard of Now and Outlanders, but how about Massive Hunting or Explore? Let’s explore and see the surprisingly loaded history of Monster Hunter games on mobile platforms. Do note that most of these games never left Japan and their servers have already shut down years ago.
Monster Hunter i
Monster Hunter i was Capcom’s first attempt to translate the console hunting game into a mobile experience. The classic Java game was first distributed in 2006 exclusive to Japanese phone carriers. While in terms of gameplay and visuals, it was even rougher than the first Monster Hunter entry, credits where it dues.
This game still offers 3D visuals, action-hunting gameplay, and some features from the console game, although it is streamlined. For example, armor upgrades are linear and the Kokoto Village is basically just a menu. Still, It only lacks Khezu, Plesioth, Lao Shan Lung, and Fatalis out of the 17 monsters available on the original PS2 Monster Hunter.
Monster Hunter Mobile
Three years after i and Monster Hunter Dos, Capcom released another game for Japanese flip phones. This time it’s aptly and succinctly called Monster Hunter Mobile which is based on the mainline game’s second entry.
This time it features a bigger and taller resolution, letting it render slightly more details on armor and monsters. There are even quests where players can hunt two monsters at the same time! Once again though, the mobile game had to cut rosters. Giant Elder Dragons like Akantor, Shen Gaoren, Lao Shan Lung, and Yamatsukami had to sit this out.
The Monster Hunter Mobile app kept getting updates that added various features down the line. They include but are not limited to visual themes, calendars, and cooperative Arena mode.
Monster Hunter Dynamic Hunting
With the advent of smartphone technology, comes the iPhone — and Dynamic Hunting with it. Released in 2011 for iOS, it’s fair to say that this is the first mobile hunting game that utilizes touchscreen gameplay and 2-player-co-op.
Players can tap the screen and swipe to perform various moves as seen in the video above. From moving around the hunting arena, attacking monsters, countering and blocking, to performing special Slash Attacks. The game offers six different weapons Sword and Shield, Great Sword, Dual Blades, Hammer, Lance, and Gunlance. Although the last two were lumped into the same Lance type, they had two branching upgrade trees: Dash and Shell.
Later on, Dynamic Hunting was released for Android in 2012 and ended service for both mobile platforms in 2017.
Monster Hunter Frontier Egg Run
Any veteran Hunter worth his salt knows how annoying Egg Quests were. Capcom, in its infinite wisdom, then asked, “How about we make a standalone app for it?”
In this sidescrolling side app for the Monster Hunter Frontier MMO spinoff, you have to dodge monsters while carrying a heavy Egg. However, you must also maintain the stamina gauge as depleting it completely will make you drop the Egg and end the game. Clearing this stressful minigame several times will let players unlock special items in Frontier. Egg Run ended its run on June 22, 2016.
Monster Hunter: Phantom Island Voyage
Another game that was based on Frontier‘s content. But unlike the previous games, Phantom Island Voyage is a monster-collecting game. It could be played on Android, iOS, and web browsers in Japan for three years, from 2011 to 2014.
Minna to Monster Hunter Card Master
Aka, Monster Hunter Card Master with Everyone, as you can already guess, is a card-collecting game. Released in 2012 for the Japanese Mobage gaming platform, it allows you to collect cards of Hunters, monsters, Felynes, and supporting characters from the games.
Monster Hunter Massive Hunting
Released in GREE 2013 for iOS and Android, this Japanese-exclusive game can be said a direct upgrade from Dynamic Hunting. The main hunting gameplay is still the same; you circle around the target monster in an arena and tap and swipe the screen for moves. But this time around, players can ‘explore’ the hunting map and collect items by pressing on the zones icons.
There are also Small Monsters that can be fought in a turn-based style. Huge Elder Dragons like Shen Gaoren and Ukanlos were eventually added via event updates. The service ended on October 14, 2014.
Monster Hunter Great Hunting Quest
Yet another card game with a Monster Hunter theme. This one was released on October 29, 2013, and lasted for five years until 2018. In Great Hunting, you start in the Kaldopia Castle in the region with the same name. From there, you use various cards to evade and fight PNG of monsters across familiar hunting grounds such as the Deserted Island and Volcano.
Monster Hunter Roar of Cards
Had enough of a card or character-collecting RPG gameplay for a mobile Monster Hunter? Me neither!
As a rookie adventurer in the land of Nabel, it’s your job to gather as many monsters and allies as possible. The game, running from 2014 to 2018 for Android and iOS, features tons of monsters up to Monster Hunter Generations.
Monster Hunter Explore
Now, if you’re interested in actual Monster Hunter games on mobile, Explore is your friend. In this game, you can play quests with up to four friends, try out 12 different weapon types, and hunt familiar monsters up to Generations. Best of all, this game did a lot of crossovers as well, so you can fight a Dhalsim Gigginox, Titan Deviljho, or even EVA-themed Brachydios.
This is also one of the few spinoff Monster Hunter games that adds a completely original weapon: the Accel Axe. Every time the user attacks, the Accel Gauge is charged, which can be unleashed to propel the Hunter as an evasive or offensive option. Unfortunately, there was no English release, and Explore only ran from 2015 to 2020.
Monster Hunter Freedom Unite for iOS
While most Monster Hunter games are playable on mobile via emulators, Capcom actually released a native app for one of the handheld entries. iOS players were able to play the entirety of Freedom Unite when it was released on the App Store in 2014. However, it’s sad to say that in around 2021, Capcom made the game unable to be launched. So much for a true hunting experience on mobile.
Monster Hunter Now
Who knew a combination of Pokemon Go and Monster Hunter could be a breakout hit? Released in late 2023, this geolocation-based game asks you to hunt monsters while commuting or walking around the neighborhood. So far, there are 28 monsters you can fight and 11 weapon types in Now.
Monster Hunter Outlanders
An upcoming open-world hunting experience, developed by TiMi Studios, creator of Pokemon Unite and COD Mobile. A lot of details are still kept secret, even the release date, but the game is set in the massive land of Isolaneysa Island. You can travel the islands to hunt and gather materials not just to build gear, but your own home as well.
Monster Hunter Stories
Similar to Freedom Unite, Capcom has ported the once-3DS-exclusive spinoff game to Android and iOS. Called ‘the Pokemon of the Monster Hunter franchise’ by fans, here your main objective is befriending Monsties. You can then breed them with various moves and elements, allowing you to craft the strongest Monstie partner of your own.
Monster Hunter Riders
The character-collecting gacha spinoff of the Stories spinoff. While the game looks vibrant and enjoyable enough, it didn’t last long. Riders shut down just 2 years after its 2020 launch for Android and iOS.
Monster Hunter Diary: Mobile Felyne Village
Monster Hunter is a series known to focus on the Hunters and monsters, but there is another point of view that’s often used as side stories. As you can expect, the Airou Mura or Felyne Village spinoff focuses on the daily life of Felynes, aka your Palico partners. The series was originally a PSP game developed by FromSoftware — yes, that FromSoft — but it’s popular enough to get mobile titles.
One of the first that was available on Japanese feature phones back in the day was the Mobile Felyne Village. Your job in this social game released in 2012 is to gather as many Felynes as you can to build up your village.
Monster Hunter Felyne Bazaar
Then there’s a Felyne Village game where we manage a store and serve Hunters starving for quality hunting goods. This one was launched in 2013 and lasted for one whole year until 2014 as an iOS-exclusive game.
Monster Hunter Felyne Life
Before Felyne Bazaar was shut down, Capcom launched another Monster Hunter Palico-based mobile game called Felyne Life. In this one, a Felyne King tasked you with hunting monsters, collecting materials, and upgrading the castle. The iOS game ran until 2017.
Monster Hunter Puzzles: Felyne Isles
Last but not least is the Monster Hunter Puzzles match-3 game. While it focuses on Felynes, for some reason it doesn’t use the cutesy Felyne Village design for the characters. We recommend fans of casual puzzle and Monster Hunter games to try this one, which debuted in June 2024 on Android and iOS.
Those are the ultimate list of all Monster Hunter mobile games old and new. Any games you have or want to try from this list? Are you excited for Outlanders? Monster Hunter fans have been eating good since the early 2010s and never run out of portable games.
