Monster Hunter Risewas released on Nintendo Switch in March 2021 and made its debut on PC in January 2022. The game’s first DLC expansion,Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak, is slated to come out in Summer 2022, giving lots of time for fans of the franchise to speculate on new and returning Monsters.
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Capcom has already confirmed that theShogun Ceanataur, a Monster that first appeared inMonster Hunter 2forPlayStation 2, will be included inMonster Hunter Rise’s new DLC. Hopefully, more fan-favorite Monsters will be returning, though these ten Monsters will likely be left out of the current installment.
10King Shakalaka
More recent fans of theMonster Hunterfranchise may recognize Shakalaka creatures fromMonster Hunter 3 Ultimate, where they served as the player’s Buddies. In more recent installments,that role has been given to Palicos and Palamutes, though Shakalakas were cute and helpful companions as well.
However, in their introduction inMonster Hunter Freedom Unite, Shakalakas served as enemies on the field, and King Shakalaka was their leader. This monster is equivalent to the Great Izuchi, lording over its smaller subjects and facing monsters. However, Shakalaks seem to have been abandoned by the franchise, so it’s unlikely Hunters will get to face this Monster in the near future.
9Lunastra
Lunastra was introduced inMonster Hunter 2alongside Teostra, its red-colored counterpart. However, it has made scarce appearances in the main series compared to Teostra, only appearing in second-generation games before its return inMonster Hunter World. It seems as if Teostra, who also appears inMonster Hunter Rise, has risen as the more popular of the two Monsters.
All hope may not be lost for Lunastra fans, though. In addition to its recent appearance inMonster Hunter World, Lunastra also made an appearance inMonster Hunter: Legends of the Guild, an animated Netflix movie based on the franchise. Unfortunately, the movie was poorly received by fans and critics, so it’s possible this has put a damper on Lunastra’s future potential.
8Qurupeco
Players who dove intoMonster Hunter 3 Ultimatefor Wii U and 3DS have probably banged their heads against the wall fighting this bird-like Monster. As one of the earliest fights in the game, Qurupeco offered Hunters their first real challenge after spending their time against Small Monsters and the occasional Arzuros.
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Suffice it to say, most diehardMonster Hunterfans would be glad to see this Monster out of rotation,especially in favor of some more fan-favorites that have yet to appear inMonster Hunter Rise. However, Qurupeco still appears in both installments of the spin-off seriesMonster Hunter Stories, so fans will get a taste of what it’s like there.
7Ceadeus
This Elder Dragon made its debut inMonster Hunter Tri, released exclusively for the Nintendo Wii in 2010. In this new generation ofMonster Huntergames, Capcom introduced underwater combat as a way to expand hunting capabilities. With this unique gameplay mechanic came a selection of new Monsters, with Ceadeus being the feature’s signature Elder Dragon.
However, underwater combat was a poorly-received gameplay mechanic, as players found it difficult to control. Capcom removed the mechanic fromMonster Hunter 4and onwards, with certain underwater Monsters like Lagiacrus and Plesioth being updated for land combat. Sadly, Ceadeus is among those who will likely remain in the past.
6Dire Miralis
Similar to Ceadeus, Dire Miralis appeared inMonster Hunter 3 Ultimateas a late-game Elder Dragon that took advantage of the game’s underwater combat. This mysterious Monster lurks beneath the water, with a body that resembles a volcano. The Dire Miralis proved to be one of the most interesting uses of the underwater mechanic in the series' third generation.
Despite the frustration players faced with underwater combat, Dire Miralis was slow-moving and large enough to make for a fun fight. However, unless the Monster was given a complete redesign to make it adapt to land combat, players will probably have to pick up a Wii U or 3DS to fight it themselves.
5Kirin
This unicorn-based Monster has made several appearances inMonster Hunterpast its introduction in the very first installment in the franchise. Its most recent appearance was inMonster Hunter Rise’s predecessor,Monster Hunter World. It was only ever absent in the third generation of games, meaningit very well could appear again inMonster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak.
However, it’s possible that Capcom may view Kirin as unfit forMonster Hunter Rise’s mechanics. With the inclusion of Wirebug attacks, the game promotes a lot of movement in combat that the surprisingly small Kirin might not encourage. Add that to many players' frustration with fighting the quick-moving Monster, and it’s probably not one that Capcom is looking to reintroduce.
4Nakarkos
Most late-game Elder Dragons in theMonster Hunterfranchiseare featured in very cinematic, complicated battles. This helps to make for some pretty epic fights, but ones that players aren’t eager to repeat. Nakarkos is one of them, making its debut inMonster Hunter Generations.
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While this bone-covered cephalapod is an engaging fight, it’s unlikely Capcom will go through the trouble of updating and adapting it forMonster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak. The Monster spends most of the fight on the outskirts of the fighting arena, forcing Hunters to attack it with Ballistas and Cannons. This type of gameplay isn’t something that fans ofMonster Hunter Risewould necessarily get excited about.
3Ahtal-Ka
Like with Nakarkos, Ahtal-Ka is an Elder Dragon whose originality and interesting gameplay mechanics might not be enough to push it forward to a new installment. Appearing inMonster Hunter Generations Ultimate, a Switch exclusive for the US, this insect-like Monster appears no different in size to the fourth generation’s Seltas.
However, Ahtal-Ka’s main ability is using its silk to puppeteer “the Empress' Throne”, a large-scale war machine that it pilots to attack Hunters. Defeating the Ahtal-Ka also rewards Hunters with a pretty impressive Armor Set that boosts Skill Points on Decorations and Talismans. It’s a worthwhile fight, but maybe a bit too much for Capcom to prioritize in the near future.
2Gammoth
The hulking wooly mammoth Monster appeared as one of four flagship Monsters inMonster Hunter Generations. Mostly residing in icy terrains, this Monster is unique for its slow-moving yet powerful attacks. While it would be great to see Gammoth joinits fellow flagship Mizutsune inMonster Hunter Rise, it might not be possible.
As the opposite of Kirin, Gammoth might be too slow forMonster Hunter Rise’s advanced Wirebug techniques, making it an uneventful (or even too easy) fight. It’s possible that Capcom could update Gammoth’s abilities, though this could be too harsh of a change for the former flagship. If Gammoth does ever return, it’s unlikely that it will be the same fight fromMonster Hunter Generations.
1Zorah Magdaros
Monster Hunter Worldopened the franchise up to a whole new audience with completely altered gameplay mechanics and exclusivity on PC, Xbox One, and PS4. The game opens with an epic scaling of the Elder Dragon Zorah Magdaros, a volcanic dragon whose migration drives the game’s main story. Simply put, the Zorah Magdaros makes the Dire Miralis look like a Kirin.
While this hunt was exciting for both old and newMonster Hunterfansalike, the scale of it probably outshines what the Nintendo Switch is capable of. It certainly would be a surprise to see this walking mountain on the tiny portable Switch screens, but most fans of the series would agree that it’d be a welcome surprise.
Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreakreleases in Summer 2022.Monster Hunter Riseis currently available on PC and the Nintendo Switch.
