After 11 years of absence from the Western market, the Monster Rancher series is returning with a bundle featuring two games in the franchise. In a special announcement trailer, Koei Tecmo revealed that Monster Rancher 1 & 2 DX is coming on December 9 for PC, iOS, and Switch.
Monster Rancher tasks players with generating and training monsters for battle, but it had a few unique features that separated it from its peers. Unlike Pokémon, the game was able to generate monsters based on certain CDs, creating a fun use for the now mostly obsolete medium. Monster Rancher also puts a heavy focus on breeding and training, requiring that you create a routine with your monster to ensure they're well-fed, they exercise properly to boost each of their stats, and, most importantly, they like you enough to actually listen to you in a fight.
For the re-release, Koei Tecmo has made a few changes to improve the overall quality of life. Given the aforementioned obsolescence of CDs, monsters can now be generated from a database by searching for the CD that coincides with them. Additional save slots, freeze slots, and Hall of Fame slots will also be added along with a high-speed option in order to make the game run faster. Moreover, the re-release includes a few features that were never present in the original Western release, along with an overall rebalance for the various monsters. Finally, executive producer Kazumi Fujita promised that the team is also working to allow players to battle their friends from around the world.
The re-release comes as part of the celebration for the 25th anniversary of the Monster Rancher franchise. Monster Rancher 1 & 2 DX will be released on December 9. Check out the official announcement trailer below to hear Fujita talk about the resurrection of this beloved franchise.
Here's the official site's description of the series' comeback:
Welcome to the magical world of Monster Rancher! The beloved series makes its triumphant return with Monster Rancher 1 & 2 DX, bringing together the wildly popular simulation games – Monster Rancher and Monster Rancher 2 – all in one amazing collection. Raise your own monsters and train them to compete against other eccentric creatures in combat and tournaments. With hundreds of different monster types, each with their own skills and abilities, every Rancher will be able to raise and train a monster that's a perfect fit for their personality and play style. Returning fans and newcomers alike can enjoy the timeless monster training and battling experience in Monster Rancher 1 & 2 DX!